Latest ONSW News
Since 2001 the Carbine Club of NSW, a philanthropic organisation that supports the development of junior sports through sponsorship grants, has supported the NSW Schools Orienteering Team.
The team is known as the NSW Carbines in recognition of this support.
Funding provided by the Carbine Club helps reduce the costs to team members of competing at the Australian Schools Championships.
Over the 12 years of continuous support the Carbine Club has donated more than $35,000 to the NSW junior team. This year ONSW was fortunate to again receive a grant of $5,000 for 2013, presented by Carbine Club member Tim Cox (L) to ONSW president Paul Prudhoe recently (pictured).
Whenever we can reduce the costs of training and competition camps we can immediately improve the opportunity for participation of all NSW juniors.
The NSW Carbines and Orienteering NSW greatly thank the Carbine Club for their continued support. A special note of thanks is also extended to Tim Cox for his assistance and support as a member of the Carbine Club.
ONSW is looking for new coaches and managers in 2014 for our Junior development squad and schools team.
After many years of dedicated service, NSW Junior Development Squad and Schools Team Managers Karen (below, right) and Russell Blatchford (NC) have decided that it's time to hand over the management reins, and with Squad Coach Nick Dent (CC, below left) being involved in Easter 2014, his increasing role in OA's High Performance activities, and an overseas trip planned for the July school holidays as well, Nick has reluctantly decided to pass on the squad coaching baton.
Orienteering NSW sincerely thanks Karen, Russell and Nick for all that they have done over many years of involvement with the junior squad and school teams.
As a result ONSW is now seeking applicants for the positions of Squad Manager and Coach as well as Schools Team Manager and Coach. It has been the practice for the Squad Manager and Coach to also look after the Schools Team at the Australian Schools Championships. Whilst this is desirable, ONSW will consider alternative arrangements.
For information about the roles, in the first instance please refer to the information contained in Section 8.2 of the ONSW Association Manual. Prospective candidates should be aware that ONSW is currently updating its Junior Squad policies, and the Board is currently considering an additional Assistant Manager position to support the Squad Manager, primarily to manage and administer the squad and team finances. The Board will also consider alternative divisions of responsibilities or role structures dependent upon applicants and the skills and time that they can bring to the role(s). It is expected that the incoming Manager and Coach will work with the ONSW Board to help develop and finalise the new policies.
Applications are open now, and will close on December 10. Please send your expression of interest to ONSW President Paul Prudhoe.
Our first term of the inaugural Saturday morning schools series wrapped up on Saturday with a family relay event at Centennial Park in lovely sunshine.
Series co-ordinator Barbara Hill set six short courses (ranging from 500m to 1.5km) and each pair aimed to complete all six between them.
It was great see so many parents participating with their children. Barbara employed ONSW Marketing Officer Ian Jessup as a roving control - kids who caught Ian (which wasn't too hard!) took a sticker off his shirt to claim an entry in the lucky dip at the end of proceedings.
Some photos of the event are on Facebook.
Average attendances were around the 40-50 mark which is very encouraging.
The Term 1, 2014 series is just about locked in and will feature many new venues. It also looks like we have another school coming on board.
ONSW extends a huge thank you to Barbara, Daniel Hill and SI guru Ron Pallas for a smooth and successful introduction of this new series; and to the other helpers who chipped in when needed.
Please tell your schools about this series as we try to grow the sport at grassroots level.
Sep 25, 2012: "The current state of my lungs... is they will not sustain my life. So I'm hooked up to a machine to assist my breathing. If there is any further deterioration the machines will not help me. So while death is not the desired outcome it is only wishful thinking to think it is not the most likely."
Fast forward 14 months and it is heartwarming to see Michael Free running again in Sydney Summer Series events and getting fantastic scores (around 70-80% in the highly competitive veteran men's class).
Unbelievable is really the best descriptor because Mike's recovery - from being on the verge of respiratory arrest just getting out of his hospital bed to go to the toilet, to running (let alone walking) competitively - is nothing short of miraculous.
It's also a great advertisement for remaining fit, healthy and active because it is undoubtedly Mike's previously very high level of fitness (a former Mens Masters SSS champion) that enabled him to survive.
Mike now runs with a fingertip monitor that tracks his oxygen levels, and he has to slow down whenever it goes off (curiously, it sounds just like an SI unit beeping).
