MEET YOUR TEAM – SOUTHERN ARROWS

Meet Your Team

The Southern Arrows at the 2006 Australian Middle Distance Championships They are (L to R) Kerrin Rattray, Jenny Casanova, Zoe Radford, Susanne Casanova, John Nieuwenhoven, Tristan Lee, Simon Uppill, Vanessa Round, Ben Rattray, Tyson Hillyard.

Vanessa Round Kerrin Rattray Simon Uppill

Team Name: Southern Arrows State: South Australia

Highest Ranked:

Male – Ben Rattray (9th) Female – Susanne Casanova (12th) NOL 2005: 5th Team Manager: Tyson Hillyard Coach: Susanne Casanova Website: www.oasa.asn.au

THE Southern Arrows broke away from the Outer States (a composite team from WA, QLD, TAS and SA) in 1996 to become an independent team in the Australian National League competition. As one of the stronger outer states at the time, the Southern Arrows have continued producing strong members but struggled to keep its depth. The current squad consists of very talented male and female members at both junior and senior levels. Although the team members often fill individual podium positions at NOL races, they struggle to present a full team at every race. The Southern Arrows has team members based all over Australia and overseas. Whilst representing Adelaide and South Australia, team members are based in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and even Sweden.

Training

• Major training camp twice per year. In February 2006, a training camp was held over a weekend in the Adelaide Hills. Training consisted of technical exercises on various Adelaide Hills maps. The camp concluded with a productive team meeting which allowed members to sort out the goals for both athlete and team. A second camp recently took place on the Mid-North map of Bri-Glen, assisting juniors and the team to prepare for Easter next year in this region. This camp is expected to be repeated late next summer to further prepare for Easter 2007. • Tuesday group runs often include training with the South Australian Secondary Schools Team in fitness activities in the centre of the city. These activities have helped develop and encourage the upcoming elites and offer all South Australian Orienteers a place to meet and to run as a group. • On the weekends off from Orienteering the squad has been continuing to train together with sometimes epic runs through the Adelaide Hills. This not only has helped with stamina and team morale, but also has allowed the team to explore parts of the hills so few Adelaidians explore.

Sponsorship

The squad has no major sponsor. As part of fundraising activities, the Southern Arrows have received support from Polar and Ultimax, not to mention the support received from the Orienteering Association of South Australia, and the South Australian Government. The Southern Arrows appreciate the small efforts and support of all those who have contributed to the team in 2006. They are also working towards major sponsors through liaising with local Businesses and Government bodies.

Susanne Cassanova, Southern Arrows coach and highest ranked female

Funding

To help support all squad members in the NOL, the squad continually carries out fundraising events and activities and is fortunate to receive funding through a South Australian government grant. Southern Arrows members are the team behind theFOOL competition, a fantasy orienteering league based on similar fantasy football leagues (Details are on the Orienteering Australia website under high performance). Other major fundraising activities include the running of South Australian events. In 2006 this included the South Australian Relay Championships, which reaped rewards for both the competitors and the team with unprecedented support by clubs, the association and it’s members. The Southern Arrows will be holding this event again in 2007.

SOUTHERN ARROWS MEMBERS

Jenny Casanova Susanne Casanova* Zebedy Hallett Zoe Radford Vanessa Round* Lachlan Hallett Tyson Hillyard Mallory Hughes Tristan Lee John Nieuwenhoven Ben Rattray* Kerrin Rattray* Simon Uppill*

Zebedy Hallett

Squad Developments

The squad makes a strong commitment to assist in developing orienteering within South Australia. Apart from putting on entertaining events and training, the Southern Arrows spearhead junior development through assistance at training camps and mentoring juniors. For the past 5 years a Southern Arrows athlete has been responsible for coaching the South Australian Schools Orienteering Team. Starting with Miguel Clark, followed by Lachlan Hallett and now John Nieuwenhoven is beginning a second term as Coach.

In 2006 the team has made great advances in becoming the face of South Australian Orienteering. Recently the team unveiled its new Logos and now the team is busy preparing a new uniform for the 2007 season to be unveiled at NOL Round 1. The team is also busy developing a website to boost our publicity and public awareness. The Southern Arrows main aims include to assist in the development of juniors and orienteering in South Australia, and to create a strong team atmosphere with full teams at each round of the NOL. While there are no direct aims in terms of results in 2006, they believe that with full teams, there is not a team in the NOL that won’t be worried by the Southern Arrows.

Words and Photos by Ben Rattray and Tyson Hillyard