OABC - AGM 2001
In the year 2000 OABC continued to address the following areas:
Organizational Development, Athlete recruitment and retention, athlete
development, Officials Development, Junior Participation Program and Coach
Development with respect to the OABC's policy Manual, Vision 2000
accountability process, and the 5 years Strategic Plan.
OABC continues to offer sport access for all age groups, both genders, athletes with a disability, all ethnic groups, and for all regions of the province. OABC’s central resources are its experienced volunteer corps, who provide the leadership for orienteering development throughout the province. We try to move towards conducting the business of managing orienteering in the province in a professional manner. OABC is in a state of continuous development in improving the critical elements of the sport: coaching, officiating, and hosting of events, mapping, and training for athletes.
8. To qualify more officials and at higher levels
This is the area where we need to do some
changes and adopt new way of thinking if we want to keep our best key
volunteers and executive on board.
Professional
Development: Each year Sport BC hosts several
mini-seminars. This is a very
worthwhile professional development opporutunity, and as such the OABC consider
funding requests for members who wish to attend.
Recruitment of volunteers: A new approach is needed, in order to save our organisation. See as an attachment the sad report from KOC (one of our clubs). Similar things are happening in Prince George and other distant areas. The numbers of the regular OABC members are falling for the last few years.
Board: It not a secret that many of our key volunteers are getting burned out from the amount of work and the insufficient communication between executives and members.
We need
to have new people in the executives. This always brings new energy and
ideas. Enyone can take the opportunity to be involved in OABC board as an
executive or as a member in large. We have many talented people with experience
that love orienteering and might be interested to help and use their talents.
We might have a Fundraising committee or an
executive in charge with sponsorship and fundraising, some one to focus on
promotion, some for volunteers recruitment, someone …..just being a right hand
of the president.
Marketing
and Communication: That is another area that needs
focus. We have a new brochure devloped this year and it can be used as a tool
to promote the sport.
The Outdoor Adventure Schow draws the right
audience from the province and is very good opportunity to be seen and
personally answer questions to all interested. We should keep our spot there.
But, that is not enough. We need better
promotion. Why not have a volunteer student or a class of marketing that can
help us a lot. They don't need to be athletes at all. Same applies to the
sponsorship and fundraising.
ACTION : Application for InVOLve BC -
Organizational Development Grant
Structure
of the Athlete Development Program: Athlete
development is centred mainly within the club system. Clubs offer many opportunities to compete. All courses are gauged to ability levels. All beginning levels are supported with
local coaches. Athletes can then
progress at their own rate by trying more difficult courses at future
meets. OABC provides opportunities to
participate in local, regional, and provincial level meets, courses and camps. OABC stresses individual commitment and
initiative.
A number of elements need to be implemented to
facilitate athlete development:
·
a provincial coach to work with all
Junior and Senior OABC members through local clubs
·
provincial training camps designed for
Juniors and for Seniors but open to all athletes
·
local training clinics at introductory
events are held in various regions, notably Kamloops, Victoria, Duncan,
Rossland, Prince George and the Lower Mainland
·
a coordinated events list to balance
opportunities and reduce conflicts
·
a coordination with Alberta and
Washington State to be maintained to maximize participation
·
all events are open to all interested
participants at all age levels and abilities
·
progressive levels of competition are
available at all events
·
participation to be stressed, not
results
·
travel funds under a travel fund
policy to be available for qualified athletes for Western Canadians, Canadians,
North Americans, or the Asia Pacific Championships
All populations are welcome, however, the
wooded terrain in which orienteering is typically practised tends to exclude
some types of disabilities. Some of the activities offered at the club level
for promotional purposes include street ‘O’ which is good for those in
wheelchairs or others who find the rough undergrowth too difficult for them. A course
for disabled wheelchair orienteering will be offered at BC School Championship
in Burnaby- April 2001
Training
Camps: A
provincial training camp was held each year, usually in the Interior of BC, and
was open to all interested participants.
This year we missed the opportunity to have a training camp, but one is
being planed for late April 2001 by GVOC.
Growth
and Development:
Although orienteering is interested in all newcomers, particular efforts
often centre on juniors to ensure continued growth and a base for the future.
We need to focus on different target groups as
adventure racing teams and individuals, Scouts and Guides, military groups, and
similar cross-sport groups - cross country running, cross country skiing,
mountain biking, canoeing, snowshoeing, hunting/fishing and others. Groups for future targeting will include
aboriginal groups across the province, and communities where no development is
presently found.
Most recruitment initiatives are community
based with local coaches offering “learn to orienteer” courses, support to
schools, or holding local introductory meets. OABC provides support by
distributing materials, and on request, by funding or subsidizing, directly or
indirectly, costs for meets and clinics.
School
System:
This year Elementary School Champ was presented as a Festival of School Orienteering in order to attract mass participation. A wheelchair accessible course was available.
We offered: a string course, a Mini Rogaine, free workshops and 4 courses for 10 different categories. About 20 volunteers from OABC, GVOC, Burnaby Volunteers and some personal friends came to help. Burnaby RCMP bike squad was guarding around and making sure that all kids are safe in the woods of Central Park. It was a great event culminating in Swan Guard Stadium award ceremonies.
All the participants in this year event will be reimbursed for their travel expenses from the Gaming account. We will apply again this year. That will allow more schools and individuals to come and participate in the event province wide.
School Boards, Adult Education Courses and the Community Centres are other avenues to promote the sport of Orienteering. Throughout the province courses are offered.
