Competition changes for Young Athletes: What you need to know

Wednesday 12th November 2025

Exciting updates are on the way for young athletes across Scotland as scottishathletics announce changes to how competitions will be run for the new U12, U14 and U16 age groups.

These updates aim to make events more fun, fair and focused on long-term development, helping young athletes to enjoy the sport while building skills for the future.

U12 SUPERteams Enjoys a Makeover

The popular SUPERteams format, where athletes take part in fun, team-based events, will stay at the heart of competition for the under 12 age group.

What’s changing? Indoor and outdoor formats will now be more aligned, with clubs able to enter any number of athletes, not just fixed teams of four.

The focus will remain on participation, teamwork and enjoyment, with everyone taking part in sprints, jumps, throws and a big mixed relay.
No individual medals indoors, but everyone representing the winning club will win a special prize and share team trophies!

Why? Because at this age, it’s all about building confidence and having fun, not pressure to win.

Competition Changes – Districts

District Track & Field – A New Look for U14 and U16

For U14s, District Championships will shift to a multi-event format. Athletes will choose up to three individual events (two track + one field or vice versa) and earn points based on their performances.

Instead of just rewarding the top three individual athletes in each event, gold, silver and bronze standards will be recognised.

U16s will compete in a more traditional competition format with heats, finals and individual medals, helping them to learn to compete at the next level while still focusing on participation and enjoyment early in the season.

Why? This bridges the gap between team-based fun at U12 and more serious individual competition in the older age groups without putting pressure on athletes to specialise too early.

This is an early-season introduction to outdoor competition, readying athletes for more events to come.

Start of the Young Males race at the Lindsays National XC Relays with U13 athletes in action (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Competition Changes – Off-Track

Off-Track Events (2026 onwards): More Recognition for More Runners

In cross country and road, the number of young athletes being recognised will increase.

Instead of only the top three receiving medals, more places (up to 12 for the youngest age group) will now receive awards, encouraging continued effort and rewarding more athletes for turning up and giving their best.

Medals will still be up for grabs for the top three in each age group, but additional rewards will recognise others at the top end of the field.

Off-Track changes will be introduced with the new age groups from October 2026.

Why? Because we know that small rewards can make a big difference in helping young runners feel seen, valued and excited to come back.

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Questions and Answers

• Will this mean more work for clubs? Not really – formats are being simplified and made more inclusive.
• Will athletes still compete seriously? Yes – at the right time for their age and development.
• Will this affect medals or rankings? Only for the better – more young people will be recognised in a fairer way.

Track and field changes will be introduced from early 2026, and from October 2026 in off-track disciplines. Three informational booklets have been produced to provide more information about the coming changes.

Clubs, athletes and parents will also receive more information in the coming months. Watch this space!