The Next Generation: Protecting and supporting young athletes during Clean Sport Week, 19 – 23 May.
Scottish Orienteering Association is committed to clean sport and supported UK Anti-Doping’s (UKAD’s) Clean Sport Week campaign from 19 – 23 May.
Tag: young people
Organisers’ workshops
Organising seems to strike fear into the hearts of the most stout orienteers but is an essential job for all events. Have you ever wanted to help out your club by organising an event but have been put off by the seeming complexity of the job? Well, help is at hand – 2 levels of courses for adults and juniors (16+) have been devised to demystify the whole process and equip you – yes, You – to organise a Level D or local event.
The first presentation of this course last year was very well received and we are anxious to equip more potential organisers to do a great job.
Coaching Foundation (CF/25_2) – Blended Learning
An initial, unassessed course for orienteers who are interested in getting involved in coaching. This course will give you the basics and get you on the pathway to becoming a coach. Also useful for qualified coaches in need of a refresher.
COURSE STRUCTURE
Run mostly online, with a practical club supported element, this course will be held over 4 sessions.
- Weeks 1, 2 & 4 – 1.5 hrs online weekday evenings. W/b 26th May, 2nd Jun and 16th Jun exact day tbd by popular vote.
- Week 3 – club based self-evaluated practical session. Practical session by negotiation with club mentor.
COURSE CONTENT:
Discussion based learning around what to coach and how to coach orienteering; practical self and peer evaluated exercises.
PRE-REQUISITES:
Competent orienteers at least at TD3
Age 16+ ( open to negotiation for exceptional candidates)
You must be able to arrange a practical exercise with either a club coach or a local school/youth organisation within the time frame of the course, ideally between online sessions 2 & 3 but anytime before session 4. You will be supported in this process.
COST:
£50 per person (non-members £75)
OTHER NOTES:
This course is a pre-requisite for the SCCO Level 5: Club Coach course.
REGISTRATION
Book online through the Google form or contact Suzanne Robins-Bird with any questions. Closing date for applications is 12th May 2025
Junior feedback – We are listening!
At the 2024 interarea weekend, we held a feedback session for our juniors to express their thoughts and opinions on orienteering for juniors in Scotland. They were given 4 topics to discuss: social opportunities, communication (juniors to SOA and SOA to juniors) and prizes. The overarching theme was that orienteering needs to be made more social for juniors by providing more opportunities for them to socialise outwith their clubs.
Upcoming Event Officials courses
Events can’t run without volunteers and some of those volunteering roles require a degree of expertise. Come along to one of our courses, learn new skills and help your club and the sport to put on those events that we all enjoy. Courses coming up in 2025 include:
SEDS – Scottish Elite and Development Squad
The Scottish Elite and Development Squad (SEDS) helps Scottish-based orienteering athletes to reach their potential and promotes top quality training which is open to all athletes currently at TD5. It also offers an opportunity for ScotJOS leavers and orienteers aged between 18 – 39 to stay in the sport and develop their skills with a programme of coaching and social trips. The training programme is currently organised by SOA’s performance manager Graham Gristwood – grahamgristwood@scottish-orienteering.org.
Junior Inter Regional Trophies find their way back to Scotland
Last weekend saw a Scottish Junior team make their way to the South West for the Junior Inter Regional Championships. This event takes place every year and sees juniors from all 12 regions of the UK come together to compete for their region but most importantly to socialise with fellow orienteers from their regions and beyond. With over 200 juniors attending and everyone staying in the same location orienteering is on the agenda but catching up on their social life is just as high!
Saturday saw the individual event take place at Mallards Pike in the Forest of Dean. The terrain was runnable with a network of ditches and old mine workings to test their navigation. As is standard the juniors set up camp, got down to face painting to ensure everyone was in the team spirit and provided vocal support to all coming through the spectator control.
Young Leaders
Juniors – are you a keen orienteer who would like to start getting involved in volunteering? Club volunteer coordinators – do you ever struggle to find event officials? Coaches – do you want a pair of young legs to help you out?
SOA Young Leader courses are all designed to give juniors the knowledge & experience to get involved with volunteering in the club, easing the load whilst giving them new, transferable skills. Run by experts who have worked in the roles for many years, we have 3 areas of expertise – hopefully something to suit everyone:
The Young People’s Sport Panel is now recruiting!
The Young People’s Sport Panel has applications open for its seventh cohort of members. If you’re aged 14-23, living in Scotland and you’re passionate about sport then this could be a great opportunity to get involved.
Why we think Young Leaders are important?
As the Jamie Stevenson Trophy hosts the presentation of the Young Orienteer of the Year Award this Sunday, it’s time to remind everyone of just how much young people are doing for our sport. Back in Nov 2022, we hatched a plan to recognise the contribution that our juniors make and to train them to fulfil those roles effectively – the Young Leader scheme was reborn. We envisaged 3 roles – coaching, planning and organising and designed courses and club experience logs.
