Start Squad?

[Guest]

I think that the squads are a good idea in general, although there is a problem when people are dropped eg through injury which can lead to demotivation and maybe even make them leave the sport. However for the select few it will make them better athletes for GB which is a lot more than can be said for a lot of regional junior squads, not to mention any names, which are rubbish.

[harry]

ANYWAY thoughts.. er i don't think the start squad is a waste of time. if i'd had something like that before going to jwoc type stage i'd have been much more clued up and serious about the whole competing thing. we tried our best but you can see now with the first batch of people who were in start are now going to jwocs and the results there have been stepped up. the highest my own junior era were was 8th nation overall and now apparently we got 7th nation and lots of top individual results.

start is trying to prepare kids to go on and compete internationally and give them the best chance of becoming world class. and you can see it is giving them a better chance, historically brits have taken longer to become world class but it's now maybe it's possible for someone talented like mhairi to emulate the rostrops and kauppis and be a top star at a young age. without start maybe we are denying people the best possible chance. the talented ones who work hard would get there anyway at some point but why not fasttrack people to the top and give them a great START?

[Kitch]

Jene

the harder you work for something the more it means when you get there.
enjoy

[Jene]

yep obv.

but i still think the squad should be open to more people....

[CHS]

Although people can be dropped from start due to injuries, these same people can get re selected the following Autumn once they've recovered and their results are improving again.

Of course the squad should be open to more people but there are funding restrictions as well, better START for a smaller number of people than no extra help with training and tecniques for anyone.

[Rhys]

They took Duncan Coombes' year to the Spring Cup at the start of the Start Programme but I think this fell through for other years due to funding?

I think some extra international competitions for the younger years would be a good idea but perhaps that is widening the gap even more?

This was me.

I pretty much agree with Tullster here, it is perfectly possible to 'fight' your way into the Start Squad if you want it that badly. Tullie, Dan Halliday, David Schorah; I wasnt on it after Lagganlia or Glenmore but you just have to persevere.

[Tatty]

In pre Start Squad days when there was just tjhe 4 annual tours, being excluded didn't necessaarily stop ypu making it. Neither GG or Mharky went to Glenmore as thier results at that time weren't good enough to justify a place. They both took a positve attitude towards this and worked hard, independently, to improve their results. Look where they are today, 5 years later. Both in the new 2005 Senuior Squad.

[Rhys]

Neither GG or Mharky went to Glenmore as thier results at that time weren't good enough to justify a place. They both took a positve attitude towards this and worked hard, independently, to improve their results. Look where they are today, 5 years later. Both in the new 2005 Senuior Squad.

Exactly

[Doug Tull]

but i still think the squad should be open to more people....

i can see why you think this but i disagree.if they selected the people who are outside the top few in their age group there would be too many people and not enough funding to support them all.this would result in poorer training etc for everyone.

it's not that hard to get in the start squad it takes training and a bit of effort.when looking at what training you do maybe you aren't putting enough effort into orienteering training.

there are plenty of people who have got selected late on.theres no reason you can't either!

[em]

Start gives alot of positive oppertunties to junoirs and is a great way to improve, and learn from proffesionals, past and future. But I think it is great to help people who are a the front of the field, but isn't also an objective to help people who maybe aren't so good to get better!

[awk]

I don't know enough about Start squad to offer an opinion on its efficacy - its value has to my mind still yet to be proven one way or another, but it does appear to polarise opinion: those who get in tend to like the idea, and those who don't, don't. It's this 'us' and 'them' situation that worries me the most. Plus the constant selection/deselection at such an early stage of development, when so much depends on a youngster's level of maturation rather than their long term potential, and the total reliance on Sports Council money.

[Stodgetta]

The "us & them" situation has always been there. I remember a weekend at Lakeside in the (very!)late 80's where I shared a room with another Welsh girl and 2 juniors from other regions who went on the summer tours. They never said a word to me or Liz all weekend, and never showed any recognition when we saw them at events later on. Other people from other regions have similar stories. I don't know how to get around that, but regional squads and Nopesport helps.

The actual organised coaching that you get as a start squad member will not make a big difference to anybody who is not willing to put the work in in-between Start weekends. It provides a framework to build around, and guidance on training, diet etc as well as personal funding towards equipment, entries and transport.

I think it is definately a good thing for the 16's, 17's. I don't think it makes such a big difference for the 14's & 15's. It is good thing that they are involved and see what they can do in the near future, find roll models and gain experience from older juniors, but there is a danger they will push themselves too hard and injure themselves or burnout before achieving their potential unless they are carefully monitored. At this age, no matter how good you are, orienteering should still be "fun" rather than "serious".

Maybe em's suggestion of helping those who could be good to get better - bringing on those with potential but not the experience/coaching - and involving them in some way would be good (not all regional squads are as good as others, either).

[El]

The "us and them" thing is present in all sports. It's horrible but it exists, particularly at junior level, and I don't think orienteering is any worse than any other sport for it - the concerning thing is when people pretend/think we have a 'clique' free sport: we don't.

Also - in an ideal world (i.e. being funded by a Russian millionaire) there would be room for everyone to have access to the start program facilities. As it is funding rather restricts things.

[Rockaldo]

They took Duncan Coombes' year to the Spring Cup at the start of the Start Programme but I think this fell through for other years due to funding?

They are still doing this. Top year of the start squad are going to the spring cup next year. Oh and the start squad is not a waste of time. How are we supposed to have a chance of beating Scandinavians if we only start serioulsly when we are eighteen. This year plenty of people got into the start squad without going in from the begginning.

[J.Tullster]

Also I dont think it's too big a problem that people get dropped if their results are poor or if they've had a big injury, there's always the chance for them to get in again. It would be a whole lot worse if they selected a certain group and just stuck with them, bacause that sort of thing is not uncommon in other sports.