GBR SENIOR SQUAD

[Gross]

Just had a look on BOF website.... no mention of Squad 2009. Is there one yet????

[harry]

Apparently it's just going to be a rolling squad with people getting invited to things when they are considered to be "in the frame".
This system is fine by me [because I got invites ]! Official "squad" idea has become a bit little bit meaningless these days compared to pre-funding days and the main benefit is camps. I'd much rather get the chance to go on camps than have my name on a relatively meaningless list. Later camps & competitions will all be selected off race results anyway, so anyone who races well enough can put themselves "in the frame". You're only as good as your last race..

Norwegies are having a camp this w/e at Beitostølen
Main focus is mengdetrening (think this means where they do lots of training but a mix of alternative stuff) & team building
Programme:
Thursday evening: unofficial indoor Norwegian orienteering Champs
Friday: Craft are coming to meet everyone
Saturday: Hill intervalls
The rest of the time will be filled with long ski sessions at easy intensity.

Sounds fun! It makes me laugh the the Norwegians felt the need to classify the indoor thing as "unofficial"

[graeme]

Can you be "in the frame" if you don't take part in the drug-testing programme?

[Kitch]

re - Harry's post

that would be insane.

I see a generation of highly talented orienteers, who in the last 18 months have been put out of the British Squad, rapidly losing interest.

This is not because they don't have the drive or commitment to be highly successful and top class athletes. But because there are many other exciting opportunities in sport and beyond to which they can turn their substantial talents.

If you want people to commit to orienteering at the highest level, it is a big commitment, and you have to show in some way that you want them there. Ideally you will provide them with significant support.

This approach simply wouldn't do that.

[harry]

First, I got the info 2nd hand. Give them a chance they've just done this review & got a brand new performance director on board. They also only just got funding approved so i imagine it's all a work in progress.
There's TASS that lucky athletes are getting great support through and I expect they will try to make the senior set up less & less DIY too but it will take a bit of time. If you have any bright ideas why don't you take it up with the man in charge. It's easy to criticise but more productive to offer realistic alternatives.

re. Doping. Whereabouts doesn't apply to O now (low risk sport). They have a number of tests spread across in & out of competition, (the out ones are now at camps I think, in theory they're no advance notice).

How to say "we want you there" should they send flowers or something? How about "please come to this training camp, we'll for pay your flights and it will be really motivating and you will want to stay in the sport".
If people want to get paid big money to do adventure racing or all that gash (we'll fly you to Dubai, pay for your time and you can run across sand for 5 days) it's up to them. From what I hear from friends in other sports the support can be much less. But the Norwegian O squad sounds like a good model.

[Gross]

First, I got the info 2nd hand.

If this is 'fact' and been decided & you are a 'member' then you shouldn't have got the info 2nd hand

[Becks]

There's TASS that lucky athletes are getting great support through and I expect they will try to make the senior set up less & less DIY too but it will take a bit of time. If you have any bright ideas why don't you take it up with the man in charge. It's easy to criticise but more productive to offer realistic alternatives.

Which is great, if you're at an English School or University. Not so great for the majority of the Performance Juniors / young seniors in the UK.

I take a bit of offence for carping at Kitch when he is one of the main organisers, along with Lorna, Big Jon, Jess and James, etc, involved getting all these people, plus many others out to do some quality, good value training in Deeside this very weekend, and every month throughout the spring.

[Gross]

Interestingly the Selection Policy for 2009 from the BOF website implies there will be a formal Squad.....

2 Athlete availability
All GB squad athletes will be assumed to be available for all competitions and camps unless
they have indicated in writing otherwise.
All other athletes will only be assumed to be available for selection if they have indicated
their availability in writing.

[harry]

Well maybe it's not a fact. Maybe it's just me gossiping and passing on what I heard. This is nopesport not an encyclopedia!
I seem to get a selection of the official emails plus I hear a lot of extra stuff 2nd hand from various people. There's a "planning weekend" at the end of January.

Becks: Kitch hands out the carping unsolicited often enough so I'm sure he can handle a little back. Yes, It's a shame you don't get TASS North of the border but it sounds like you're all getting a lot of support too through SEDs and Edinburgh Uni and Kitch & Lorna & so on, lucky for you too.

re: TASS The strength & conditioning, sports science etc support is all brilliant but then they just hand out money. What student athletes need more than money is more time. UK student athletes should be able to take their degrees at 75% or 50% of normal speed.

[mharky]

What student athletes need more than money is more time. UK student athletes should be able to take their degrees at 75% or 50% of normal speed.

Damn right

[Becks]

Aren't you doing that anyway Mharky?

[NeilC]

What student athletes need more than money is more time. UK student athletes should be able to take their degrees at 75% or 50% of normal speed.

At the TASS meeting that I attended late last year that was exactly what they were hoping to get the Government/Universities to agree to.

[geomorph]

What student athletes need more than money is more time. UK student athletes should be able to take their degrees at 75% or 50% of normal speed.

At the TASS meeting that I attended late last year that was exactly what they were hoping to get the Government/Universities to agree to.

That's better..... but about 30 years later than when first suggested.
Of course that also increases the indebtedness incurred, cos you ain't allowed to use to extra time generated to earn (well outside of all those huge fees earned in Dubai), it must be on the sport you represent.

[harry]

Exactly, & I think for financial reasons people will be reluctant to take up the offer. Even with the TASS grants helping with sporting costs.
In Czech Republic Radka & Dana have benefited from v. cheap accommodation for student athletes in shared rooms.
For some people a viable option would be to go to a Uni in your home town and live at home. Frustrating to be paying a lot of rent when you're away on camps / competitions half the time.

[Kitch]

that would be insane.

simply a comment on your gossip.

Ideas/thoughts were submitted in September and I'll be interested to see the actual squad approach when it is communicated.