LEND A HAND // MAKE A DIFFERENCE

GENERAL

All of our club activities are delivered by volunteers, unpaid people giving their time for the love of athletics and the benefit of all members.

What many don’t realise is how much work goes on behind the scenes to ensure our athletes get the very best opportunities they deserve.  However, we need your help to make that happen!

HOW TO HELP?

There are so many ways to make a difference to the club – some take just a couple of hours a few times a year, others require more commitment, but however you get involved, you can be sure you’re making a real difference.

If you’re a member of the club, the parent of a member, someone who loves athletics, want to give something back or want to build your skills and experience, we want to hear from you. Contact our Club Secretary to register your interest and for more information.

IF YOU HAVE TIME

• Be an ambassador for our club – share your experience with other people in the local area or on social media.  If attending a training night, talk to new members, answer their questions and help them settle in.
• Get involved in our road races – any meet we organise will take a huge amount of organisation.  These races raise the funds that pay for many of our club activities and equipment. Lend a hand as a marshall, with registration, setting up signs, packing goodie bags, handing out water, and more…
• Set up equipment at a training session – for Athletics 365 in particular there is a lot to get out and a lot to put away. Many hands make light work, so simply ask the Coach what needs doing and then lend a hand.
• Get involved in our home track and field events – there will be several each year. Help set up equipment, keep our officials supplied with food and drink and clear up at the end of the day.  Additional jobs here include collecting results sheets from officials and delivering to the scorers, and selling refreshments – the list is endless!
• Be an event reporter or photographer – we all love to read about how our athletes and teams got on. If you’re attending as a parent, you could help put together a report for our website and social media.
• Help us with facilities maintenance – nothing too heavy going but ensuring our facilities are spick and span helps them last longer and reduces costs to the club.

GET MORE INVOLVED

• There are team manager and assistant team manager opportunities.  In the areas of track and field, sportshall, cross country relays and road running relays.
• BBAC road races are run by our race managment team.  We need help to cover all aspects of our events from course management and safety to manpower and entries.
• Our track and field teams need more volunteers to help spread the burden of work.  We also need assistance for those taking the lead in each of the main areas
• The Beagles’ online kit shop (coming soon!).  This will be a fast and efficient way for our members to order their club vests and hoodies. We need volunteers to ensure stock is purchased and orders are fulfilled.

HOW ABOUT COACHING?

We can’t overstate the role of a good coach.  Our athletes are lucky to have so many within the club. BBAC actively support our next generation of coaches coming through.  We provide paid-for coaching courses.  Also available is expert mentoring from within our coaching team.  We also hold regular development sessions and support along every step of your journey. You’ll learn skills that are applicable in areas beyond athletics, and you never know where it will take you.

If you’d like to take the next step to becoming a coach, contact Paul Forrest, our Head of Coaching or book a Zoom call using the link on this page.

WE ALWAYS NEED OFFICIALS!

Behind every performance is an Official, athletics does not happen without officials, we quite literally couldn’t do what we do without our dedicated team of officials who give up their time to ensure Team BBAC can compete and that the competition is being run under conditions fair to all. It’s not just home events where officials are needed – we often need to send a team to away fixtures we attend as a condition of belonging to each league. A lot of people get involved when their children are competing, and some, over time move on. We have to ensure a steady flow of new officials to be able to continue doing what we do as a club.

Often you start by helping out at meetings – holding a tape, marking a throw or measuring a jump. Some also become involved on the track in recording the positions of athletes as they cross the finish line or recording their times. These duties are often not difficult once the basics are understood and accuracy and skills typically improve with experience.

We pay for training for our officials, and provide support every step of the way. If you’d like to find out more, please contact our Club Secretary.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR VOLUNTEERS

British athletics are always seeking volunteers.  Read more here.