The 2010 Young Orienteers Challenge Short Course Series, run in Gauteng and the Western Cape, has now wrapped up. Tania Wimberley has complied a report that sums up the Series and compares attendance and participation to that of last year.
Gauteng
Comments
- Although we didn’t really hand out any more cards, it was great to have an increased hit rate in terms of badges earned and kids getting to events (up about 23%).
- Pleasing change was the increased number and percentage of kids getting gold ie doing more than the minimum.
- We again managed to attract several new families to O with 74% of badges going to kids new to orienteering.
- Had more success getting scout kids back to a second event, thanks largely to one scout troop being encouraged to try get a YOC badge for their camp fire blanket.
- In 2009 YOC numbers for Colour coded series were down from short course to 19 badges and 54 cards. Given the type of events and location I would expect this trend to continue in 2010, but would hope we get some families to continue with their orienteering.
Statistics
| 2010 | 2009 | % change | |
| Cards given | 133 | 132 | – |
| Total badges earned | 42 | 34 | +24% |
| Hit rate (badges/cards) | 32% | 26% | +23% |
| YOC kids times events they attended | 331 | 275 | +20% |
| Comprising | |||
| White (3 or 4 events) | 11 | 19 | |
| Coloured (5 events) | 7 | 4 | |
| Gold (6-8 events) | 23 | 11 | |
| Gold as % total badges | 59% | 39% | +47% |
| String course | |||
| Kids on string for some or all their events | 8 | 6 | |
| String as % total badges | 19% | 18% | |
| Badge kids of existing O families | 11 | 10 | |
| Badges to new o kids | 73% | 71% |
Age and gender of children ( badge winners)
In 2010 Badges 54% of badge winners were boys
Age split (based on ages in January) :
37% – under 5
24% – 6 to 8 years
24% – 9 to 10years
15% – 11 to 13 years
50% of under 5 benefited from string courses (19% of badge winners)
A bigger target market is age groups 6 to 10 years (48% of badge winners) and up would benefit from a white or yellow course.
Format changes in Gauteng
-one less event to get gold
-sweets/chips given with certificates at 3rd event
-assistance for running YOC desk by a team of juniors
-decided to sell caps (at cost) to broader audience, as opposed to limiting their wearing to club members and those doing YOC skills quest
-in line with original planning this year the badge is emit buddy (there will be a new character for 5 years and then we will rotate back) & we also introduced a new colour , purple , which was a hit
Cape
Comments
- As in 2009 the week night format of the cape short course series was a deterrent to several kids.
- In line with 2010 I would expect the colour coded season to be more successful from a YOC perspective where I think about 8 badges were earned (need cape to confirm numbers?)
Statistics
| 2010 | 2009 | % change | |
| Cards given | 11 | 15 | -26% |
| Total events YOC kids | |||
| Total badges earned | 3 | 4 | -25% |
| Comprising | |||
| Gold (6-8 events) | 3 | 4 | |
| Gold as % total badges | 100% | 100% | |
| Badge kids of existing O families | 2 | 0 | |
| Badges to new o kids | 33% | 100% |
GOC SC Event statistics
Comments
- Big growth driver in 2008 was Zoo event coupled with change of format to compact season & introduction novice courses
- 2009, big drives for attendance at Zoo ,St Davids and Delta (scouts day) coupled with YOC initiate fuelled growth
- 2010, Despite weather at first 3 event seem to have a winning formula with Zoo at first event coupled with YOC.
- Difficult to assess real impact of flyers given that there was dual marketing mediums, but it definitely did bring some people. Also seemed to have lasting impact beyond just under car windows where it was posted somewhere eg at our swimming school or on a website. In terms of dual marketing it was through zoo website, Brescia school newsletter and Zoo Lake scouts. Zoo advertising also booster via Joburg. org website picking up on it from the zoo website and doing an additional marketing effort. Please note these website references (zoo & joburg ones) are still there and continue to draw people to events (people were drawn to zoo lake event from seeing zoo one after the fact).
- Numbers also bolstered via scout attendance at zoo lake and stirrup glen. Interesting that we had a big return of people to zoo lake event after the zoo event (must life in the area).
- YOC continued to be successful drawcard , & more of first time at tenders from zoo continued for a badge than in 2009. 29% of feet on 2010 SC events are from YOC.
- In 2009 many new SC YOC people did not continue onto the CC season. Could be because they just did the 3 to get a badge (bare minimum) & then called it quits, or that didn’t want to travel far, or had small kids and a lack of string courses on all cc season in 2009 (unlike sc season) deterred them. In 2009 we did have 4 families carry through from SC to CC season (mainly older kids). 5 families skipped the 2009 CC season but did return at least once in the 2010 SC season
- In 2010 without strong advertising to attract more new people we will likely see a drop in numbers of CC.
- SC YOC novices may also not return, but a change in format and possible introduction of a course before orange and /or continuation of string courses may do the trick . Given that families got hooked early one, and did lots of events for their gold (different to 2009) I get the sense that we may have a couple of families returning. Only time will tell.
So far 3 new YOC families continued from 2009 to 2010 to get a badge. (one of these skipped the cc but did return for a SC series again).
Thanks go to
The main YOC team
Cally de Klerk-for design of badges & new banners and layouts of badges and SC & CC participation cards for printing
Leila Venter for collecting badges, doing emails correspondence to Gauteng guys, buying sweets, arranging for new YOC caps & manning YOC desk
Tania general co ordination, printing co ordination & collation of badges, cards, banners and collection of cards & YOC table manning
Others
Gauteng- The junior team of Zoe B, Jess H, Ant S, Brad L & Christie C for assisting to man YOC desks in SC season
Paul for collection of new banner bags
Lisa for looking after YOC part of SAOF website
The Gauteng clubs for arranging string courses at the SC events
Cape – Bernelle & Zig for co ordination & promotion of Cape YOC
The GOC clubs for agreeing to have string courses at SC events
To all orienteers for promoting YOC and bringing a friend with them to events.
By Tania Wimberley