JIRCS

[Scott]

the down grading the the FCC this year (and next year apparently)

Some thought has been given to what can be done to get the FCC back on its feet for 2011 - there are a few details in the recent ECG minutes. I think the programme is still waiting final confirmation/agreement with organisers etc, but expect it to look a bit different to 2010.

the suspension of the university development programme (what's happening about that by the way?)

It genuinely is "under review" - BOF certainly hasn't given up on university development. Personally I think it's very important that there is at least something in place before September, which is when the existing university clubs will need to most support, and which is also (arguably) the best time to be targeting students at potential new universities.

[PhilJ]

Sarah Hague attended the weekend and got stuck in with the rest of us who were organising the event, helped on the Finish at the individuals, at the friendship relay and helped collecting in maps from the leg finishers at the relays. Although I did not spend much time speaking to her she was always chatting to the juniors there.

So I thought it was good to have someone from central office there, no-one from major events though but the JIRCS seem to be run (rules/guidelines etc) very much by the Regional Team Managers.

[AndyC]

Either someone at BOF is watching us or they've just got round to it -item is on the website nowhttp://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/news/view_news.php?id=MTk4Ng==&rtn=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5icml0aXNob3JpZW50ZWVyaW5nLm9yZy51ay8=

[Mrs H]

ha ha ha - I thought this might do the trick
thanks for the update Scott - but it's plain from those minutes that the FCC final will not be used for JWOC selection again next year and I think the ECG are missing the point - there has to be a prize worth winning at the end of it and some kind of golden ticket which makes the youngsters bubbling under think it's worth giving it a go - not just another elite competition.

I fear the same thing is going to happen to the BSOC this year as no senior teams will go to the World Schools because of the clash with exams. Lets hope that BOF and BSOA have something up their sleeves to counter act the de-motivating effect of this.

So what with the YBT, the FCC, the sudden and very early review of the university development programme and the lack of World Schools selection (admittedly only lately known and out of our hands) was no one taking an overview and seeing this most unfortunate quadruple whammy looming on the horizon - surely a pre-emptive approach was possibly - like beefing up the FCC selection opportunities rather than removing them altogether

There are a lot of paid development staff at BOF central I'd have thought that one of them might have noticed that the marginalising of our non-elite M/W18/20s and university students was about to happen

[Blanka]

the sudden and very early review of the university development programme

I heard that the HE development guy was fired by BOF because he wasn't doing his job particularly well, which could be why the University development programme is on hold until they can hire another person to do the job?

[SeanC]

Isn't this very bad form to say this publically based on a rumour? One for the moderators to delete?

[Scott]

it's plain from those minutes that the FCC final will not be used for JWOC selection again next year and I think the ECG are missing the point - there has to be a prize worth winning at the end of it and some kind of golden ticket which makes the youngsters bubbling under think it's worth giving it a go - not just another elite competition.

International Committee make the decisions about what is/is not wanted as a selection race, and I know they are moving towards a policy of having a decent gap between selection races and competitions. For trying to get the best out of our international athletes this is a pretty sensible idea - it allows them to peak for both selection races and the actual competition, and gives them sufficient time post-selection to prepare. The figure I have heard quoted is three months, which in effect means that all JWOC selection races need to have taken place by late March/early April.

Given the congestion of major fixtures at that time of the year, there isn't much of a window to fit an extra FCC Finals weekend in anyway. In the circumstances, I think it is worth instead trying to make the FCC into a competition that is worth winning in its own right, and (if done properly) stretching the competition into the autumn may actually help with that - it means the medallists can be celebrated with a suitable amount of razzmatazz, instead of the FCC results being a minor footnote to all the fuss around who is/is not going to JWOC. And if the FCC can generally be publicised better, it may also help create a bit more of a feeling of competition lower down the table.

[mark2]

Either someone at BOF is watching us or they've just got round to it

And

ha ha ha - I thought this might do the trick

Just to put the record straight, any delay in getting the report on the British Orienteering website was down to me getting them the necessary info - they had already asked me for the details so they could publish a news item.

[Mrs H]

Good of you to take the bullet Mark

What we need is Glast O

There's something for the Major Events Group to get their teeth into

[awk]

On the FCC.

The use of the FCC Final for JWOC selections came fairly late in the competition's development - it was already succesfully established, and the selection races were meant to be simply the icing on the cake. I see no reason for them to be inextricably linked.

The question has to be primarily, what is the FCC for? It was introduced to try and provide/stimulate competition for competitive M/W18-20s, bringing them together to create high quality competition. The competition directly resulted from discussions between coaches and athletes on the 1994 Norwegian tour (one of the best I've ever been on incidentally!), and the strong voice from the athletes that there simply wasn't enough of this sort of racing available in Britain. That was then, this is now, and the world changes. Does the FCC still fulfill that function? Is that something that's needed? Is this the best way of doing it? I have been a bit worried about the way the competition, its rules etc, have seemingly become set in tablets of stone. That wasn't the case when it was set up - it changed pretty much every year in response to feedback, and there is always the danger that when committees take competitions over, so the competition can stagnate. Same with the YBT - it simply hasn't moved on in recent years and has thus, as far as I can see, lost its way.

So, my reaction to FCC being split from JWOC is fairly relaxed - as long as thought has gone into where the FCC is going (and that may be nowhere if it's now deemed that there is no function for it - although I'd question that). My worry is that this bit hasn't been thought through yet. It does seem to be getting to be a habit in BOF of breaking things up before making absolutely sure you've got the new structures/systems properly in place. It does seem to be that BOF has still yet to get its change management sorted.

[MAPS]

Quite a few M/W18s were not available due to exam commitments. 1 week later and most exams would be finished. Is there a reason why the JIRCs can't be moved back a week?
From a spectator point of view it was the best event I've been to. Able to watch a lot of action unfolding on the hillside across (with aid of binoculars)

[Ben.]

The view of the relays was good even without binoculars as long as your team member had bright colours on you could keep track of your team on top of the hill.

[HOCOLITE]

Scrap exams then everything would be fine
Seriuosly though, JIRCs always seems to have been affected by A2's and usually physics which seems to be at the end. A shame but fixture congestion is enhanced by different education systems in the UK having exams at different times.
Re FCC, it used to be a great event for all M/W 18/20 but then JWOC selection was added and many were 'disincentivised' as it became elite elite elite and qualification for a big final did not improve things it created an us and them scenario. Why go to a final to make up the numbers for the 'select few' to be celebrated? In the past it was an event with less pressure but more 'cred'.

[Dave]

Why go to a final to make up the numbers for the 'select few' to be celebrated?

but the winners of a competition are always going to be celebrated. That's sport. not turning up simply because you think there are better people out there, that's not sport.

[Mrs H]

From my observation it was the possibility that if you made it to the final and then had a blinder you would get selected for JWOC no matter who you were - that made the FCC so exciting.

I'd like to see more places up for grabs - I'm quite sure it kept some kids who were not in any elite squads training and competing, making a social network, taking the sport into universities and generally strengthening the structure in that age group. Isn't that what sports development is all about?

I'd like to see the glittering prize of JWOC selection coupled with a really well organised social scene throughout the series - then we might have something which would keep that age group in the sport rather than them wondering off to all the other tempting things on offer when they get to college