I'm hoping most of you will have read the Performance Programme update of Sept 2017.
Basically, the Board have decided to not fully support an elite programme and will use a small fund just to register and enter athletes to the major internationals only. There is no guarantee there will be funding for a coach or team manager at any of these internationals. There is definitely no support for an elite domestic training programme. The Board have insinuated that they think a mix of professional and volunteer coaches and supporters would not be a satisfactory route. Instead they are asking our senior athletes to go it alone and hope for the best.
Not good enough!
A defined elite programme that supports our athletes from domestic camps to WOC preparations can be delivered for not too much money (we're not talking hundreds of thousands here!). And I believe this should and can be raised through membership and levy income. I believe this is a more important use of OUR monies than a lot of things that are currently being delivered with it.
I propose two things.
If you are a BO member and you are not happy with this situation then you should email a Board member and tell them so. NOW !!!
If you are an elite orienteer past or present and are aware of BO using your results, your history, your photograph to promote the sport on their website or in publications or magazines then I would urge you to email BO and insist that "they remove all links to your information, photographs etc until a satisfactory decision has been made to secure long-term sustainable funding for our elites".
Orienteering in the UK is a SPORT. The BO Board are taking us into the Dark Ages and turning us into a pastime/hobby. If that's the case than they shouldn't be allowed to show any photographs on their website of ANYONE being competitive. If there's a photo of you on the BO website email them and ask them to take it down!
WE must act. We must make ourselves heard.
GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
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GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
From small acorns great Oak trees grow.
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Lard - diehard
- Posts: 675
- Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2004 3:19 pm
- Location: Dunblane
Re: GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
The lack of responses to this post is interesting.
Have you not seen the announcement? Do you not understand the ramifications? Do you agree with the proposals? Do you not care what happens to the British Team? Do you share Lard’s anger and frustration but not his response? Is this the final straw and you’re so angry that you need time to consider a response?
For those that haven’t seen the board’s new approach here it is… https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/news/3897 and in summary…
A single GB Senior Squad will be selected – this is solely recognition and has no financial or service benefits
Entry Fees will be paid for all World Cups and WOC
A volunteer support staff will be identified for each competition
There will be no coaching or camps as part of the programme
A small number of current or near future medal contenders will receive financial support
If you see the goals as winning medals in the short term then perhaps the strategy has some merits, in fact I might even support it, but what is the point of buying a couple of medals if it’s not contributing to the long term development of the sport?
I have two kids who are starting out in orienteering and I’ve been privy to the amazing work done by talented volunteers at club and regional level. The passion, energy and joy of coaches and participants is something that we need to maintain right through to the GB team. We need to pool our resources and work together not divorce our elite further from the mainstream. Squad members would benefit from shared training resources, contribute as role models, and build relationships that are more likely to generate funding in the long term. When someone wins a medal in our sport we should all feel part of that experience.
The document talks about the value and role of personal coaches, but have they actually consulted any? Personally I would be far more effective and motivated as part of a team of coaches, sharing resources and learning from and contributing to the collective knowledge and experience.
The proposal is profoundly short sighted. Yes a few individuals might benefit in the next couple of years but we are already seeing our senior and junior athletes drifting into other sports through lack of motivation and support and without a shared vision, any remaining financial and volunteer support for those who are left is likely to dwindle. I can see the Talent Squad going the same way when the current pot of money runs out.
I had a great chat with Ed Nicholas recently as he prepared to take the role of Squad Manager. He had a clear vision of how he wanted to move forwards getting more people involved with the team and I for one would have liked to have helped. To hear that Ed, Liz and all the other talented staff and volunteers have been discarded like this is appalling.
I understand that the Talent and Performance Steering Group wasn’t consulted although the Chair is a board member. There’s also a rumour that what little funding there is came via a grant secured to support specialist coaching services if so then it’s effectively been stolen. The board should not be allowed to ride rough-shod over the sport like this.
For me this is the final straw and I’m taking time to consider a response. Any suggestions welcome!
Have you not seen the announcement? Do you not understand the ramifications? Do you agree with the proposals? Do you not care what happens to the British Team? Do you share Lard’s anger and frustration but not his response? Is this the final straw and you’re so angry that you need time to consider a response?
For those that haven’t seen the board’s new approach here it is… https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/news/3897 and in summary…
A single GB Senior Squad will be selected – this is solely recognition and has no financial or service benefits
Entry Fees will be paid for all World Cups and WOC
A volunteer support staff will be identified for each competition
There will be no coaching or camps as part of the programme
A small number of current or near future medal contenders will receive financial support
If you see the goals as winning medals in the short term then perhaps the strategy has some merits, in fact I might even support it, but what is the point of buying a couple of medals if it’s not contributing to the long term development of the sport?
I have two kids who are starting out in orienteering and I’ve been privy to the amazing work done by talented volunteers at club and regional level. The passion, energy and joy of coaches and participants is something that we need to maintain right through to the GB team. We need to pool our resources and work together not divorce our elite further from the mainstream. Squad members would benefit from shared training resources, contribute as role models, and build relationships that are more likely to generate funding in the long term. When someone wins a medal in our sport we should all feel part of that experience.
The document talks about the value and role of personal coaches, but have they actually consulted any? Personally I would be far more effective and motivated as part of a team of coaches, sharing resources and learning from and contributing to the collective knowledge and experience.
