Bring back the FCC Junior Cup! We need your support

[Junior Cup]

Hello orienteering friends!

The Future Champions Cup as we once knew it is dead. First the final was removed from JWOC selection, then it was moved into the Autumn, and now no one goes and no one cares.

We want to bring back it back to its former glory! We want to have a series of spring based competitions where junior orienteers are the focus. We want to have a showcase final that is used for JWOC selection.

The BOF Board believes a 10 month UK Orienteering League is the best way forward for juniors, seniors and masters. However, they are willing to consider ideas for other competitions from "groups of orienteers where they are expressing a perceived need from the orienteering community... this should include evidence of widespread consultation with this section of the orienteering population"

That is where you come in! Are you a current M/W18 or 20? Are you a former FCC runner, are you a future FCC runner? Are you the parent of a current or former FCC runner? Are you the coach of a current or former FCC runner? Are you someone who has no connections other than the wish to see an exciting competition that is not only the racing highlight of the season, but the social highlight as well?

If that sounds like you then I need your support. If you think that bringing back the FCC and reinstating a spring-based Junior Cup with a final, that includes JWOC selection,is a good idea then like this facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/BringBackTheFccJuniorCup).

For those of you not on facebook, please send your support to the email address below

If you want to give me some specific feedback then email me here, with the title "Bring back the FCC Junior Cup":
junior.cup.orienteering[at]gmail.com

[Scott]

Well, the Facebook group is proving popular, but Facebook itself appears slightly confused about what everybody is talking about.

fcc.jpg (69.99 KiB) Viewed 5444 times

[Mrs H]

Can everyone (who is in support) who has access to a club website forum please relay this message there because, strange as it may seem, a lot of orienteers don't read nopesport

I'm just going to put it on the HOC website forum now
many thanks

Also - as the series will be happening anyway with or without selection. Is there time to get out some sort of preliminary flier to the Uni Freshers Fairs stressing that this is a competition that anyone can have a go at - uni based trips to the various rounds would show new recruits what the sport is really about and that it is worth persevering at, if the series can be shown to have a secondary developmental value on top of everything else then it strengthens its case.

[AndyC]

Posted on BOTH NATO's Facebook pages

[Junior Cup]

Thanks to everyone for the excellent support so far!

It would be really great if people could send an email containing a sentence or two about why they think the FCC should be brought back. If you could also add abit about who you ever (e.g. former FCC junior, current junior, parent of, coach of, squad manager, or concerned citizen)

I've set up an email address for this: junior.cup.orienteering[at]gmail.com

Or if you're on Facebook then just post in the wall, as several people already have.

I will be compiling all these together to make a dossier of opinion to present to the board who have asked me to show "A perceived need in the orienteering community".

I spoke to a number of juniors at the weekend and they seem really excited about this, and that's the main thing. I got a few more ideas from listening to what they said to add the cup to make it even better for them.

Keep the support coming!

MN

[Junior Cup]

From our Facebook page:

"Thanks to everyone for the fantastic support! I'm especially keen to get as many current 18's and 20's to join in. The BOF Board want me to demonstrate that "that this is something that they would want, and that they don't feel the proposed UK Orienteering League will suit them".

The UKOL is basically a combined FCC, UK Cup and Masters Cup. Just like 2011 and 2012 this will run all season with some sort of final in late Autumn. With only 3 people entered so far, I think it's clearly not a good idea, but the board want to hear that from you!

So could current juniors of any ability please post on the page a short message of why they would prefer an exciting spring based junior cup, where juniors are the centre of attention, and an awesome final (and loads of prizes!) compared to a dull 10 month affair.

I'll show your thoughts to the Board so they can see how juniors really feel.

And keep spreading the word, let's get as many people to join this page as possible!"

MN

[Tatty]

This weekend really showed the need for more prestige being needed for the FCC. The Senior Home Internationals were taking place in Scotland the same weekend as FCC races and the Southern Champs in Epping Forest It's not fair to expect those running for their countries to give up a run to do the FCC. Hence the numbers were VERY low. It distracted from both events.
Bring back a proper FCC and give it the prestige it deserves.

[Silva Surfer]

From the latest Board Meeting minutes :-
"Future Champions Cup
Dave Peel was invited to join the meeting.
There was considerable discussion which can be summarised as:
 The enthusiasm and expediency with which this matter had been raised was recognised.
 There is a gap in provision of competition for young elite athletes which it was anticipated would be filled as a later phase in the establishment of the UK Orienteering League.
 The picture painted of the FCC appeared to have come primarily from older people who had competed in the FCC during its prime. There was little evidence of direct input from the young athletes that would be involved in the competition if it were to be reformed.
 There was considerable evidence that the FCC had passed its usefulness.
 Adding more competitions to the fixture list and adding pressure for young athletes to take part was not necessarily in their interest nor did it help to rationalise the fixture list.
 Selection was within the remit of the performance programme (and therefore may not be a part of the competition).
However the Board were very positive about some aspects of what had been presented and particularly responded positively to the enthusiasm of Mark Nixon. The Board therefore asked Dave Peel to contact Mark and see if there was some way in which this initiative can be progressed whilst staying within the parameters that exist. The Board also recognised that it was perfectly feasible for the competition to be run independently of British Orienteering but that would not be in the interests of the young athletes."

[King Penguin]

From the latest Board Meeting minutes :-
"Future Champions Cup
Dave Peel was invited to join the meeting.
There was considerable discussion which can be summarised as:
 The picture painted of the FCC appeared to have come primarily from older people who had competed in the FCC during its prime. There was little evidence of direct input from the young athletes that would be involved in the competition if it were to be reformed.
"

How do you know what you are missing if you have never experienced it ?

[mharky]

I think that refers more to the point that some of the most vocal support for the FCC came from athletes in the age range of 21-25.

However, this is a flawed logic. There was no FCC final in 2010 and the series was almost non-existent in 2011 and 2012. Therefore there has been essentially no FCC for the past 3 years. The only current juniors in the target age-range who would have actually experience the FCC would be top year 20s who would have perhaps been to one race when they were 17.

[mharky]

There is a gap in provision of competition for young elite athletes which it was anticipated would be filled as a later phase in the establishment of the UK Orienteering League.

There is also a gap in the provision of competition for senior elite athletes as well. And we have a home WOC in 3 years.

[SJC]

There was considerable discussion which can be summarised as:

the FCC isn't going to be resurrected as we know best.

[Gross]

Who is in charge of Performance Orienteering? Is it Dave Peel as he was 'invited to join the meeting'? Or is it Sarah Hague?

Does the Performance Programme have any clearly defined direction???

With WOC 2015 coming along are there any set targets for GBR Performances?

[bewildered]

Even if the Performance Programme had a clearly defined direction I doubt everyone would be told what it is!

[greywolf]

I think Mharky is being very measured in his responses here - some parts of that minute are not only illogical but rather pompous too.

In particular "Adding more competitions to the fixture list and adding pressure for young athletes to take part was not necessarily in their interest nor did it help to rationalise the fixture list." seem to be (deliberately?) getting the wrong end of the stick as nothing in Mark's original post suggested staging additional races, in fact quite the reverse as the resurrected FCC would involve fewer races than the season long UKOL

And then "There was little evidence of direct input from the young athletes that would be involved..." well that might be the case, but did BOF ever consult juniors before excluding them from the rankings, or ask 14 year olds whether they wanted to jump straight from Light Green to Blue?

And as for "The Board also recognised that it was perfectly feasible for the competition to be run independently of British Orienteering but that would not be in the interests of the young athletes" - really? how exactly would it not be in the interests of young athletes to compete in the most important events of the year?