General information for track and field competitions.

The Club is involved in a number of Leagues, which cater for all age groups and abilities. Athletics is organised into age groups, which differ from what juniors will be used to at school.

There are many rules governing athletics,  the basics are as follows.

• School years 4 and 5 are under 11s. 
• School years 6 and 7 are under 13s.
• School years 8 and 9 are under 15s.
• School years 10 and 11 are under 17s.

You must be under each particular age on the 1st of September in the competition year to be able to compete in each respective age group.

The number of events an athlete can compete in is limited to 3 events plus the relay. There are limits on the number of distance events an athlete can compete in on one day.

For under 20 age group the athlete must be under twenty on 31 December of the competition year. Under 20s may compete in five events on one day.

Each age may compete in the the age group above them. Under 17s and under 20s can compete as seniors.

Most, but not all , competitions have two athletes in each event. These are known as the A and B strings. The A string will normally have the strongest athlete. In field events if the B string  beats the A string athlete the B
string will automatically become the A string. The A and B string will normally be of equal importance to the team as they will score equal points.
In some competitions there will be non scoring events. These competitions offer opportunities for improving athletes, who cannot make the team in a particular event, to show what they can do and experience the atmosphere of a competition without being under pressure.