The proposal is profoundly short sighted. Yes a few individuals might benefit in the next couple of years but we are already seeing our senior and junior athletes drifting into other sports through lack of motivation and support and without a shared vision, any remaining financial and volunteer support for those who are left is likely to dwindle. I can see the Talent Squad going the same way when the current pot of money runs out.
I had a great chat with Ed Nicholas recently as he prepared to take the role of Squad Manager. He had a clear vision of how he wanted to move forwards getting more people involved with the team and I for one would have liked to have helped. To hear that Ed, Liz and all the other talented staff and volunteers have been discarded like this is appalling.
I understand that the Talent and Performance Steering Group wasn’t consulted although the Chair is a board member. There’s also a rumour that what little funding there is came via a grant secured to support specialist coaching services if so then it’s effectively been stolen. The board should not be allowed to ride rough-shod over the sport like this.
For me this is the final straw and I’m taking time to consider a response. Any suggestions welcome!
To oblivion and beyond....
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buzz - addict
- Posts: 1197
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:45 pm
- Location: Sheffield
Re: GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
From Nopesporters who are great supporters of the GB team I can fully understand the concerns and I agree with the posts so far. For the club orienteer they might not feel these changes have any effect on them and thus have not felt the need to act.
To me the elite orienteers are not just the pinnacle of the support they all put so much back into orienteering for the rest of us. From mapping to organising and planning many races elite orienteers have played a major role in many of the recent top races in the UK. It is short sighted of BOF not to realise that elite orienteering is so much more than representing GB in some foreign country and failure to fully support the teams will have an adverse effect on the races that we all enjoy.
To me the elite orienteers are not just the pinnacle of the support they all put so much back into orienteering for the rest of us. From mapping to organising and planning many races elite orienteers have played a major role in many of the recent top races in the UK. It is short sighted of BOF not to realise that elite orienteering is so much more than representing GB in some foreign country and failure to fully support the teams will have an adverse effect on the races that we all enjoy.
- canol
- orange
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:33 pm
- Location: In the middle
Re: GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
I think the lack of responses is in part down to a lack of understanding.
Probably most of us don't really understand the current situation so dont really know how what is being proposed is different.
Clearly there is some issue with funding being reduced.
I'm quite unsure about this
I think this could have been worded much better. Makes it sound a bit cliquey and is bound to get people worrying about who's face fits. How do you identify a "serious current or future medal contender"? Statistically speaking the vast majority of serious current or future medal contenders in GB over the years must have not won any medals. So there are bound to be people getting "support" in future who dont do any better or deserve it any more than those who dont.
Probably most of us don't really understand the current situation so dont really know how what is being proposed is different.
Clearly there is some issue with funding being reduced.
I'm quite unsure about this
The remaining funds will be used to support a small number of athletes who are selected as serious current or near future medal contenders. The criteria for selection are being developed and will be published once agreed.
I think this could have been worded much better. Makes it sound a bit cliquey and is bound to get people worrying about who's face fits. How do you identify a "serious current or future medal contender"? Statistically speaking the vast majority of serious current or future medal contenders in GB over the years must have not won any medals. So there are bound to be people getting "support" in future who dont do any better or deserve it any more than those who dont.
Orienteering - its no walk in the park
- andypat
- god
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:58 pm
- Location: Houston, we have a problem.
Re: GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
I have been out of the 'loop' for so long now it seems difficult to know how everything fits together nowadays:
It seems elite orienteering in GB needs a dedicated Squad headed by a dedicated Chairman to sort timetable & funding. Any Martin Hyman's out there?
GB orienteering should be strong and respected internationally, I do believe this does apply to individual atheletes but not BOF anymore. In the days we had 'clout' GB was consulted on all elite aspects before the discussion reached the mainstream.
And if Liz and Eddie have lost their jobs then I can easily sympathise as they will have put more than the 'contract' into the job.... but I ask them one thing... please take the chip off your shoulder long before I did
It seems elite orienteering in GB needs a dedicated Squad headed by a dedicated Chairman to sort timetable & funding. Any Martin Hyman's out there?
GB orienteering should be strong and respected internationally, I do believe this does apply to individual atheletes but not BOF anymore. In the days we had 'clout' GB was consulted on all elite aspects before the discussion reached the mainstream.
And if Liz and Eddie have lost their jobs then I can easily sympathise as they will have put more than the 'contract' into the job.... but I ask them one thing... please take the chip off your shoulder long before I did
Go orienteering in Lithuania......... best in the world:)
Real Name - Gross
http://www.scottishotours.info
Real Name - Gross
http://www.scottishotours.info
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Gross - god
- Posts: 2693
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 11:13 am
- Location: Heading back to Scotland
Re: GB National Teams Support - A Call to Arms!
Yeap, we've been here before. After the proposal to triple subscriptions was withdrawn before voting at the 2016 AGM, MH explained the Board's proposal had been based on informal car park discussions. Can I suggest members stake the opportunity this weekend to have informal car park discussions with the directors.buzz wrote:I understand that the Talent and Performance Steering Group wasn’t consulted although the Chair is a board member.
Gross wrote:It seems elite orienteering in GB needs a dedicated Squad headed by a dedicated Chairman to sort timetable & funding. Any Martin Hyman's out there?
At the very least the Board should after consultations appointment someone to head The Squad and pay their expenses. If they feel awkward asking for an unpaid volunteer, make them offer! With £500k plus of reserves BO isn't exactly broke. That way the Board will have followed the letter and spirit of their international development responsibilities according to BO's Constitution, instead of washing their hands, using no better pretext than there is no external allocated money.
- maprun
- diehard
- Posts: 685
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:37 am
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