JWOC/EYOC selections

[Lard]

Well said Buzz.

JEC selections will definitely show whether we're in a sensible position to develop a sizable base on our developmental pyramid. In recent years I've come to clashes over JEC because those in control think athletes should be focusing on medium to longer term goals. That's all fine when you're an experienced, well-travelled senior but we're talking about juniors whose breadth of international race experience/opportunity is significantly less than other European juniors because of our unique island placing.

Let's not forget that offering/enabling international opportunities (being it Junior Tio, Tio, JEC, Jukola, 25-Manna etc etc) doesn't need to be the total responsibility of the GB Talent/Development staff/Sport England budget - there are plenty of experienced volunteer coaches/organisers and groups (ie JROS/WS!) who would love to be involved and supportive of a larger opportunity base. AS LONG AS WE CAN HAVE FUN TOO! And those in power acknowledge that there's more goes into an athlete than just what goes on in the BO programme.

[PhilJ]

well said Buzz

[Mrs H]

those in power

Who are these people?

[buzz]

those in power

Who are these people?

Take your pick from:

British Orienteering Board - Spookster (Chair)
Talent & Performance Steering Group - Bob Dredge (Chair)
British Orienteering CEO - Mike Hamilton
National Talent Programme Manager - Sarah Hague
Talent Development Coach - Jackie Newton

[buzz]

... there's more goes into an athlete than just what goes on in the BO programme.

Understatement of the year! I expect there are a few folk training in Scotland who appreciate that.

[Big Jon]

The BO training and coaching should not be the cake, it should not even be the icing on the cake. It should in fact be the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.
The cake should be basic training etc at club level, led by athlete, family, club coaches, friends etc. The icing should be training sessions with squads (be that club or regional) and the cherry is the BO programme which adds just the last little extra information, advice etc to help develop the athlete.

[DIDSCO]

Jon makes a good point there, but its also important to mention that the quality of the 'cake' should be at the highest level possible if we are to see future british stars in orienteering.
Through my work I've been able train, talent spot, motivate, and help develop junior/senior internationals in at least 10 different sports over the years, and some for as long as 10 years in the key development age of 6 to 16. Most recently one of these athletes got a silver at the Sotji Olympics. Through this experience I can safely say that in highly technical sports like orienteering ( technical in both the map reading but also the type of running involved) its really important thats kids start learning the skills to master the sport from a very young age, and they're taught these skills by the best coaches available, and at the right level for them as an individual. If we want to produce future champions BOF should have their best coaches working in the clubs and regional teams, and make sure the training going on there is of the highest quality. If you don't start learning the highly technical skills involved in orienteering from a young age (approx 10-13 at very latest) its almost impossible to ever master them to the level required to be the best in the world.

[Big Jon]

Good point Dids - the quality of the cake "ingredients" are critical!

[graeme]

Well you'll be please to know Jackie Newton was at SOC today, and appeared to be dispensing various cherry-shaped advice.

[buzz]

The BO training and coaching should not be the cake, it should not even be the icing on the cake. It should in fact be the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.
The cake should be basic training etc at club level, led by athlete, family, club coaches, friends etc. The icing should be training sessions with squads (be that club or regional) and the cherry is the BO programme which adds just the last little extra information, advice etc to help develop the athlete.

Love the analogy!

I reckon the current Talent programme is an olive - leaves a bit of nasty taste if you're expecting a cherry. I suspect the problem is BO think orienteering training and coaching is a pizza

[Kitch]

I found this interesting
in many ways

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/27434468

The impact of Podiums...

though orienteering's challenges are clearly different....

[bewildered]

So, British Cycling are introducing Junior Regional Squads. British Triathlon introduced a squad system copied from the JROS Structure.

If we could get some link between JROS and the BO National Talent programme, how nice would that be?

[eddie]

It being British Cycling the club and regional squads will probably be told 100% what to do (plus like Triathlon is staffed with professional paid full time coaches)

[PhilJ]

ouch

http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/index.php?pg=1&action=news&id=Mjk3OQ==&rtn=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5icml0aXNob3JpZW50ZWVyaW5nLm9yZy51ay8=

[Big Jon]

The cycling set-up does look nice, but given £25million I guess most sports could produce a decent set-up. The reality is orienteering hasn't got anything like that money and so needs to have a smaller scale system - using volunteers for the vast majority of its work.