The launch of the England Athletics (EA) Officials Development Programme for 2024 provides a valuable opportunity for both experienced officials and those seeking guidance to contribute to the growth and development of athletics officiating. This programme is being piloted in the Northwest, East and Southwest regions, where the outcome of the project, will determine if the programme will be rolled out to the other regions in England thereafter.
The programmes’ structure, including the pairing of officials with ‘Officials Development Champions’, where emphasis on regular communication and support will enable you to enhance your development as an official. For officials interested in participating in the programme, all that is asked is commitment of a couple of hours for communication with their ‘Officials Champion’. This commitment will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the working relationships and the overall effectiveness of the programme.
If individuals have already identified a champion/mentor or are in the process of doing so, it’s great that the programme is flexible and accommodates pre-existing arrangements. This allows for a more personalised experience tailored to the officials’ specific needs, goals and aspirations. Please do let us know if this is the case for yourself, so we can take note of this.
As a participant, you will be paired with one of our experienced champions, from your discipline, who will identify your initial goals/aspirations and any particular resources required to support you in achieving them. It is asked that programme participants are able to commit to contact and communicate with their ‘champion’ and this can be through any form or frequency of communication as agreed by both parties.
To register your interest or for further information please contact Marc Ritchie, Technical Officials Development Manager – mritchie@englandathletics.org