Become an Official Val Murdoch

‘Officiating can fill a gap in your life – and be so much more, too’

Athletics mum Val Murdoch turned back to the sport to become an Official in 1999 after her husband was tragically killed in a car crash and her children left home for further education.

Two decades of enjoyment and constant learning later and our 2019 Official of the Year can’t wait to commit more time to help us help our sport.

Could you follow Val’s pathway? Read on... Q How did you get first get involved in athletics?

Well, as it happens, via a truly life changing experience.

Both my children were involved in athletics; Iain in middle distance/steeplechase and Lindsay in long/triple jump.(Iain represented GB at World Junior, European U20 and U23 level.)

Family weekends were spent travelling all over Scotland/UK (and occasionally abroad) to attend numerous meetings.

In mid-1999 two things happened almost simultaneously – both children left home to go to University and I was unexpectedly widowed when my husband was killed in a car crash.

Family weekend activities as I had known for many years ceased almost overnight. To maintain sanity I had to fill those gaps - so I turned to athletics and becoming an Official.

I contacted the Office, and the next thing I knew I was on Declarations at the Indoor District Champs in January 2000. I’ve never looked back! Q Please tell us a little bit about your journey as an Official? computerised results system was created I volunteered my services.

Parallel with this, I sometimes helped Arnold Black and Margaret McInally on seeding. In those days, it was a completely manual process

When Scottish Athletics purchased Hy-Tek Meet Manager, the computerised system able to do both results and seeding, I moved my focus to work with this. The product itself has evolved over the years, and various Event Managers within SAL along with a small band of Officials like myself have upskilled ourselves on the programme. We now have a very useful computerised system.

For many years I was still only working at Championships – Leagues rarely needed SAL Officials for admin work.

By the 2010s both my children were now living overseas and once again I had far too much time on my hands at weekends, so what could I do? Try another discipline, of course!

I thought the Start team looked an interesting role, so around 2013 I attended a beginners training course. Soon afterwards I was trackside, wearing a red t-shirt (seemed odd after years being in purple) and actually dealing with athletes rather than a computer.

So now I divide my time between Seeding at Championships and Starter’s Assistant duties at many of the leagues.

I began doing work only for Championships, mainly on Declarations and sometimes in the Call Room.

‘Officiating can fill a gap in your life – and be so much more, too’

QHow much do you enjoy your role and what are the aspects of it which keep you contributing to the sport?

I find that having these two very different roles within the same sport is an excellent way to keep my interest.

Not only do I work with different groups of Officials at different levels of meetings from grass-roots leagues to Internationals, but the roles let me see how each part of a meeting interacts with all other parts. If one part ‘breaks’ the knock-on effect can be huge. Each element is vital. This takes away the nervousness of new Officials, since on the same day as they learn their discipline they can then do it for real.

My advice is to always think about doing more than one discipline – perhaps do your first one for a year or two and then consider branching out into another area(.

It’s easy to combine more than one discipline. When I moved into the

The technology aspect of the sport when I’m Seeding enables me to immerse myself in my natural admin ‘comfort zone’. The Starter’s Assistant role, however, allows me to be in contact with all ages and levels. Q What would you say to someone who might think about volunteering to help out or taking a first Officials course?

Most people who come into athletics as an Official usually have a connection with the sport, so I suggest picking an area that interests you.

Basic courses are held regularly at beginner level for all the disciplines (track, field, photofinish, start team etc). Where possible the organisers run such courses in the morning of an event and in the afternoon take the trainees out onto the track/field so they can immediately start to participate in their discipline.

Start team, I made it very clear that Championships were still Admin for me – but they (the Start team) could have me for everything else! Q We talk sometimes about trying to get ‘younger people’ in as Officials – but I think you believe that scottishathletics should be urging parents aged 45 plus to get involved?

Officials recruitment is hard in many sports. I feel there is a period in people’s lives from about 25-45 when ‘life’ simply takes over - careers, family, home etc.

Around their mid 40s people often reach the point when commitments become less (kids are growing up/moving on, careers become more settled) and they have more time in which to do something. They may also feel more confident generally within themselves to try something new.

I firmly belief officiating can certainly ‘fill a gap’. It’s up to each individual to decide how much time to devote to any new hobby and officiating is very flexible.

Probably the most important aspect is reliability rather than availability – no-one in the sport expects any official to do every meeting, but please turn up to the ones you agree to do! Q Would someone coming in as an Official at the age of 50, say, and volunteering for 10-15 years, be able to enjoy it and make a contribution to a vibrant sport in Scotland?

Without a doubt! In fact, why put an end date? You never stop learning in this role.

There is a recognised pathway in the sport going from Assistant Official right up to International Referee. But you can stop at any point along this pathway.

I learn something new at almost every meeting I attend – whether it’s through the people I interact with (athletes, parents, coaches, fellow Officials) to the level of the meeting I’m attending (I’ve worked from area leagues right up to Glasgow 2014). Each has shown me something new.

When I retire from paid employment, my own plan is to increase my officiating role to do midweek events and not just weekend ones as I do currently.

Athletics in Scotland is such a forwardlooking sport and I cannot wait to be a part of the future.