ORIENTEERING AUSTRALIA AWARDS

2007 Silva Services To Coaching Award

Anthony Scott

Orienteering ACT nominated Anthony Scott for this Award. Anthony began coaching seriously in 2002, when he was accredited at Level 2 after completing an online Level 2 coaching course and meeting the other accreditation requirements. With assistance from Darryl Erbacher and John Harding, Anthony began coaching the Blue Lightning ACT Junior Squad in 2002. Anthony created many initiatives in coaching, providing regular high-quality extra technical training sessions for the juniors throughout the year. He was an integral part of creating an atmosphere of enthusiasm and team spirit amongst the Blue Lightning squad, increasing the likelihood of squad members staying in the sport and helping with many members to improve their technical skills substantially. He also personally coached Sophie Barker, who saw a huge improvement in 2002, winning the senior girls grade in the National Schools Champs and finishing the year ranked 3rd in W16. Anthony continued to coach the Blue Lightning squad through to 2006. During his five years as coach, the ACT was equal first twice, in 2006 (with Queensland) and 2004 (with Victoria). He continued to be the personal coach for Sophie Barker who twice represented Australia at JWOC and won the 2005 Australian 3-Days W20A class. He was also a confidant to Hanny Allston, who consulted him on many occasions during her development to become a world champion. And he assisted a number of other young orienteers from both the ACT and elsewhere in Australia. In addition to being a coach for the ACT Blue Lightning team and a number of rising stars, during 2002 through to 2006 Anthony was the main mentor at ACT’s Saturday Program, which is the primary introductory program for young orienteers in the ACT. Anthony Scott has demonstrated a huge commitment to Orienteering, in particular to giving young orienteers an enjoyable introduction to the sport and encouragement to improve their skills. He has set an example for others to follow. He would be a worthy recipient of the 2007 Silva Services to Coaching Award.

2007 Silva Services To Orienteering Award

Jeffa Lyon

The Orienteering Association of South Australian nominated Jeffa Lyon for this Award. Jeffa was introduced to orienteering in the ACT (as Jeffa Shaw), but joined the South Australia club Tintookies in January 1980 with husband John Lyon. Since then she has been actively involved in orienteering at all levels from club to state to national, as well as being a keen participant in A classes, again at all levels with Australian representation in Australian teams for the ANZ challenge. This included representing Australia at the first APOC in the W43 class. As is her way she does nothing with half an effort. Soon after joining Tintookies she was on the committee, was secretary on and off for many years (1981, 1982, 1983), president for three years, and has been editor of the TT newsletter for the last 10 years. She has represented TT on OASA Council. Amongst this she has been organiser and course setter for many club events. This led to significant contributions to orienteering at the state level, both in administrative positions and development of schools orienteering and coaching activities, in particular for juniors and women. Like any sport its survival depends on its attention to young people and encouragement of their involvement in the sport. These efforts have contributed significantly to club and state orienteering membership, this is also of importance to Orienteering Australia with the focus on membership numbers. She was the OASA schools coordinator from 1991 – 2002, and during this period conducted introductory orienteering activities at many schools, often creating black and white maps of the schools she attended for these activities. For many years she has organised and continues to organise the State Schools Relay Orienteering Championship, with personal encouragement to many schools to ensure their participation. To assist in junior coaching, she ran the Year 7 schools coaching camp for many years, and has assisted with junior trips interstate as well as other junior coaching camps and activities. However her coaching activities were not limited to juniors, she initiated and organized, and continues to organise Women’s Coaching Weekends providing a bond for women in the sport to the extent that many who attended are still involved today. As well as the continuing development and coaching activities, Jeffa was the OASA newsletter editor from 1983 to 1986 in the days of cut and paste, was OASA president from 1987 to 1989, and secretary 1990-1991. During the period as president, she managed a major rewrite of the OASA constitution, changing orienteering in SA from being defined as a recreational activity to a competitive sport which was essential to maintain ongoing support financially from the state government. Prior to that she had prepared many successful applications to the state government for funding. Jeffa has also been involved at the national level, as either the SA delegate or councillor to Orienteering Australia over much of the period from 1987 to 2001, and also attending many annual committee meetings of a number of OA committees in particular schools. She has also taken key roles in national carnivals held in South Australia, in particular as the Controller (Jeffa is a Level 3 controller) for the Australian Three Days held around Burra in 1990, and as organiser of the same event in Broken Hill in 1997,. Both offered interstate

