JWOC/EYOC selections

[Kitch]

One of the interesting things was that this new BC system is not unlike the structure O has had for ages - perhaps they took note of Tri, which, I understand, was based on O' - courtesy of Jack Maitland.

The thing that needs to be recognised with O' - and was much aired in this selection debacle is that orienteering talent is a very capricious thing - With cycling its pretty easy. Bang on a power meter and you have highly objective measurement of performance capacity.

So, if BC with all its resource, experience and success moves towards what O' does that is a positive confirmation of our set up. But it does not mean that the management of athletes and management of their progress and careers demands the same approaches, i.e. hard facts.

[Homer]

Sounds like your opening pitch for the newly vacant position Kitch

You'd get my vote.

[graeme]

Mine too.
Especially since BO like to hire people who don't orienteer
Time for a poll?

[Kitch]

and ultimately attract the ire of you lot ....??

[LostAgain]

and ultimately attract the ire of you lot ....??

Transparency and reasonableness is unlikely to attract any ire....

Go for it.

You'll get my vote

[maprun]

and ultimately attract the ire of you lot ....??

Transparency and reasonableness is unlikely to attract any ire....

Go for it.

You can always take the football manager approach. Take the credit if all goes well and If it doesn't, you can say you didn't pick the team!

[eddie]

Maprun - Page 4 of the policy states 'The responsibility for selection lies with the NTP Manager'.

Sorry!

[Duncan]

But the NTP manager also helps write the policy, and it is due for a refresh....

[eddie]

Yes it is due for a refresh....

[maprun]

Joking apart, I reckon it's good timing for the new NTP manager. The younger elites are doing very well, there are some talented juniors and IMO a good platform to build on too.

[LostAgain]

Let's suggest some names, alphabetical on 1st name:

Andy Kitchen
Charlie Adams
Jason Inman
Jon Musgrame
Mark Saunders
Nick Lightfoot
richT from LOC

Hopefully others also............

All have the enthusiasm for Junior Orienteering, I'm not sure they the enthusiasm for the politics and who pays the Piper chooses the tune issues though.

[graeme]

some talented juniors

e.g. the youngest ever open BRC champion today. No pressure there Alex

[PhilJ]

Interesting take on MH view from his latest e-news (as read on SOC website!)

"JWOC 2014 Selections

I’ll quickly make two further comments, firstly the decision by our selection panel to only select 3 women may not have been liked by some members but it was a brave decision and there were rational reasons for the decisions that led to that situation. As much as I would like the selection panel to make public that rationale we cannot as it would infringe privacy laws. Secondly I have been disappointed at the response from some members – not those I hasten to add who have legitimately sought to understand the rationale but from a number of members who have either made unnecessary personal comments about some staff/volunteers or who have just sought to condemn the decision without any attempt to understand the rationale. I’m a firm believer that everyone makes good decisions. It’s usually that the information they had was poor or people have the benefit of hindsight!"

Hang on Mike H you don't like the membership giving you a hard time because we do not take time to understand the rationale of why the selections were made in the first place (selecting 3 women for JWOC was a brave decision, 70 years today on the anniversary of the D-Day landing, perhaps you want to consider your use of the word "brave" in future), BUT you hide behind privacy laws not to be transparent on your rationale. You can't have it both ways, either explain the rationale or shut up and put up with the membership backlash!

[greywolf]

As much as I would like the selection panel to make public that rationale we cannot as it would infringe privacy laws.

which implies that the rationale for selection (or rather non-selection) was not the objective analysis of JK results (which are already in the public domain) but subjective assessments of lifestyle, character and general compliance/obedience...

[graeme]

I don't know many of the people involved. But I do know that over 20 years I've seen far too many juniors pushed too hard, away from races they want, into races others think they should do, and into stress, injury, eating disorders, and out of the sport. And I've seen people who refuse to overrace chucked out of squads.

The selectors will know this too. They obviously won't disclose it, but I would hope they'd have the courage to act in the athletes' best interest. If you want me to name names, you'll have to get me very drunk.

Self-evidently, the group of people driven out of the sport are underrepresented on here, while the ones who the current system suits are overrepresented.