Several after school self sponsored programs are running during the school year. In Burnaby for the last 4 years, and during the fall 2000 at "St. John" school in Vancouver. The newest programs just started this May in Vancouver-Kerrisdale and Port Coquitlam.
Junior
and Senior Team Development: In the past, the Provincial
Coach, through the funding of the Regional Centre, has established a Junior
Team and a Senior Development Team. We
hope to re-establish funding to continue this program. The utilization of email
and training combined with events will continue to be used.
Martin and Marta are conducting some training
sessions for GVOC members. Beginners and advance clinics are provided regulary
from UO Adventures through all the community Centers in Lower Mainland, also
all clubs have beginers clinics before each event that helps peole get in to
the sport.
Promotion: The best “selling points”
used by OABC and its clubs include:
·
all ages and abilities accommodated
·
family orientation (the entire family
can participate concurrently)
·
a “fit for life” sport
·
strong connection with environmental
issues
·
life skills development - navigating,
wilderness survival, map-reading, etc.
·
higher level of intellectual skills
development as individuals progress
·
orientation towards new orienteers -
support systems, coaching, graduated challenges
The sport world-wide is a close-knit community
with publications and sport science information shared through various forums -
the Internet, Orienteering North America, newsletters (including SBC listings),
and electronic bulletin boards. Orienteering
seems to produce many technical people who have excellent computer skills. Information is shared world-wide and is very
accessible.
The new brochure was distributed to all clubs
at the OABC.
Events
Schedule: Competition
schedule was developed reflecting all local, provincial, national and
international events.
The event flyers are mailed to all OABC members, and are also
available on our web site. The results are also posted on the homepage for all
to view immediately after each event.
Recognition programs:
·
Orienteer of the Year Award
·
Volunteer of the year Presidents Award
·
Club Awards
Athlete Travel Funding : As per our funding policy for travel to major events, designed to
encourage both female and male elite athletes to compete at events of the
highest calibre, particularly championships for which they are eligible and to
encourage promising junior athletes who have the potential to develop into
elite orienteers.
OABC should:
1.
allocate a minimum budget available
for funding by April 30 (this may be augmented as additional funds become
available);*
2.
designate events eligible for funding
by April 30;
3.
strike a Competitions Committee
chaired by the Competition Co-ordinator to accept applications and award
funding.
* In 2000 $565 was allocated to fund approved member athletes’
travel to major championship events within North America.
ACTION:
Apply for Casino Grant and Funding for a Provincial Coach
Research other sources of funding for the
office assistance or Executive Director, rent of office and other programs. Eli
is currently researching some possibilities.
The Officials’ Clinic for this year was not offered due to the lack of interest. We are planning to have official's clinics this year.
Orienteering survives and relies on events to promote itself. The recruitment strategy is both a club driven process and a provincial process. Clubs conducts events and officials are necessary for most events. To meet national and international hosting and sanctioning requirements OABC will continue operating within a 5-year plan from 2001.
Coaching
Development
Published materials are made available through the COF, PSO, and through clubs. The Premier’s Sport Awards Program is available in almost every school in the province.
Publications include:
· Premier’s Sport Awards Program (BC, updated 1994)
· Orienteering Instructors Manual (Oct. 1984)
· CANOI Handbook (Alta., 1987)
· NCCP Manuals
Participation in the BC Summer Games is seen as a means of developing new participants, coaches, maps, and officials in the various regions of the province.
A Provincial Coach is needed to ensure that courses and clinics are offered on a consistent and regular basis, both regionally out of the High Country area, but also provincially, as requested, within the limitations of time and money.
Teachers and leaders showing a keen interest are encouraged through assisting in providing school and park orienteering maps, essential to O' instruction.
NCCP, CANOI, and PSAP courses are delivered by qualified and experienced instructors.
Mentoring is mainly available and encouraged at each event and the provincial camps.
Mapping Report was not submitted. I have a little knowledge about what is happening.
All over the world orienteering is presented at very early age (the best age for developing navigational skills 10-12). At the European Events, 75% of the participants are children and youth.
Our goal is to develop strong junior participation program in the province.
The Three big clubs are trying their best and contributing many hours as volunteers to help but it is difficult to co-ordinate everything when the clubs are spread geographically and funds are limited and based on the assumption that Orienteering is a sport for adults.
Our efforts in the last 3 years have been and continue to promote the sport to younger generation and provide quality maps and events to all participants.
Premier Sport Awards Program is well known throughout elementary school system. They provide manuals, posters and information and teaching resources to elementary school teachers.
We had few self sponsored after school programs in Burnaby, Summer Camps in Vancouver, many demonstrations and workshops to schools and scouts.
Two new programs were started in Vancouver - Kerrisdale Area and Port Coquitlam this May
In collaboration with Park Boards we have several Learn Orienteering courses. Workshops are offered to other NGO's, schools and conferences.
For fourth year Nature Discovery Summer Camps in Vancouver introduced orienteering skills for a week-long program in different parks of Vancouver.
The Festival of Orienteering on the last Friday of April with free workshops, games and activities and the Elementary School Orienteering Championship in the afternoon with official ceremony and medal presentation.
1. Media contacts and better promotion - TV Channel 4 with Jack Christy, Burnaby Now
2. Possible sponsorship - Coat Mountain Sport, Purdi's, Panagopolus Pizza
Map and compass workshops have been provided to other NGO-s, boy scouts, girl guides, and hiking clubs and other interested organizations.
A training camp for the athletes was held once a year in May organised by OABC.
The OABC is committed to working with and supporting our educational partners in promoting Orienteering with young people as well as adults.
Prepared by: Jackie Slavenova, President of OABC
May 17, 2001