News
Supporting Our Coaches – Shaping the Future of Athletics in Wales
16/04/2025 00:00, In Blog /
Following the transfer of responsibility for coach licensing in Wales from UKA, Welsh Athletics has been working hard to ensure our systems truly meet the needs of our athletics community.
At the heart of this are our dedicated volunteers — the coaches and leaders who drive athletics in clubs and communities across Wales. Their passion and commitment are the backbone of our sport, and we remain fully committed to supporting and empowering them.
Listening to Our Community
In the first year, our focus was on ensuring a smooth transition and continuing the delivery of our coach education programme. But we also recognised that the current system, originally developed in 2008, needed a fresh look. This provides us with a valuable opportunity to refresh and modernise course content that has remained largely unchanged for nearly a decade.
To better understand the needs of our coaching community, collectively all 4 Home Country Athletic Federations launched a major consultation and research process. Over 600 coaches and leaders across the UK generously shared their experiences and feedback — an incredible show of engagement that speaks volumes about the strength of our community.
Building for the Future
The feedback has highlighted that meaningful change is needed to meet the evolving needs of our coaching community — both here in Wales and across the UK. Delivering this change will take time, thoughtful planning, and sustained investment. That’s why we’re working closely with Scottish Athletics, England Athletics, Athletics NI, and UKA to shape a shared long-term vision for the future of coach education that reflects the diverse needs of all our athletics communities.
While we develop this long-term strategy, our existing coach education programme will continue throughout 2025. Our courses are regularly updated — please check our Events for Coaching Courses for the latest opportunities. You can also explore a wide range of development resources via Athletic Hub.
Welsh Athletics remains deeply committed to supporting clubs and volunteers across the country. Together, we’ll continue to grow and strengthen athletics in every community.
Thank you for everything you do.