Officials Education Scheme

Australian Athletics Officials’ Education Scheme (AAOES)  

The AAOES is a joint initiative of Athletics Australia and Coles Little Athletics Australia, providing a seamless and transparent education pathway for Australian Athletics Officials.

The scheme is endorsed by the Australian Sports Commission and follows best industry practice, with online learning coupled with face-to-face delivery.  The aim of the AAOES is to ensure that an effective and efficient education framework is provided to guarantee Australian Athletics Officials remain world leaders in event delivery at all levels of athletic competition.

The AAOES has three levels and provides a pathway for all officials who wish to progress from centre level to national level.  These qualifications are recognised by Little Athletics Australia, Athletics Australia, School Sport Australia and the Australian Sport Commission.

Level O – Introduction to Officiating

The Introductory Officiating General Principles free on-line course has been developed to assist Officials in learning the basic skills they will need to officiate effectively.

This is not compulsory for Athletics Officials but is strongly recommended.

The course contains three modules, which cover a range of general officiating topics, including ethical responsibilities of Officials, preparation for officiating, safety, communication, dealing with conflict and people management.

AAOES Level 1 Officials Course

Level 1 is the entry level and is suitable for persons who wish to help at their local centre.

The Level 1 Officiating courses are done online and free-of-charge.  There is no requirement for a practical assessment.

Candidates must complete online learning and pass a multiple-choice quiz. The learning and quiz will focus on ensuring the candidate has a basic understanding of the rules of the discipline they are attempting.

AAOES Level 1 is made up of 12 separate courses: –

• Track
• Starting
• Long Jump
• High Jump
• Triple Jump
• Javelin
• Discus
• Shot Put
• Walks
• Out of Stadia

There are courses for Hammer Throw and Pole Vault however these two events are not conducted at Little Athletics.

Within each course, there are four (4) modules, each with their own content and quiz attached: –

• Rules
• Officials & Communication
• Equipment
• Risk Management

Candidates can attempt as many of the courses as they like. Once they have completed all four modules and the competency quiz, they have finished the course and will be able to download the Certificate of Completion.

Each course should take around 45-90 minutes depending on your prior knowledge of the event and/or athletics. All questions in the quiz are multiple choice. Please note if you get a quiz question wrong you will be provided with a hint for the correct answer.  You do not have to complete the course at the one sitting, you can logout and then log back in later picking up where you left off.

Enrolment

First you must enrol in the system. This only needs to be done once. Candidates who have already completed the Introduction to Officiating (or any other Australian Sports Commission Course) can use that login information to access the AAOES courses.

You will be asked to submit your contact information and some details about yourself. You will be then sent an email to your nominated email account. Open that email and click on the link to start learning.

Click here for more information.

Note: When you access the courses page, although it is recommended, you do not have to do the Level 0 course before starting the Level 1.

Entry-Level Officials Workshops

Little Athletics NSW conducts face-to-face practical entry-level officiating workshops that are suitable for parents who help at centre level.