HIGH PERFORMANCE
Mike Dowling, OA Director, High Performance
THE 2005 Annual Conference of Orienteering Australia saw the adoption of the new High Performance Strategic Plan for the conduct of our high performance activities over the next three-year period. The new plan will seek to build upon the achievements of the previous strategic plan taking into account the new financial environment resulting from the 2005 Australian Sports Commission review of Orienteering Australia’s operations, the adoption of ACT Academy of Sport as the National Training Centre, the international competition program and new coaching developments.
• I mprove the competition program for MTBO through the establishment of an Aust Sprint-distance Championships for MTBO from 2007, annual Aust/NZ test matches for MTBO from 2007 and an MTBO National League from 2008.
It is timely therefore to remind readers of the key outcome areas that will drive our High Performance program over the next three-year period which are as follows: 1. National Teams: To form men’s and women’s teams that will finish in the top six in the World Championships relay competitions and for individuals to win medals in the World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships and the [foot] World Orienteering Championships. 2. National Orienteering League: To have a National Orienteering League that offers the best competitors from all States well organised and technically demanding races against quality fields in both foot and mountain bike orienteering. 3. National & Regional Training Centre Network: To consolidate on the establishment – in 2005 – of a National Training Centre at the ACT Academy of Sport, and to establish one other Training Centre in another State before 2008. 4. High Performance Coaching Network: To have a wellestablished and effective high performance coaching network that serves the needs of elite orienteering nationally and in each State. 5. Support Staff: To have a pool of support staff who excel in their field of expertise and provide value to high performance programs. 6. GPS Technology & Video: To use GPS systems to monitor orienteers’ fitness levels and performances in competitions; to utilise video footage of relevant terrain to prepare Australian teams for international competitions. 7. Media: To raise the profile of Australian high performance orienteering through increased promotion and media coverage and have a pool of athletes with well-developed media skills. 8. Resources: To have sufficient resources to execute the program. In the context of off all this, the following areas are the key new initiatives of the new three-year plan: •A ppoint a Head Coach to provide strategic leadership in the development of improved high performance coaching and competition outcomes and thus slightly change the emphasis of the previous Manager, High Performance role. •R estructure the National Senior (foot) administration team where there will be a two-person coaching team sharing management duties from 2006 on. •E stablish a National Junior Development Squad for talented juniors and have them participate in National Junior Squad training camps in 2006 as the first development pathway for future high performance senior orienteers. It is envisaged the squad will be selected from the best W/M16 orienteers. The exact nature of the composition of the Development Squad and selection procedures will be determined by a working group with a formal recommendation to be made at the 2006 AGM of OA.
30 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER MARCH 2006
•S eek the establishment of at least one Regional Training Centre to support the National Training Centre at ACTAS.
New Coaching Team for Foot WOC Teams Orienteering Australia were delighted to appoint the new foot O coaching/management team for the next two World Championships to be held in Denmark and Ukraine. Sue Neve and Brett Weihart will make a great team and bring a wealth of experience in the continuing improvement of our international competitiveness at World Championships.
2006 – The Year Ahead We have a busy year ahead for High Performance. By the time you read this column Orienteering Australia will have appointed our new Head Coach to provide strategic leadership for our high performance development program. The National League promises to be an exciting series with a number of fascinating events this year with the opening round of events to be held in NSW a month prior to Easter, the Easter Carnival in Victoria in classic Victorian countryside, competitors travelling to Queensland in August and finishing off in WA for the National Championships carnival. On the international front we will be sending teams to the WOC in Denmark, JWOC in Lithuania and the MTBO WOC in Finland. Good luck to all athletes aspiring to represent their country in this great sport of ours.
Perception: The Ongoing Challenge One of the ongoing challenges for our sport is getting more recognition of the many outstanding athletes we have in Orienteering. To that end perception is everything. We in Orienteering all know what it takes to be a great orienteer - supreme physical fitness, high level technical ability and great mental strength. We must all do what we can to present our sport to the wider community in a most positive way in all aspects and in particularly how we present our premier competitions and how our top athletes present themselves both in competition and in the media when such opportunities arise. Some good things are happening. National League teams have begun to present themselves in more snappy uniforms, States are gaining naming rights sponsors for their teams, our major competitions conducted in regional areas are receiving good quality exposure and some of our top athletes have been receiving due recognition for their efforts. The ongoing challenge for us all is to continue to work hard to show off our awesome sport to the wider community at all levels in a way that can capture the imagination of those who have not yet been orienteering. Who knows what can be achieved. Let’s give it a go! Mike Dowling, 17 High St., Bellerive 7018 Tel: (03) 6244 71773 Email mdowling@tassie.net.au
Orienteering Australia – National Training Centre
