Running Wild - Lagan Valley Orienteers Next Generation

Report by Juls Hanvey, Sporting Clubs Coordinator (Northern Ireland)

Lagan Valley Orienteers (LVO) and the NI Sporting Clubs Programme have created a new pathway into orienteering for juniors.

Running Wild is an opportunity for young people aged 11-14 years to experience orienteering and develop the skills and confidence required to participate and compete.  The target audience is young people already interested in running and the outdoors; the information was sent around schools, running clubs, and actively promoted on social media and the club website.

LVO stalwart and Lead Coach Stephanie Pruzina says: “With Juls carefully targeting the advertising to kids who already like getting muddy, we had a really enthusiastic group of 11–14-year-olds.  It’s been a pleasure watching them carefully orientate, fold, and thumb their maps and then run still randomly around their loops.  This was a high-energy group of juniors, and I am already working on plans for what comes next!”

The Programme Outline:

Week 1 - Getting to grips with the map.
Map walk, orientating, folding, and thumbing the map, cones exercise, and star exercise.  Looking for markers (controls)!

Week 2 - What are you looking for?
Revisit orientation, fold, and thumb; talk about looking for a control on a feature and provide control descriptions with both written and symbolic; Star and Loop activities.

Week 3 - Cutting the corner but staying in control.
Revisit all the above. Cut the corner to a line feature or an attack point and locate the control feature from there – Star exercise then Loops.

Week 4 - Using the toolbox of techniques.
Same format as above but in a new area of the park. Brief revision and perhaps time at the end for a race.

Sporting Clubs Coordinator, Juls Hanvey says:  “We know that the social side of sport is so important for this age group so as well as introducing navigation we also wanted to provide young people with a chance to connect with each other and with the outdoors.  The sense of adventure was strong with the group, and they had four fantastic afternoons exploring, learning, and having fun.  It was important for the organisers to engage with the caregivers too which we did via a parents WhatsApp group and during the sessions.  We are excited to see these young people and their families continue on their journey into our sport.”

Moving forward, the plan is to integrate the juniors into club training and events starting with our January Training.

A huge thank you to our dedicated team of Volunteers and Junior Coaches who supported this programme.

Junior Coaches – Luke Hopkins, Chloe Grattan, Luke, and Ruby Gardiner

Volunteers – Alan Elwood, Alison Collins, Lesley Grattan, Mark Hopkins, Simon, and Louise Gardiner