persuade more Bermuda residents obtain their certificates to become full-fledged track and field officials.

There has long been a noticeable absence of qualified officials available for local meets and efforts to correct this problem will be a tremendous benefit for the sport in Bermuda, said BTFA vice-president Stanley Douglas.

According to Douglas, the association has planned two courses -- both which will probably be run by official Bob Oliver -- on February 4 and 11. These will be the first held by the BTFA and follow the one held here that was supervised by an IFF representative.

"We are working hard to improve the standard of officiating here and to increase the numbers of qualified officials in the Island. We want to build a good pool of qualified officials who can be at a level to not only be of great assistance to us at national meets here but also who can be qualified to assist at international meets abroad as well,'' said Douglas.

"There has for long been a shortage of qualified officials here so it is important to concentrate on improving this. We are inviting the running clubs and the public at large to become involved and take the courses.'' Douglas indicated that each of those who are successful will be awarded certificates by the association and noted that his personal dream is to one day see the formation of a Bermuda Track and Field Officiating Association, similar to the Bermuda Football Referees Association and the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association.

It is anticipated by Douglas that those who are successful in obtaining certificates next month will be available to assist for the start of the CARIFTA trials, which get under way just after the conclusion of the courses.

"The first trial is scheduled for February 20 but this date could be brought forward by a week to February 13 because of the resurfacing work that is planned on the track at the stadium,'' said Douglas.

Several trial meets will be take place at the stadium as a build-up to the CARIFTA Games, which will be held in Martinique from April 10-12.

After CARIFTA the next major international event for the local athletes will be the Pan Am Junior Games in Winnipeg, Canada, on July 15-17.

Douglas said that the qualifying times for CARIFTA are reasonable and are fairly consistent with those set for last year.

The National Cross-Country Championships will take place at Ferry Reach in St.

George's on February 20.

The event will be run over the same course of a year ago, taking the runners over a one-and-a-half-mile loop route.

In addition to the senior championships there will be a races for Primary and Secondary School boys and girls over a slightly shortened course. The girls will run one full loop of one-and-a-half miles while the boys will cover two loops of three miles.

Senior women will run three loops of four-and-a-half miles and senior men four loops of six miles.

The event will close out the association's successful cross-country season, which has so far seen an increase of interest and participation in cross-country running at the various sites throughout the Island during a series of events sponsored by Federal Express.