I am Andrew Minnis, aged 22 and a Level 3 Starters Assistant and Athletics coach in Northern Ireland. I joined my local athletics club Lagan Valley AC when aged 13, training at the Mary Peters Track. Even though I did not compete for long, I stayed involved with the sport I love though and started undertaking coaching and officiating courses.

Coaching has allowed me to train young athletes to reach their goals and most importantly, have fun in Athletics. Officiating has allowed me to reach some of the highest levels within athletics myself, gaining experience at events such as the UK School Games and the London 2012 Paralympics to further my progress.

The reason I joined the YAG is so that the future of young people in athletics as a whole grows and allows for greater opportunities and feedback, helping with the future development of athletics. Looking to the future I am very excited. I am looking forward to helping to shape the future for athletics and being involved as and where and when I can.

Andrew’s Blog

Heyyyy 🙂 Well, what can I say folks, what a busy few weeks of Athletics there has been, not only on an international level but also locally over here in Northern Ireland. Brilliant!

Before all this though, here’s a wee bit about meJ I am Andrew, a Level 3 Official and Athletics Coach, from Belfast. Here we go then!

Back to the last few weeks now. As a Level 3 Official I am now able to be selected for National and International Meetings. And this year, I was selected for the European Team Champs and the Birmingham edition of the Diamond League. Along with another YAG meeting, undoubtedly the most important bit of the weekend!

Gateshead and Birmingham have became sort of like second homes. As with our Poppy’s ‘shoe-gate’, with me we have ‘sun gate’. I had to flash the Sunglasses; I just just JUST HAD TO 😉

The first weekend, Gateshead. My first major selection as an official, broadcast across the whole of Europe, live on BBC1. Surprisingly I was pretty calm. Putting into practice what I have already done before, just with a few more watching 😛

Saturday weather-wise was superb, Sunday was, well…, HORRIBLE to say the least. All this resulting in a soaking wet me, but a splendid display from Team GB and NI! Namely my standout performance of Jessica Judd (more to follow).

In between, a short hop home, to the Belfast Intl and Mary Peters’ Track Opening meeting, along with Lord Coe and Dame Mary herself 🙂

Now to the event I was looking forward to soooo… SOOOO… much since I heard I would be at it. The Diamond League!

With me on track as a Starters’ Assistant, our very own Lijana in control of scoreboard operation and Victoria in Crowd Info Operation, nothing could go wrong now! (and it didn’t).

Personally, being on track with stars such as Kim Collins, Perri-Shakes Drayton and Jessica Judd, who, with hard work and determination clocked 1.59.86! Nothing can beat this!!

Ohh, wait, a photo with Carmelita Jeter might just nip ahead, slightly hehe.

p.s Don’t forget to SHARE YOUR VOICE with British Athletics. Sign up as a Youth Advisor NOW! 😀