Review of the Talent and Performance Programme

[bewildered]

This is in Section 6 of the Board Minuteshttp://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/images/uploaded/downloads/governance_board_minutes_18_09_13.pdf.

I like a few bits:

1. They reached all their targets - but don't state what they were.

2. After all this time they don't know what the athlete's needs are.

3. They can't deliver sufficient coaching time.

4. Their communications are poor.

5. They are still working at achieving a "Performance Culture". Partly this could be helped by point 4 and by modelling appropriate behaviour at the highest level (by sticking to selection policies for one thing and replying to emails for another).

On point 3, perhaps if they engaged with all the coaches they might be able to deliver more. I have heard of a number of individual's coaches bemoaning the fact that they aren't told what and when their athletes are being asked to attend, and what they will do there.

On Point 4. A Community of Practice is not sending out newsletters - it is the "meeting" of like minded coaches to bounce ideas off each other. Sending newsletters out is saying, this is what you need to know, and assuming the recipients don't already know it. The website is so out of date the programme details are completely wrong, and have been for years.

[mikey]

As interesting is 2a

"The poor start to the year across orienteering events and activities with a deficit of around 30,000 participant runs in January to March against participation in 2012."

30,000 seems remarkably high with the overall participation rate in 2012 being around 247,000, especially as the January to March period in 2013 included the JK.

Are the figures in the minutes right?

[aiming off]

Agree that there could be better involvement of athlete individual coaches in the programme.

But on a positive note, some excellent weekends have been held over the last 12 months.

[bewildered]

I posted this thread to be about the Talent and Performance programme. Whilst there are many other points in the minutes, perhaps they could be brought out in other threads?

[SJC]

Item 9b in the minutes refers to the "Performance Steering Group", which is presumably related to the Performance Programme, but this is the first time I have ever seen mention of such a group. Does anyone know the background to this ?

[buzz]

I fear there is so much wrong with the Talent and Performance Program that including it all would probably break the NopeSport server.

[mike g]

I see the same board meeting also had a discussion of BO's transgender policy (though we're not told what the policy is). It's good to know that the Board are focusing on the things that really matter to members.

[Oldman]

Presumably the policy referred to is in http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/i ... licies.pdf on pages 25 and after

[buzz]

1. They reached all their targets - but don't state what they were.

Apparently they missed their targets by one position at JWOC. This has been raised with a board member so hopefully some action will be taken.

Personally I think that results orientated targets are wrong particularly for long term development where performance should be the focus, however if Squad Management are going to use results targets as a reason not to select full teams for internationals then they should be prepared to suffer the consequences if they miss their own targets.

[awk]

From section 6 of the minutes:

but it is clearly far more important to have a personal development programme built around knowledge, physical preparedness, technical skills development/delivery, experience and this is unlikely to be delivered effectively through competition. Learning to train and training to perform are critical components of performance sport.

It's always dangerous taking minutes out of context, as detail can be lost, but at face value this fills me with a certain amount of horror. Experience of high level competition is a critical element in learning to race at the highest levels, especially in a highly technical sport like orienteering. I just hope something has got lost in the filtering of minutes.

[DM]

One of the other items in the minutes was the need to update sections of the website and improve communication. (something that should be quick and easy)

Take a look at the athletes listed as being in the various squads. Either some of the Talent in the squads have been frozen in time as they don't seem to have got any older in the past 10 months, or someone has forgotten to update the details.

[Vidalos]

According to the published selection policy this should have been updated by the end of Sept, still nothing, although some athletes have been told. It's also important for the next round of selection races as England Orienteering usually have an in the Talent Squad not selected for Interland races statement. Given the fisrt selection race is this weekend , who should travel the distance to the North East or not as there are many worthwhile events on this weekend. No information , how are you expected to plan which events to attend ?

Also when they are published , what wlll it show ? Who's in , who's out . People brought into the Talent Development Squad but were overlooked for events like JEC and EYOC who knows !!!

[bewildered]

It seems that people are being told one at a time whether they are in squads or not. This is then leaking out on FaceBook.

I don't think this is ideal.

[AndyC]

who should travel the distance to the North East or not as there are many worthwhile events on this weekend.

IF I was still NATO's publicity officer I would tell you that the October Odyssey will be good, that Adrian Barnes is an excellent planner and that I (as the only other person to have planned on the South part of the dunes) can personally vouch for the technical nature of the dunes. But I'm not so I won't.

[DM]

A news item has appeared this afternoon, revealing names of those in the squads.

The page detailing athletes under the performance tab is still wrong but will no doubt be updated.