For the first time a training event was held to prepare new orienteers for the annual Orienteering Schools League. This event was held at Charter College in the North of Jo’burg; the school and neighbouring property were mapped by junior orienteer Timothy Chambers.
This training event saw 159 school orienteers on the two courses that Timothy planned for the afternoon. There was a short course that kept to the school grounds. This was a perfect course to start on as it used significant features and introduced new orienteers to the colours used on orienteering maps as well as the symbols used to represent features – like a green circle for a large tree, black ‘x’ for man-made features and a brown ‘v’ for a pit. The long course went on to the neighbouring ‘Fisherman’s Village’ property where the controls were a little more tricky, especially the three tucked in the long grass.
Schools at this training event included OSL regulars Randpark High, Fourways High, Krugersdorp High and Charter College with some individual orienteers from Trinity and Bryandale. We were delighted to welcome newcomers Helpmekaar and Summit College; they’ll be joining OSL this year.
We also had some long-distance visitors – two teachers from Lighthouse Christian College, which is in Brits. They came along to see what orienteering is about and they’ll bring some of their students next week. Isabella and Burt said that their school property is small and they don’t have big fields so they’re looking for sports that they can include where they don’t need fancy sporting facilities. Orienteering is perfect!
We’ve got a good number of primary school age newcomers this year – we’re excited to grow the number of younger participants.
Many experienced orienteers get involved with OSL. There are long-time orienteers who assist with tasks that need doing and helping learners out in the field; the junior club orienteers are learning to run the EMIT electronic timing system and assisting newcomers and there’s a load of admin in registering learners for the League events. Thanks to Val, Karen, Klaus, Glen, Del, Denise, Sarah, Jess, Brad, Timothy, Kirsten, Cian, Jessie, Christie, Peter, Kyle, KG and Martinique for being hands-on.
The 2013 Orienteering Schools League runs over the next five weeks of Mondays with each event at a different venue. The four League events culminate with a Final on Monday, 25 February 2013.
Please address any queries about OSL to o4schools@orienteering.co.za.
OSL is made possible by funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation and the National Lottery Distribution Fund Trust (NLDTF).
Members of Fourways’ First Aid team are on standby at all of the OSL events again this year.