Happy February! I figured I'd start a new thread to talk about OUSA topics.
There is a Board meeting tonight, and also an open call for clubs to learn about our insurance policy from our agent.
I received my copy of ONA in the mail yesterday. Actually, three copies came to my house, as we have a bunch of orienteers who live here for a while and then move on, sometimes without telling the post office to change their address...
Reminder: Peter Goodwin is collecting ideas for how to spend the 50th Anniversary Fund money that was raised for the purpose of club growth. This is your chance to take all that AP chatter and turn it into action.
I encourage all US orienteers to read through the Junior National Program application; it really shows the commitment that Erin requires of juniors, and filling it out requires that you really lay out your reasons for being involved in orienteering and be explicit about your goals. Erin has told me that they will continue to consider applications even though the deadline for the initial team has passed. So do encourage your juniors to consider applying - it is a great way to get to know other kids who are really into the sport, and to grow as an athlete.
Kris mentioned in the newsletter that Erin will be stepping down as full time coach after the summer, but will continue to be involved, and that he's working on a proposal. I would like to see him continue as national junior coach, part-time, and participate in a group of people implementing youth orienteering more broadly in clubs. I have learned so much from Erin, and really appreciate how much he has built: the year-round team, the training plans, logging; the
much deeper and more successful JWOC teams; the intensive training trips; the outreach to younger kids at A meets. The Safety Committee that came out of his open parent calls. I personally have learned so much from him about how to approach teaching kids orienteering, and I look forward to learning more - including through a coaching certification weekend we're hoping to make happen in June in Boston.
I joined the Board with a goal of expanding our broader junior programs. I've been a little distracted by the finances, but would like to really get out there over the next few months with some new initiatives. World Orienteering Day is off to a start, with about 8-10 clubs having provided contacts, and a plan to create a flyer that clubs can distribute to teachers who might put on their own event.
What else is happening?