Club Vests and T-shirts Policy

Policy on Wearing of Club Vests & T-Shirts (March 2025)

Introduction

Every UKA affiliated club has a set uniform used to identify its members at events and races. For Tavistock Athletic Club (TAC) this is a  black vest top with a red and white trim, or a red TAC club T-shirt (both with Tavistock Athletic Club / Tavistock A.C. written on the front).

You may add your name to the vest/T-shirt to help supporters encourage you during your events. Additionally, in winter, or at colder times of year, you may wish to wear your club top over a base layer.

Obligations of Club Members

If you are an affiliated first claim member (or second claim member competing for TAC) you are required to wear either a TAC club vest or T-Shirt.

This requirement applies for members participating in trail/fell races, road races, as well as all track and field events – where you have selected and registered as “Affiliated.”  This includes the main TAC races (Tavy Relays, Tavy 7, Tavy 13 and monthly Tavy 5), and team-based events. The latter category includes the Westward League Cross Country races, as well as track and field fixtures run as part of the Devon Open Series, South West Athletics League or South West Sapphire League and races run as part of the Armada Network Series.

Equally, if you eligible or selected to run in any championship level events where the competition is for affiliated UK athletic clubs OR the selection includes the condition to be an athlete affiliated to a Club (for example: Good for Age or Championship places at the London Marathon), then you will be required to wear a TAC vest or T-shirt.

Exceptions to The Above Policy

There are four main exceptions to the above policy:

1. If individual Members / Athletes are selected to represent their county, region, or country, and therefore need to wear their representative vest or colours rather than TAC;
2. If you are a second claim member, and your first claim club requires you to wear their club top for a specific event;
3. If you are running for a charity. We do recognise that from time-to-time TAC club members will decide to enter an event for personal reasons, often to raise money for good causes. In such circumstances, we are happy to support alternative tops being worn (for example, those provided by the charity);
4. If you are participating in a local parkrun, where it is not necessary to wear a club vest or t-shirt.

Actions for Non-Compliance

Please note the if affiliated Club Members do not adhere to this policy (i.e. do not wear a TAC Vest or T-Shirt when registering and participating in events as a TAC Member), then Tavistock Athletic Club reserves the right to:

1. Ask the Member / Athlete to refund the Club for their annual England Athletics Affiliation Fee;
2. Not recognise or include the individual results of the Member / Athlete towards any Club Records (for the specific event at which they did not wear a Club Vest);
3. Give priority to other Members / Athletes – when given or allocated spaces as a Club towards future events (where you are representing the Club);

Please also note:

1. For non-TAC events, we cannot guarantee that your place / result will be accepted and officially recorded for Power of 10 (in the past, we have had to lobby Race Directors from other events to include TAC athletes running at events without a Club Vest or T-shirt)