While clubs have been slowly getting back to normal thanks to covid, it's been business as usual in the Sporting Schools program.
Last term we debuted new coaches in Ori Gudes (Uringa, top left), Serena Doyle (Uringa, bottom left), Katherine Cameron (Bennelong) and Keelan Birch (Bush n Beach), and this term Frances Richards (Uringa, right) is making her debut.
"Working with kids at North Caringbah was a very rewarding experience," said Ori.
"It was incredible to watch how some of them were able to navigate from the first lesson!"
Serena added: "It’s amazing to see so much joy in the kids faces when they participate in orienteering."
Thanks also to Barbara Dawson (Garingal, left), Erica Smith (Northern Tablelands), Liz Bulman (Garingal) and Ian Jessup (ONSW) for their roles in mentoring our new coaches.
Barbara oversaw Ori and Serena at Caringbah North PS, Liz helped Katherine at North Balgowlah PS and Ian is helping Frances who is coaching at Double Bay PS.
Erica assisted Keelan, who was busy making maps and coaching at Clarence Valley Anglican School and Kyogle HS.
Sporting Schools gives students in Years 3-6 four sessions of their chosen sport. The feedback our coaches get from teachers, principals and students is very high.
Caringbah North love it so much that they are into their third program, and all 350 year 3-6 students have done orienteering.
NSW has accredited 267 Level 0 coaches in the past five years - more than double any other state.
NSW is the state that does the most orienteering in Sporting Schools (35 schools in 2019), and we are delighted that the federal government has committed $20m in funding until the end of 2021.
Since it started in 2015, more than 7,500 schools have received Sporting Schools funding with the aim to encourage kids to be active and hopefully develop a life-long desire to remain so.
If you're interested in coaching eager primary school students, or a school looking for a fun program, get in touch with Jim Mackay (
