Why being an Official gives you the perfect ringside seat . . .

Thursday 18th December 2025

Brenda Stephen (centre) celebrates Honorary Life Membership status with our other 2025 recipients, Neil Renton and Anne Stewart (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Awards presents chance to thank our Honorary Life Members

By Katy Barden

Brenda Stephen’s decision to become a parent helper at Cumbernauld AAC (and soon after as an Official) was a relatively easy one; she found it was a more enjoyable athletics experience than the pressure of watching her son compete from the stand.

Some 35 years later and the former primary school teacher – awarded Honorary Life Membership of scottishathletics in 2025 for her outstanding service to the sport – is still officiating.

That ‘ringside seat’ in 1990 has proved to be the ultimate selling point for a role that’s given her so much joy since.

Having worked her way through the required qualifications, Brenda became a Level 4 Field Official in 2007 and has operated in a range of different roles including field referee, meeting manager, national technical delegate, call room manager, technical manager, chair of jury of appeal, seeding and results, and declarations.

Her international event highlights include the 2007 Special Olympics in Glasgow, 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London, 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and multiple British championship events and Diamond League meetings.

Brenda was part of the team delivering the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at Hampden (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Some of Brenda’s greatest memories come from London 2012.

She recalls officiating while Jessica Ennis-Hill was competing in the javelin, the penultimate event of her Olympic gold medal-winning heptathlon.

Later that day, as a few ‘lucky’ Field Officials finished just before the end of the evening session, she witnessed Team GB’s three gold medals (Jess Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah) and experienced the very best of Super Saturday. “I’ll always remember that,” she says.

She refers to the Paralympic Games as a ‘game-changer’ and admits that even now there are Coldplay songs that immediately transport her back to that incredible summer (Coldplay tracks were played daily in the stadium and the band performed at the closing ceremony).

‘The atmosphere within the stadium was electric,’ she says. ‘I think most of the crowds came back (after the Olympics) so the enthusiasm was ramped up, it really was a fantastic experience.’

Brenda (centre) with her fellow 2025 Honorary Life Membership recipients Neil Renton and Anne Stewart and our presenters on the night, David Ovens and Jill O’Neill (photo by Bobby Gavin)

It’s not all medals and magic, however.

She laughs as she describes her role as assistant meeting manager at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she spent most of her time in a windowless room in the depths of Hampden Park.

Not only that, but she entered the stadium on just two occasions; once to be introduced to the Royal Party and briefly join them in the stand, the other to subtly swap every Official’s radio when it was discovered that they hadn’t been charged properly the night before.

True achievement, as the saying goes, requires dedication beyond the spotlight.

Brenda stepped back from international events in 2016 but continues to officiate at various levels from local open graded meetings to league meetings, SUPERteams (‘a great development event for U12s’) and scottishathletics championships.

Helping young athletes on their journey is often a rewarding experience for our Officials

She’s also a committed administrator: she was Officials Commission secretary for eight years during which she put together around 56 newsletters; she’s been a member of the field peer group and the mentoring group; and she’s now leading the communication and education group, working with her team to provide a monthly field newsletter.

A level one field tutor, she has also introduced new officials to the field of play and encouraged and motivated them to progress through the ranks.

‘I was quite happy to step back from international events, they were never really my favourite,’ she admits. ‘I mean, I’ve had so many wonderful experiences, but I quite like the newer Officials to be given the chance.

‘The average age of officials is definitely an ongoing challenge. We’re constantly encouraging people to get involved, but I think it’s a big commitment if you’re working, that’s the bottom line.

‘As a teacher I was fortunate that I wasn’t going to be working at the weekends, but I think for people who do work, particularly if they work some kind of shift pattern, it’s really difficult to commit.

‘That said, I’m hopeful that it’s maybe changing a little. I’m quite involved with the Scottish Athletics Indoor League at the moment and we’ve got a lot of new Officials turning up, so that’s good.’

As a former teacher, Brenda’s calmness, empathy and understanding have enabled her to play to her strengths as an official. She says she loves the call room in particular, describing it as ‘probably the closest to classroom teaching’.

‘It’s a lovely thing to volunteer . . . because I think the vast majority of people are very supportive of you when you join the Officials group,’ she concludes.

‘It can definitely be challenging, but it’s so varied and everybody can find their niche in athletics depending on what they want to be involved in.’

After 35 years in the sport officiating continues to bring Brenda joy – but it’s not entirely surprising, because from Super Saturday to SUPERteams, she’s had the ultimate ringside seat.