Last updated – 7th April 2025
Athletics within the UK is largely run by volunteers. Many coaches, club leaders and officials get involved in volunteering initially to support their child who participates in the sport. Ayr Seaforth is no different. We depend on people giving up their time to help us in a variety of roles including assisting with coaching, officiating at events and helping to organise behind the scenes. We welcome any offer of support from club members, parents, grandparents etc, or from anyone in the community who is passionate about sport and athletics.
Below is an example list of the types of volunteer roles we have available at our club. If you think you might be able to take on one of these roles, or even if you have other skills that you think may benefit the club, please complete this short form.
The club will cover the cost of training and expenses for coaches and officials in exchange for a commitment to volunteer for an extended period of time. The Level 1 Coaching Assistant course currently costs £215.
Coaching
Our main training nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays but we also have Run, Jump, Throw and a variety of junior and specialist sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Examples of training groups that need support are:
- Development Group (General athletics for competing athletes aged 9+) – currently Tuesdays and Thursdays 6pm until 7:30pm
- Junior Development (Age 7 and 8) – currently every Wednesday, 5-6pm or 6-7pm
- Run, Jump, Throw (Age 9-12) – Currently every Monday and Wednesday, 5:30-6:30pm
- Endurance Running – currently Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm until 8pm
Ideally, we are looking for individuals who are interested in coaching long-term and are keen to progress through the coaching qualification levels. We would love to hear from local students who are specialising in coaching and/or sport development.
The first step is to join a group and gain experience working alongside the qualified coaches. If you decide to complete a qualification, the club will cover the cost. Follow the links below for more details about coaching qualifications. All volunteers working with children are required to complete a PVG check prior to getting started.
UKA Coaching Assistant – Level 1
Time Commitment – 3 hours per week, over 2 evening training sessions
Under the supervision of a UK Athletics Coach or Event Group Coach, assist with the delivery of training sessions.
UKA Athletics Coach – Level 2
Time Commitment – Minimum of 3 hours per week delivering training sessions plus additional 1-2 hours preparing sessions and communicating with athletes, parents and other club members.
Officiating
Officiating
Time Commitment – Flexible
Graded Officials (judges) are essential for the smooth running of athletic competitions. Perhaps you may start off as a parent helper at competitions, raking the long jump pit or retrieving the shot put but why not go a step further and be trained in all field or track events? You might find yourself eventually officiating at a major international event in the future! Your time commitment can vary widely as an official but you would be expected to officiate at most local competitions and the occasional national event.
Club leadership and other roles
Welfare Officer
Role Profile
A healthy sports club should ideally have 2 Welfare Officers, 1 male and 1 female. Currently, we have 1 female WO. We would especially love to hear from anyone who has experience with PVG administration.
Club Committee/Board of Trustees
Our Board of Trustees meet quarterly to review the health of the club and make important decision on behalf of members. If your time is limited but you would like to make a significant impact, this role may be for you!
Time commitment = 4 x 1 hour meetings across the year with occasional email communication
Volunteer Recruitment
As a volunteer lead organisation, we are never done recruiting volunteer help. Whether it’s nurturing potential volunteers for the future or sending out urgent appeals for assistance, you will play an important role in the club’s ongoing success. You will need to be a confident communicator as talking to people face to face at the club and at events (e.g. competitions) is very effective.
Time commitment = Flexible
Fundraising and Sponsorship
Do you have experience applying for funding grants or organising events and initiatives to raise funds for a charity? Our costs are always increasing and therefore so is the need to find other sources of income in addition to the funds raised from membership fees. This work could be undertaken by a small group/sub-committee.
Time commitment = Flexible. 1-2 hours per week on average.