Certification Levels Each certification discipline adheres to either a set of levels or grades. Certification Levels New officials will now start off at the Apprentice level. We've designed the Apprentice level so that new officials can spend time learning a number of events and being exposed to many different areas of track & field. We want to make sure that we're doing all we can going forward to train well rounded officials. Each official must pass an examination in order to advance to a higher level of certification. You can review the examinations for each level by clicking the graphic images below. Progression To Higher Levels DIMENSION APPRENTICE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL MASTER REQUIRED EXPERIENCE NONE 2 Years as Apprentice 2 Years as Association certified 2 Years as National Certified REQUIRED MEETS OFFICIATED NONE 8 meets as an Apprentice 10 meets as Association certified including 2 big meets or meets outside state-based Association 12 meets as National certified including 2 big meets or meets outside state-based Association TAKE HOME TEST SCORE   80% 85% 90% 95% RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OFFICIALS WORKED UNDER NONE 1 from a National or Master Official 2 including at least 1 from a Master Official and 1 from a National or Master Official 3 from Master Officials SPECIALIZATIONS Five-(5): 1. Track Events 2. Field Events 3. LDR Events 4. Race Walk Events 5. Disabled Events Eleven-(11): 1. Track Event Oper. 2. Finish/Start Line 3. Throws 4. Horizontal Jumps 5. Vertical Jumps 6. F.A.T (Fixed Automatic Timing) 7. Comp Sec/Data 8. Long Distance Running (LDR) 9. Race Walk Official 10. Race Walk Judge 11. Disabled Twenty-(20): 1. Starter 2. Umpire 3. Clerk 4. Finish Line 5. Shot Put 6. Discus 7. Javelin 8. Hammer/Weight Throw 9. Horizontal Jumps 10. High Jumps 11. Pole Vault 12. Implements 13. F.A.T. 14. Comp.Sec./Data 15. Marshall 16. Race Walk Official 17. Race Walk Judge 18. LDR Timer/Rec. 19. LDR General 20. Disabled Sixteen-(16): 1. Starter 2. Umpire 3. Clerk 4. Finish Line 5. Throws 6. Horizontal Jumps 7. Vertical Jumps 8. Implements 9. F.A.T. 10. Comp.Sec./Data 11. Marshall 12. Race Walk Official 13. Race Walk Judge 14. LDR Timer/Rec. 15. LDR General 16. Disabled Certification Grades To better differentiate certain disciplines, we're going split a few disciplines off from the main system of certification levels. These disciplines will be certified using an indeterminate number of grades, customized for each discipline. In additional, these disciplines will have custom requirements for certification. The following disciplines will shift to the grade system starting with the 2013-2016 Olympiad: Referees - All Types Combined Event Coordinator Technical Manager Electronic Recorder Electronic Measurer Electronic Manager Rules and Regulations Certification Rules, Regulations and Procedures (Download) Track & Field Apprentice Level (Updated for 2017-2020) Association Level (Updated for 2017-2020) National Level (Updated for 2017-2020) Master Level (Updated for 2017-2020) Track Referee (Updated for 2017-2020) Field Referee (Updated for 2017-2020) For additional information, click here. For Q & A, contact, Mike Maryott at: 402-690-9804 or mmaryott@midmechinc.com