MEET YOUR TEAM
TASMANIAN FORESTERS (compiled by Emma Warren)
Look out mainland – here come the Tassie Foresters
TROY MERCHANT
The Tasmanian Foresters are a developing team in the National Orienteering League. The Foresters currently include several highly successful athletes, nationally and internationally, particularly in the female league. These are promising signs for a State with such a relatively small population base. The years 2007 and beyond will be exciting years in the Apple Isle. Team Name: Tasmanian Foresters 2006 Result: 6th senior, 4th junior
Grace Elson
Highest Ranked Atheletes: Female - 1st Hanny Allston, 2nd Grace Elson Male – 23rd Ryan Smyth Manager: Emma Warren Website: www.tasorienteering.asn.au
The Squad The Tasmanian Foresters’ NOL squad is a widely diverse team with skilled athletes in all junior, senior, male and female categories. The squad includes Hanny Allston, World Senior and Junior (WOC/JWOC) Champion, two members of a podium placing WOC relay team, two current Australian champions and a reigning junior male National League team. Also a significant number of the team have represented Australia at international level. The Tasmanian Foresters have shown strength in the junior divisions of the National League over the past few years. This strength is envisaged to carry on into the senior ranks in coming years, building a solid representation at national events. This is already evident in the youth of the current senior representatives. Orienteering Tasmania have set realistic goals for a full team to represent Tasmania at every round of the National Orienteering League by 2010. The Tasmanian Institute of Sport has taken a keen interest in the progress of the Tassie Foresters, supporting several promising athletes through scholarships to further develop their skills.
Training While the majority of athletes undertake their own personal training programs, group training events are organised each week. Several examples being hill intervals on Monday evenings in the south of the State, ‘Tour de Hobart’ fartlek runs and long weekend runs. This often sees the Foresters training with younger Tasmanian orienteers. 20 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER JUNE 2007
Members of the squad also help out at junior training camps held several times during the year. This provides a good opportunity for the athletes to gain some technical training in complex terrain, while also helping to develop the future NOL runners through coaching and one-on-one interaction.
Funding Orienteering Tasmania contributes funds towards the participation of elite athletes in the National Orienteering League. The guidelines for this support are stated in OT policy. Funding is largely determined by the contribution from Orienteering Australia, when Tasmania qualifies for OA funding. Frequently this funding goes towards covering athletes’ travel expenses to interstate competitions. However it is also used to cover occasional uniform costs and to support athletes living interstate but still competing for Tasmania. Financial support to athletes does not always depend on results, but a base amount can be granted to an athlete to reward participation.
Proposed Developments Commencing in 2007 the Tasmanian Foresters are taking steps towards creating a squad focused on further developing the success of Orienteering at a senior level. One part of this process is to hold senior training camps and sessions throughout the year, focused on fine tuning the technical and physical abilities of the squad while creating a supportive team atmosphere. In anticipation of a growing team, the Foresters plan to investigate the possibility of sponsorship and additional fundraising. This shall aid in achieving the goals set for 2010. To demonstrate the new direction of the Tasmanian Foresters, the NOL uniform is being modernised to give the team a new, cutting edge look. This will hopefully help inspire young orienteers to develop into elite athletes through the National Orienteering League.
