As our season enters a minor slowdown for midwinter we thought it was time to highlight some of the fantastic development work that helps spread the word about orienteering.
Much of this is behind-the-scenes stuff but contributes greatly to our public profile and participation stats.
In Newcastle, ONSW coaching director and development officer Carolyn Rigby co-ordinates the AASC program in the Hunter and is heavily involved in other school programs. Carolyn led our AASC expansion into Orange, which culminated in a wonderful gala day run by Goldseekers. GS are maintaining the students' interest with 2 events in the July school hols.
Fellow DO Barbara Hill has been busy co-ordinating the mapping or remapping of six NSW Sport & Rec centres thanks to a state government grant. Barbara is also designing programs for the centres to make full use of the maps.
Barbara and ONSW marketing officer Ian Jessup are putting the finishing touches on a resource kit and companion booklet for the AASC program. While this program will change next year, the kit and booklet can be used by any school or site wishing to introduce students to orienteering. Carolyn and Salme Fuller, our IKO AASC coach, have contributed to this.
Ian has also been busy on the north shore, running an 8-week program for 210 Mosman HS Year 7 students, as well as lessons for Mackellar Girls HS Year 9 and 10 PASS classes.
Other groups we have hosted lately are Roseville College (64 dads and daughters at Manly Dam), and a church youth group at Sydney Olympic Park (63 teenagers plus mentors). Thanks to the Hill and Burnett families for running these.
Term 2 is also regional school championship time. Numbers have grown dramatically in the past few years thanks to the volunteers who help the events run smoothly and create a great impression with teachers, parents, students and the DET organisers.
Development officer Lyn Malmgron is the guru of all this, and her success has been so great that we have had to split Sydney South West into separate primary and high school days.
The only region not to have started an annual schools champs or gala day is North Coast - but with the recent addition of Northern Rivers and Bush n Beach clubs it's only a matter of time.
In Armidale, the Northern Tablelands club is installing a permanent course at Dumaresq Dam - it opens on June 28. And in Sydney, Centennial Park have sold out of kits for the permanent course established there two years ago by ONSW and Uringa. More kits are being ordered.
All this activity has generated a lot of press coverage. Well done to everyone.
