Discussion: OUSA Junior Standing Team members sought

Applications to join the Junior Standing Team are available at the OUSA website in the Junior Team section, and are due back to JTESC postmarked January 17th, or by email January 21st, or hand-delivered at the Georgia A-meet on January 19-21.

The application documents include information that will help athletes, parents and coaches determine readiness to apply to the Standing Team; we are seeking juniors who have started navigating at an advanced level, have the potential to run quickly through the woods, have the maturity to represent the USA, and are willing to commit to a program of development and training.

The US Junior Standing Team will consist of approximately 12 men and 12 women born in 1993 or later, committed to training at a high level for orienteering. Standing Team members will be coached by the US Team Coach, Erin Schirm, have a local mentor, and participate in training camps.

In 2013, selection of competitors for the JWOC Team will be based on the rankings and petition criteria publicized in 2012. Juniors do not have to be on the Standing Team to be selected for the 2013 JWOC Team; however, Standing Team members will receive coaching and support that will improve their performance and help them meet the JWOC selection criteria.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Erin Schirm, Junior Team Coach: 845-364-1752; emschirm@syr.edu
Barb Bryant, Junior Team Administrator: barb.bryant@gmail.com
Guy Olsen, Chair, Junior Team Executive Steering Committee: guypolsen@aol.com

I'd like to suggest that non-juniors (that is to say, adults) could think about juniors in their club(s) that would be interested in this opportunity, and then get the word out. Please encourage the local talent to step up with this program! You'd be surprised how a friendly comment from an older orienteer can make a big difference in motivating a junior.

Print out an application with their name on it and bring it to the next event, meet, party etc...

Thanks, Ross. Similarly, when we get the Junior Development Team applications ready in the next week or two, we'll want folks to encourage juniors to apply for that too.

Standing Team: the 24 best US juniors willing to commit to training, aiming at JWOC and eventually WOC.

Development Team: Any junior, up to age 20, who loves orienteering. We hope to sign hundreds of juniors up for the JDT this year.

I'd also suggest that the JTESC specifically ask Bob Ticknor, the OUSA JROTC Liason, to circulate this to all JROTC teams, and that it also be sent specifically to Mike Hendricks at West Point, Carl Muench at FUMA, and Duane Adams at FMMA.

Duane is probably aware, since 2 of his kids were invited to apply to the JST.

Don't forget Col. Paul at Apollo.

Thank you. I sent the message below to Bob Ticknor and a variant to Mike Hendricks and to Duane Adams. I do not have contact info for Carl Muench or Col. Paul.

Dear Bob,

I'm the OUSA Junior Team Administrator. We recently published applications and information for the Junior Standing Team. I'd like to ask you to make sure that all JROTC teams have the information, so that their juniors can apply. I had advertised this via clubnet, but I don't know if you are on that list (I hope so!).
The link for information and to apply is: http://orienteeringusa.org/us-teams/junior/info-fo...

Please note that we are starting TWO national teams:
The Standing Team for 24 advanced juniors to train seriously with a goal of competing at JWOC and elsewhere internationally
The Development Team for all juniors, no restrictions, who love orienteering and want a mentor, to set a goal (about competition or otherwise being involved), and to meet other juniors
Any junior (turning age 20 in 2013, and younger) may apply to either team.

Also, note that we have immediate deadlines for JST applications, but if we receive notice that a junior is intending to apply but can't make the deadline, we are more than happy to accommodate them.

What is the best way to disseminate information to JROTC teams? Is posting to clubnet sufficient?

Thanks!

Barb Bryant

I will disseminate among the North Texas JROTC coaches; some are already aware.

I've just sent your note to most if not all of our area's JROTC coaches (plus Carl Muench).

I also sent it to the most active LAOC JROTC coach, who forwarded to some others.

I suggest using this audio show host and have him do one of these for orienteering.
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/This+Is+That/ID/232...


(thanks to Hammer for finding this)

fixed link

That was hilarious! Thanks. Good luck to our American friends with their Junior program. Get to the Vancouver sprint camp if you can.

The US Junior Team coach is planning to be at the sprint camp.

One of the top juniors in Seattle is going to sprint camp.

We have a number of JST applications from JROTC kids now, and have had some good conversations with some coaches here at the Georgia meet.