Athletics is one of Britain’s most successful international sports. The greater variety of events enables children, whatever their age or ability, to participate; in fact, there are more events and competitors than in any other sport. UK Athletics, the national governing body for the sport, provides a list of the various events collected under the umbrella term ‘athletics’ and highlights the world and UK records in each event.

CLUBS

If your child shows interest in athletics at school, they may wish to take the sport further. Joining a local club is the best way to get more involved. Your child’s PE teacher may be able to suggest some local athletic clubs in your area or you could contact UK Athletics, which has a directory of the UK’s athletics clubs, some of which take junior members at around age 11. Most clubs have membership fees and charge a small amount for the use of the facilities at each training session.

The 40 clubs which are based in Northern Ireland and affiliated to the Northern Ireland Athletic Federation (NIAF) are listed on the NIAF website.

ATHLETICS GROUNDS

A list of UK athletics grounds can be accessed from The UK Running Track Directory.

JUNIOR ATHLETICS RECORDS

Details of all junior athletics records are available from the UK Athletics website.

ATHLETIC SCHEMES

The Norwich Union Shine Awards

These awards provide opportunities for children aged three and upwards to try athletics. They areto all children, with an adapted scheme at all levels for disabled children. There are four levels, each one catering for a different age group. Further details can be found on the Norwich Union Shine Awards website. 

star:track

The ‘star:track’ scheme has been going since 1992, offering an all-round athletics experience for children from the age of eight to 15. In 2000, 20,000 children took part in 240 venues across the UK. Local authorities, athletics clubs and schools all participate. The costs to participate depend upon where you live, the length of the scheme (most tend to be a week) and who is organising it. As a result the price can be anything from free to Ј40 per person. To find your nearest venue, call the star:track hotline on . 

ATHLETICS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

Athletics isto children in all disability classes. Some can compete in wheelchairs or with prostheses, and visually impaired and blind athletes can compete with the help of a sighted companion. The classification system, with ‘F’ standing for Field and ‘T’ for Track, groups competitors by the nature of their impairments. Track events retain Olympic distances and field events include shot put, discus, javelin, club throwing, pentathlon and the long, high and triple jump (see more information on the principles of classification). The world records for all these events, along with further information and contact details, are available from the International Paralympic Committee’s website.

The British Wheelchair Sports Foundation can provide further information about the British Wheelchair Athletics Association and much more detail on classification in track and field for wheelchair athletes.

Disability Sport England has the regional contact details about the clubs in your area. Visit their website or call .

Get Kids Going is a charity, which gets young disabled people up to the age of 26 involved in sports. They help provide disabled people with sports wheelchairs and the costs of sports training, whether they are beginners, competing for fun, or serious competitors. If you are interested in receiving help please contact them for an application form on .

The British Paralympic Association should also be able to give you advice and can be contacted on .

The contact details for the charities and organisations dedicated to sport for disabled children throughout the UK can be found in our section on Leisure for Disabled Children.

EVENTS

You can get information on athletics events in the UK from UK Athletics.

ORGANISATIONS

UK Athletics - the national governing body for the sport of athletics in the UK
Scottish Athletics Federation
Athletic Association of Wales
Northern Ireland Athletic Federation
Amateur Athletic Association England
European Athletic Association
International Association of Athletics Federations
UK Running Track Directory
Youth Sport Trust
South of England Athletic Association
North of England Athletic Association
International Paralympic Committee
British Paralympic Association
Disability Sport England

For more information about what’s going on in your area, visit your Local Authority’s website. It can provide details on activities, attractions and services available to you and your family.