Discussion: Junior Training Camp

Hi all the Junior Training camp has been scheduled for March 23-25 at Blue Mountain for this year. I have volunteered to organize and run the training part of the camp. I am looking for people to help out with training exercises for the various groups, and to put out and take down controls. I am also putting out a call to any elites and team members to considered coming down for a day or the whole time to share your knowldge with the juniors, get to know them, and insipre the future of orineteering. Also to the Veterans of orienteering who have been around for a long time and know the ins and outs of the sport it would be great if you could either come and share what you know with the kids, or send me some training ideas and practice tips that you have found are great to help young orienteers develop their ability. Feel free to email me if you have any interest in helping, or post on this discussion and I will contact you. Thanks

This is great! I hope that you get some elites/team members. It was inspiring for my kids to have Samantha & Ross at a couple of the camps they attended!

I'd be happy to set some practice exercises, help out with control placement, or do general coaching stuff this year. I may not be able to show up until Saturday afternoon because of military stuff, but we'll see. I might be able to dodge out early if I get lucky.

@barb: You're welcome to come help again, too. :-)

@Hannah: Sounds good, thanks!

As usual, I'm the Registrar for the training camp. As soon as you know that you want to attend the camp please contact me directly to make your reservation but the reservation will not be definite until I receive your payment. The cost is yet to be determined per junior and there is 15 bed in each of the dorms for male and female. If you have not been to the camp and have questions or concerns contact me as well and we will talk. Also when registering please let me know of any special diet needs and food allergies as I'm also the cook and plan the menu for the weekend.

Janet Porter

I had to make a change to the cost per junior on my previous posting because I was misinformed on the cost to rent the lodge for the weekend. Once we know this cost and can determine the cost for food and other supplies we will post the cost. It will be at the very least $85.00 the cost of last year's camp.

I should be there, and can offer floorspace to a select multitude.

@ndobbs: You're hired!!

Any chance of a facebook event page to help with coordination?

Barb, I'm on FB and I have no idea how to do what you suggested. If you want to set it up that is fine with me but I need to be contacted directly to reserve a spot in the camp. I have a email folder that I put all emails from people that contact me and I also have a notebook that I have used since the beginning of this camp to keep all information about the camp from the juniors, parent helpers, menu, expenses and income of the camp and any notes of special things, it is like my bible for the camp and I want to continue with it as long as I'm involved in the camp.

Thanks Neil for helping and helping with sleeping space. Jon Osborn and family live on the maps and have also helped us out for years with extra sleeping space. So if we have a number of guys to sleep elsewhere we can use both places.

Sounds good, J.

For FB, I was thinking more that it could be useful, not for organizers' logistics, but for participants. For example, we might coordinate rides to the camp. Or people might talk about what kind of training they are particularly interested in. And maybe kids could encourage their friends to attend. Stuff like that. I'm willing to figure out how to do it, but I'm so old I'd probably do it wrong so would be happy if someone competent wanted to.

Idea: coming out of the camp, each kid has specific mentor(s) and peer(s) who have agreed to stay in touch over the coming year and support the kid's O goals, whatever they may be.

I know for a fact that not all O-juniors are on FB, and some who are almost never go on it. Anything of an informative nature that goes on the FB page, will need to also go here.

AFAIK, only Erin and I have editing access to the page.
@Janet: When you visit the page, is there an "edit this event" link?

@barb: Please talk up the camp at the NEOC potluck!

Teenagers who are not on Facebook?!!?!

Well Guy, I just edited it (in a very minor, test manner) so imagine anyone else could as well.

@walk: That's interesting...

Perhaps your nephew could shed some light on Event edit privileges.

Event editing is neither highly restricted nor wide open. Some people who have been around a while automatically get the ability to update events near them.

I will also add that I have great memories from the Blue mountain camps I attended. Thanks everyone for keeping it going!

What are the age/ability limits for attendance? I'm thinking that they need to be able to at least run a yellow course???

If they can do a white course, that should be sufficient. I have been playing with the idea of a really beginner group such as kids who have never done it before who herd about the camp from friends or else where, but I don't think that can be managed this year. However if there is some who is very interested in participating in the camp and does not have much if any skill contact me and guy and we will see what can be done. I would not like to turn down anyone if possible.

This camp will be open to all junior orienteers, who can complete a white course independently...

(from here)

Linda, we state that they have to be able to complete a white course by themselves but as far as I can remember we have not had a true white runner w/o other family members at the camp either helping or training as well. WE have had older white runners that we work with to get them closer to their age group so as they don't lose interest and can be competitive. A true white runner is generally not ready to stay overnight w/o family being there. Also we do whatever we can to help female runners as we really need them to get interested and stay with our sport.