As another fantastic XCR season draws to a close, plans for the 2025/26 AVSL season, which have been simmering away in the AV office (with critical insight from the AVSL Committee), are being finalised.
With the growing popularity of athletics in Victoria (a testament to the entire community), demand is high for opportunities to compete. We’ve made some changes for the coming season to try to alleviate those issues, which impact our field athletes in particular. Those changes can be found here. The issue that has the most influence on the amount of competition we can provide is, by far, the number of officials available for our events. We’re incredibly lucky to have a dedicated group of experienced officials who are generous with their time, year-round, but there are limits to the number of events they can attend.
That’s the challenge, but the good news is you can help – by signing up as an Athletics Victoria official.
The demands on everyone’s time are indeed greater than ever, and it might seem that becoming an official takes more knowledge and experience than is attainable. The reality is that helping in an official capacity at an Athletics Victoria event has more flexibility than most might imagine.
There’s no prerequisite to attend every round or to stay for the entire event. Athletes can choose to compete in their chosen event and officiate in a different event on the same day. Parents, grandparents, or siblings can officiate on the same day a family member is competing, and club points are now available for qualified officials who help in AVSL rounds.
Last year, during the AVSL season, Athletics Victoria was delighted to welcome 12 new officials, 5 of them metropolitan – but more are required to reach our goals.
One of our newer officials, Samuel Blood from Ballarat YCW Harriers, has been volunteering his time for two years.
‘I’ve always enjoyed helping out around the sport, and becoming an official seemed like a natural progression,’ Sam explains. ‘It gave me the chance to continue supporting athletes and events in a more formal and structured way.’
Athlete Shania Murray, from Diamond Valley Athletic Club, has been an official for about 8 months:
‘I have a strong passion for athletics, both as an athlete and a spectator. As an educator, I want to help others and see everyone succeed. Ultimately, with my passion for athletics and desire to be part of the sport through different elements (including competing, officiating, and eventually coaching), this has led me to become an official.’
Both agree that the online training process was a straightforward one:
‘Once you complete the online training modules (thoroughly explaining the rules and regulations), you gain experience through completing some training rounds of competition alongside a team of experienced officials who are always willing to teach you little tricks and tips from their wealth of knowledge and experience,’ says Shania.
Sam adds:
‘I didn’t find the process difficult. While there is some learning involved, the pathway is very accessible, and the strong encouragement and support from the officiating community make it an easy and enjoyable step for anyone interested.’
It’s an uplifting feeling to discover that each of these young people is motivated by similar outcomes – helping others and seeing them succeed.
‘I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that my efforts make a difference. Seeing athletes compete successfully and knowing I’ve contributed to that experience is very fulfilling,’ says Sam, and Shania’s thoughts on the best part of being an Athletics Victoria official are similar:
‘…watching the action up close, being a part of the decision-making process, and continuing to implement the rules and regulations, to continue to see the sport thrive and succeed,’ are some of the benefits, according to Shania, an accomplished distance athlete.
If you’re an athlete, there’s no reason spending some time officiating should interfere with that.
‘You don’t need to choose to be either an official or an athlete; you can easily do both, with the flexibility of volunteering at different competitions and different start/finish times to accommodate your competition schedule. For anyone interested, I would strongly recommend giving it a go and trying it out yourself!’ adds Shania.
The bottom line is, that if enough people join the Victorian officiating ranks and contribute what they can in terms of time, then more events, more opportunities for our throwers, and ideally a third Saturday metropolitan venue can potentially be added.
Budding officials can take a look at the online training modules provided by World Athletics here. Level 1 courses can be taken free of charge, online, and at the student’s own pace. There’s the benefit of comprehensive track and field education, while gaining the confidence to begin as an official.
Once the modules are started, the supportive and friendly staff at AV are ready to help. Contact our Official’s Manager, Andrea Hallett (andrea@athsvic.org.au), for the next steps.
Sam Blood is firm on the advantages of becoming an official, adding now might be the perfect time:
‘Officiating is a rewarding way to support athletes, learn new skills, and play a vital role in making competitions possible. With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, there has never been a better time to get involved — new officials will have incredible opportunities to be part of something truly special for Australian sport.’