The Future of O in NZ
I haven't done an Orienteering-related post for a while, so while I slowly wake up with my second cup of coffee, a bit of crystal-ball gazing before settling down to work for the day.
Into the last 12 months of the Head Honcho role (and a bit of a lame-duck role at that as I'm well past my use-by date), and if I had three things to say "watch out for" to whoever replaces me, it would be these:
1. ACCESS
In New Zealand, we have been fortunate that getting access to areas we wish to orienteer on hasn't really been an issue. I'll never forget my first trip to Europe and talking with people there about the trouble they sometimes have gaining access and the conflicts they have with other recreational groups (e.g. hunters).
However, I fear that may be about to change. The Auckland clubs are reliant on Woodhill Forest and the owners, Carter Holt Harvey, now charge for recreational use and I suspect will also restrict access. The Taupo club had a problem with the Dept of Conservation over one area. We are not blessed with a huge amount of runnable forest here and if forest companies such as CHH start charging for, and restrict, access it will have a negative impact on our sport. It's one thing we need to be pro-active about.
2. MAPPING
To orienteer you need a map and a compass. Well, the compass bit is easy - you just go out and buy one, but the map? These are finely crafted works of art that take an extraordinary amount of time (and usually money) to make. Take a look around at our current stock of mappers - they are few, and more to the point, they are getting old. We can't rely on the likes of Michael Wood and the Aspins for ever, so unless we can convince some of the younger brigade that mapping might be a good way to earn some dollars (the days of making maps for free are going the way of the Moa), we might find in 10 year's time we have to use overseas mappers, and that will be even more expensive and a hindrance to the development of our sport.
3. VOLUNTEERS
A problem that is not peculiar to our sport - a dark cloud that hangs over us and sport in general. In many respects, Orienteering is more fortunate than most - most of the time the people who voluntarily contribute to our sport in whatever form, are generally competent and extraordinarily generous with their time. Will it last? In some repsects, I think we'll be OK as I see the likes of Flynn, Addison, Kerrison, Peat, Smith (apologies to any young'un that I've missed) already putting back something into the sport - fine young men who will be the role models of the future.
On the other hand, reading the local paper here in Waiuku and seeing soccer teams without coaches, badminton cancelled because no-one is available to organise it, how long before Orienteering has similar problems? Hopefully never, but it is not something we can ever take for granted.
Into the last 12 months of the Head Honcho role (and a bit of a lame-duck role at that as I'm well past my use-by date), and if I had three things to say "watch out for" to whoever replaces me, it would be these:
1. ACCESS
In New Zealand, we have been fortunate that getting access to areas we wish to orienteer on hasn't really been an issue. I'll never forget my first trip to Europe and talking with people there about the trouble they sometimes have gaining access and the conflicts they have with other recreational groups (e.g. hunters).
However, I fear that may be about to change. The Auckland clubs are reliant on Woodhill Forest and the owners, Carter Holt Harvey, now charge for recreational use and I suspect will also restrict access. The Taupo club had a problem with the Dept of Conservation over one area. We are not blessed with a huge amount of runnable forest here and if forest companies such as CHH start charging for, and restrict, access it will have a negative impact on our sport. It's one thing we need to be pro-active about.
2. MAPPING
To orienteer you need a map and a compass. Well, the compass bit is easy - you just go out and buy one, but the map? These are finely crafted works of art that take an extraordinary amount of time (and usually money) to make. Take a look around at our current stock of mappers - they are few, and more to the point, they are getting old. We can't rely on the likes of Michael Wood and the Aspins for ever, so unless we can convince some of the younger brigade that mapping might be a good way to earn some dollars (the days of making maps for free are going the way of the Moa), we might find in 10 year's time we have to use overseas mappers, and that will be even more expensive and a hindrance to the development of our sport.
3. VOLUNTEERS
A problem that is not peculiar to our sport - a dark cloud that hangs over us and sport in general. In many respects, Orienteering is more fortunate than most - most of the time the people who voluntarily contribute to our sport in whatever form, are generally competent and extraordinarily generous with their time. Will it last? In some repsects, I think we'll be OK as I see the likes of Flynn, Addison, Kerrison, Peat, Smith (apologies to any young'un that I've missed) already putting back something into the sport - fine young men who will be the role models of the future.
On the other hand, reading the local paper here in Waiuku and seeing soccer teams without coaches, badminton cancelled because no-one is available to organise it, how long before Orienteering has similar problems? Hopefully never, but it is not something we can ever take for granted.
Labels: orienteering
posted by Rob Crawford at 7:41 AM
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