eNews April 2019
Credit: Lynne Walker
Lots to let you know about this month - with several items requiring a response so read on!
1. Events coming up
Scottish Orienteering Fixtures Calendar
Rather than listing all the orienteering opportunities, the Scottish Orienteering Fixtures calendar is a very useful way of planning what events you want to go to.
If you are away in another part of the country, why not have a look and see what is on?
As well as events, all the BASOC Tuesday training appears! Other clubs will often welcome you to their training, contacting them first is a good idea.
Community O 2019
After Easter, BASOC is putting on a series of coaching events for newcomers. We start with sessions in schools on 25th and 29th April and will then have Tuesday evening coaching sessions running alongside Tues=O in Nethybridge on 30th April, 7th & 14th May. We would also like to have plenty of club members available at the event at the Folk Museum in Newtonmore on 19th May to make newcomers welcome and answer basic questions; as usual, everyone who offers to help can also have a run (see next item for more information). We have people to run all these sessions, but if you're interested in helping out at any of them, please let Mehmet know. We don't need you to commit to all of them - any help is appreciated, particularly at the event on the 19th May.
BASOC event at Newtonmore, Sunday 19th May 2019
This is an event aimed mainly at newcomers who have been introduced to orienteering through the 3 x Community O sessions. There will be the opportunity to have a fast run around a course for all though! Help is needed from BASOC members to ensure that the event goes well. Please contact Lynne with offers for doing the following:
* Registration
* Download / Results / Computing
* Meet & greet – guiding people as to what to do (there will be 2 x courses for them to try out, not timed but using SI; there will then be a 30 minute score course, timed)
* Opening / closing a gate for competitors
* Control collection
Scottish Championships 25th-26th May Dumfries and Galloway
Saturday 25th May - Scottish Individual Dalbeattie Forest
Sunday 26th May - Scottish Relay Drumlanrig Thornhill
Entries for the individual are now open here on SiEntries , with entries closing on Sunday 12th May.
Club Captain Ann McGougan is coordinating relay entries. If you are going and would like a relay run please contact Ann by Friday 26th
April.
Strathearn 2019
BASOC is involved in Day 3 at Dundurn (St Fillans, Loch Earn). This is an interesting area of mixed woodland, moorland and flat areas (easiest courses). A bonus is the Starts are close to assembly. Please get back to Jo if you, or friends, can help that day as we are short of people to do the Parking and String course. These are BASOC's responsibility.
The planning is complete and control sites taped – Duncan and the rest of the planning team have been hard at work over the last few months. Day 3 is also a World Ranking Event so separate Elite courses have been planned.
Are you going? Have you entered yet? Entry fees go up after 30th April – you can enter here
2. Coaching and training opportunities
Training opportunity
Moravian have controls out in Roseisle - MAD (Moravian Athlete Development). Links to the maps.
Moravian Planning & Condes workshops
Moravian invite BASOC members to join them at the Planning and Condes workshops they are running.
"... because the only thing more satisfying than finding obscure map features with orange and white flags on them is getting others to try to find the ones you put out."
If you would like to join in the fun of planning courses please sign up for Alan Halliday's planning and Condes workshops. All welcome including keen juniors and those who don't (yet) have an event to plan for. No experience necessary.
Details on the Moravian website:
Training for planners, 2nd May, details
Condes Planning Software Workshop, 9th May, details
Mental wellbeing information / module
Mental wellbeing is important to all of us. A short online awareness-raising module is available and I encourage all to have a read of the booklet and to take about 45 minutes to do the module (link to the module is on the final page of the toolkit). Please send any feedback you have regarding the materials and the module to Sarah Dunn (North RDO) sarah@scottish-orienteering.org
Link to the materials.
3. Tuesday = O
A message from Hilary Q
Recent requests for folk to take on some Tuesday evening sessions have produced some positive responses – thank you – but sadly not enough to make a significant difference to the workload currently on me. Ten years ago, when I began the weekly sessions, I could run round putting out enough controls in less than an hour, but it takes me longer now! I will therefore be making some changes. I still believe that weekly sessions are crucial for improving your technique, as well as the social aspects, so that regularity is the last thing I want to change.
For a while we had some sessions with “virtual controls” (ie. no kites out); I will be reinstating this from June, probably having 1 session a month with actual controls. For the others, it can greatly improve your technique if you really do have to think about where you are, you don’t just run to a kite – and this format might be more attractive to other planners, who don’t necessarily have the confidence to place controls!
Other changes might have to follow. In the meantime, please talk to me (Hilary Q) with offers of help, suggestions or comments.
4. BASOC club clothing
A message from Jo
If we don't have the size or item you would like please let me know and when we have enough interest we can put in an order.
It is worth trying on items before buying as some people find the size they usually buy is too small, especially if they want to be able to wear something underneath.
In stock we have:
- O top with short sleeves and short zip: 1 x Women M: £18
- Jackets with full zip: 2 x unisex L: £24
Plenty of T shirt O tops:
- Junior S + M + L: £7 (1 x Junior 9-11, 2nd hand, hardly worn £3)
- Women S + M: £9
- Men L + XL: £9
Hoodies: we have none in stock. They come in purple or black with the club logo (around £19 depending on how many we order).
Plenty of BASOC buffs: £10
Contact Jo if you would like to buy any BASOC club kit!
5. Other news items for you
Committee business
Want to know what is happening in the club? As well as reading this eNews, have a look at the committee meeting minutes here
Aviemore Triathlon Marshalls
BASOC individuals have volunteered in the past to marshall at the Aviemore Triathlon. We have received an email from Durty Events, asking if anyone is interested / able to help this year.
“I am currently looking for volunteers to marshal at Aviemore Triathlon, the your Club have previously helped at our events and I wondered if they would be interested in helping us again?
The event takes place on Sunday 25th August 2019, we are looking for volunteers to assist between the hours of 7.45am and 2pm at the latest. We are happy to make the a donation of £50 per head to your club for supplying marshals at this event. We will of course also provide a t-shirt and lunch to all our volunteers.
We’d love to have your club members along again, and look forward to hearing from you.”
Please respond directly to Durty Events, Diane Ford diane@durtyevents.com
Junior Inter Area Competition - volunteer required for weekend in November
The Junior Inter-Areas are due to take place on the weekend of 9th-10th November in Deeside. Unfortunately, the North Area Co-ordinator has had to pull out and so we are looking for someone who can co-ordinate coaching activities for the weekend. We're currently waiting for a full description of what the role involves - it's what Jess used to do, if you think back a couple of years. If we (northern clubs) can't find anyone to take this on, it's likely that the Junior Inter-Areas won't go ahead this year. Is anyone potentially interested in taking this role on? If so, please get in touch with Gemma as soon as possible for more information.