SOC Coaching Activity Highland Water 26th Jan 2019.

Once again a very successful Coaching Activity, this time on the Eastern side of the Highland Water map.

The weather was kind to us the rain arriving just around the time we were finishing.

We had 25 participants including around a dozen or so juniors.

Tamsin's courses went down well with something for everyone, with a range of exercises that included a corridor exercise, relocation, traffic lights and bearings.

Most of the participants managed to try more than one of the courses on offer and all were positive that they had benefited from the experience.

A large group of helpers made the activity happen, putting out and collecting controls and

sharing their skills, enthusiasm and time to help others improve their O skills.

It was great to see so many smiling faces especially the youngsters who not only learnt new

skills but had a great time.

These SOC Coaching Activities are free to SOC Club Members.

Look out for our next Coaching Activity which will be advertised shortly. We aim to hold the next Activity either in February or early March.

Even if you have been orienteering for years you can still benefit from practising and brushing up on your O skills and techniques.

Or offer to help deliver these activities, shadowing and debriefing etc.

Some useful web sites:

Find Keys to Map symbols, Control descriptions and much more on the Map runner website.

https://www.maprunner.co.uk/

Some of the British Squad members have been putting together short videos on orienteering techniques.

Try the following:

Attack Points || Megan Carter-Davies || Think Fast, Run Hard, Go Orienteering

Setting the Map || Charlotte Ward || Think Fast, Run Hard, Go Orienteering

Using the Compass || Hector Haines || Think Fast, Run Hard, Go Orienteering

We held a "Come and Try It" event at Itchen Valley Country Park on Saturday. The turnout was great with about 40 people involved in helping, coming and trying or taking part in a head-to-head sprint. As you may know the BBC came along to film the event but the poor weather and grey skies meant they couldn't get the kind of footage they needed to make good television. But they learned a lot about what we do as a club and they are very keen to come back another day.

The day was also the official launch of the IVCP permanent orienteering courses. Thanks to the hard work of Kieran Devine, our outgoing (!) POCMAN, and Melanie Vincent, the park warden, the new courses are super and provide a great introduction to orienteering. We had lots of people purchase the maps from the park visitor centre and then come to us for some advice on how to get started. All of them enjoyed themselves and many are keen to take the next steps.

For the BBC Kevin Bracher had planned a head-to-head sprint as a figure of eight course with the protagonists looping the loops in opposite directions. Mum and daughter Elaine and Jenny Chapelhow were the first to go out and suffered a false start as the EMIT TFT control batteries in the Start control gave out just before they started! See the video to see the fun that ensued. After a quick battery change they were off for real. The competition was close with Mum just pipping daughter by a few seconds.

Next out was David Currie and Rob Finch. They got away from the start first time and off to control 1. Again it was a really close competition with Rob getting home just before David.

All in all  great day for the club. Lots of thanks to all club members who turned out to help.

A video and some photos can be seen here.

SOC are putting on the SCOA heat of this competiton on Sunday17th March 2019 at Roundhill.

We need to get a large team to compete. Those who run for the Club get a 50% discount on their entry, plus another 50% if they help!

Offers to run to Mary Nixon, mary.david.nixon [at] gmail.com (mary[dot]david[dot]nixon[at]gmail[dot]com)

Offers to help to Julain Hartwell on julian [at] hartwell.org.uk (julian[at]hartwell[dot]org[dot]uk)

Please respond as soon as possible.