orienteers new areas to visit and new types of terrain for a state with limited areas available for orienteering. In 2002 for the Outback Orienteering carnival held in the Flinders Ranges and incorporating the Australian Championships, as South Australia again offered unique terrain for interstate and overseas visitors, Jeffa organised the travel and accommodation for the state schools teams as well as being the contact point for visitors with respect to available accommodation. In addition she fulfilled the role of controller for the Australian Schools Relays. This role as controller and supporting role for orienteering development all around Australia continued in 2005 as Jeffa and husband John shared the controller’s responsibilities for the inaugural Northern Territory Championships to be held south of Darwin. Jeffa is also contributing to the current major carnival to be held in SA in 2007, as organiser of the National Badge Event to be held in conjunction with the Australian Three Days Carnival. Now in W70 she is still very competitive, this despite a hip replacement several years ago and a frozen shoulder, which too has now been replaced over this summer break. This competitive streak no doubt continues to give her valuable experience which she uses in her administrative and coaching activities. Without people, such as Jeffa, who are prepared to contribute at all levels of orienteering administration and development of the sport in a voluntary capacity as well as continuing to personally participate at all levels of the sport, orienteering would not be able to continue in its current format. In conclusion with the 2006 Silva Award to be presented in SA in 2007, this represents an ideal opportunity to recognize the contribution of Jeffa Lyon at all levels of orienteering over an extended period.

Prepared by Robin Uppill, Jennie Bourne and Gil Hollamby for the Orienteering Association of South Australia

INTERVIEW

Lachlan Dow

Lachlan Dow (BS.A) has won the Silva Medal for 2006. Lachlan’s excellent year included wins at Easter and the Australian Championships and two firsts in State Championships. A perfect record for the year slipped through his hands when he came second in the NSW Championships. He is the first junior to win the award since Cassie Trewin and Andy Hogg shared it in 1990. The Silva Medal competition is based on points for participating and placing in the Australian Championships, the Easter 3-Days, and all State Championships (Elite and A classes in M/W16 and above). Leading point scorers were: 1. Lachlan Dow BS.A 27 2. Jenny Bourne EU.V 23 3. Todd Neve MF.V 22

National Statistician, Darryl Erbacher, spoke with Lachlan about his win.

Statistician. Congratulations Lachlan.

Lachlan. Thanks. I have to admit I didn’t realise I had won the award due to travelling in Queensland, until people started congratulating me at the Ultimax 5-Days, and I had to ask them what award they were talking about.

S. To what do you attribute your success?

L. Whenever I plan a route choice, I always think, “if I don’t feel very safe, make a safer route choice”, and then let my fitness keep up with the people that take a straighter route choice.

S. What is your physical training regime?

L. Just doing plenty of things outdoors, making sure I’m enjoying it. I do plenty of mountain biking, athletics and cross-country running, and in the lead up to a carnival, I usually do some more intense running and intervals.

S. What O-training do you do?

L. In the summer I go to the twilight events held in Canberra, which are “orange” difficulty and in fairly basic

BOB MOUATT

bush terrain. Through the rest of the year I do one or two races a week, one which is similar to the twilight events, and a “red” difficulty course on the Sundays that are held in more technical terrain.

S. What are your ambitions for Orienteering?

L. JWOC is certainly an ambition for the future, but for now I’d love to represent Australia in the Australia - New Zealand Challenge.

S. How are your studies going with all this training?

L. I do my best, but I see a few midnights and more trying to catch up. I guess there are sacrifices that have to be made on both sides of the fence. English is one...

S. Do you think you should cut your hair so as to be more streamlined as you speed through the bush?

L. I keep trying to tell people its my parachute for the finish chute, but I come back after races with sticks and spider webs in it. Perhaps I should cut it off and save the weight.

S. Well done Lachlan and good luck for the Oceania Challenge selection, although I think many people will feel they would rather have your chances.

L. Ta.