At British Weight Lifting we recognise the incredibly important role volunteers play in our sport. We value the contribution of every single volunteer that is able to dedicate their spare time to help deliver our competitions, events and other initiatives.

To be invited to volunteer at a weightlifting competition and being part of the event is a great feeling of achievement because you have been noticed as being passionate about the sport and are valued very much by the National Governing Body.

We offer a range of opportunities to be a British Weight Lifting volunteer that provide an invaluable and insightful experience in to the world of weightlifting.

“Volunteering has helped me to develop as a person, through firstly, the continuous opportunity to help out/give back and be a part of the development of weightlifting. Secondly, it has also given me the necessary skills and experience to prepare for the working world”.

Omarie Mears, Athlete and National Official

Loading

As a Loader, there is a great opportunity to have the best seats in the house as you are sat only feet away from the competition platform, where you will see all the best lifting from each group.

There is so much to see and learn. Loading the bar quickly and accurately to keep the competition going is a great challenge and very rewarding as you know you have done a good job and not interrupted the concentration of the lifters.

Being near to the competition platform you can test yourself on the rules by working out if each lift is a good lift or a no lift and learning either way to your decision and the referee`s on duty.

You also get free entry to the venue ALL DAY at a Tier 2 or 1 event, and access to the rest room where there are hot and cold drinks and snacks.

Loading at any weightlifting competition and the speaker shouting your name to everyone and hearing a cheer and applause of thanks is a great feeling.

Officiating

Being asked to Officiate at a Tier 2 or 1 is a proud feeling of achievement to be on duty at the biggest championships on the calendar where you are able to show your knowledge of the rules.

There is so many different posts to work in beyond the refereeing chair. There is the Weigh-In where athletes get checked in and, the Technical Controller which is a busy post because they watch over the competition and field of play from the side making sure the bar is loaded correctly and clean of any contaminants.

“If you are thinking of volunteering you are 95% there. DO IT!”

Darren Rogers, IWF Cat 2 Ref

Other roles include the Timekeeper who controls the 2-minute clock, the Speaker who announces who is lifting and keeps the competition rolling and the Marshal who manages weight changes.

Plus being a loader at any weightlifting competition there is a great chance to meet people and make new friends.

“When in uniform I always feel there is a lot of respect for the knowledge of the sport and the sense of fair play given when officiating at any weightlifting event”

Ed Halstead, BWL Competitions Manager after starting out as a volunteer in the mid 90’s

Being an official offers plenty of room for progression via the Technical Official pathway. After passing the online level 2 course and getting the licence you can go to your first Tier 3 event.

The more competitions you attend the more likely you are to be invited to both Tier 2 or 1 events. If this happens and you are seen often you would be offered a chance to take the level 3 exam and invigilation where you will be watched while you officiate 50 successful lifts.

The next step is international level with the IWF CAT 2 award. To make this jump you will need to officiate at national level for 5 years, but we will consider all your time as a BWL Technical Official.