Month: January 2022

Youth Mapping Program – 2021 Summary

The Youth Mapping Program supports the mission of Orienteering USA, with a focus on the goals of increasing participation and teaching map reading and navigation skills. We match schools and youth organizations with cartographers, provide grants for maps, develop mappers, and encourage relationships between local clubs and schools. Mappers can become part of the program by signing up here; schools and youth organizations can apply to get a map made here. 

As of our last report to the OUSA Board, the program had produced 33 completed maps, with 13 more in progress and 12 in the planning stages, for a grand total of 58 map projects. Finished maps can be viewed using the locator map on the OUSA website. Many kids have orienteered on the finished maps. We also publish example stories of map use on the OUSA website, you can view these here.

We are asking all OUSA member clubs to publicize this mapping program to schools and youth organizations in your area. For each map that is made, several educators have the opportunity to teach dozens or hundreds of children about orienteering. Please contact the committee if you have any questions. A good way to get started might be to ask your members to share with any school or youth group contacts a link to the YMP page. 

The YMP maps have already been used by hundreds of children and adults. PE teachers have created new orienteering units. JROTC units have conducted training on the maps. Parks and Recreation departments have collaborated with local Scouts and orienteering clubs to create permanent courses. 

The volunteers on the YMP Committee are orienteers who also teach kids or make maps themselves. We welcome additional volunteers, including people who can help with outreach to educators. Email us to find out how you can support the effort!

Announcing the 2022 US National Team

The Selection Committee for the US National Orienteering Team is excited to announce the new merged team for 2022! We got a taste of what is to come at the WRE/NRE races in Georgia a few weeks ago. Along with upcoming domestic NREs this year, we also have The World Games, Sprint WOC, JWOC, WUOC, and World Cup competitions to look forward to.

I’d like to thank my fellow Selection Committee members, Eric Weyman and Boris Granovskiy, for their knowledge and interest in the process of determining the 2022 Team.

Peggy Dickison
US National Team Selection Committee Chair

Elite Squad

  • Ali Crocker (CROC)
  • Anthony Riley (DVOA)
  • Anton Salmenkyla (FIN)
  • Eric Bone (COC)
  • Greg Ahlswede (DVOA)
  • Joseph Barrett (QOC)
  • Ricardo Schaniel (SWI)
  • Thomas Laraia (MNOC/SCOT)
  • Tori Borish (RMOC)

Performance Squad

  • Alison Campbell (DVOA/SCOT)
  • Danny Riley (CAOC)
  • Diana Aleksieva (QOC)
  • Evalin Brautigam (WCOC/AUSTRALIA)
  • Jessica Colleran (COC)
  • Julia Doubson (BAOC)
  • Michael Laraia (MNOC/GER)
  • Peter Zakrevski (BGR)
  • Sydney Fisher (QOC)

Junior Squad

  • Aidan Minto (ICO)
  • Alex Merka (QOC)
  • Annika Mihata (COC)
  • Ava Suhocki (DVOA)
  • Ben Brady (COC)
  • Bridget Hall (NEOC)
  • Emilia Schmidt (QOC/FIN)
  • Keegan Harkavy (NEOC)
  • Kirsten Mayland (DVOA)
  • Lily Addicott (GAOC)
  • Victor Frolenko (DVOA)
  • Zariah Zosel (COC)

Alison Campbell joins US National Team ESC

At a team meeting held during last weekend’s events at the Georgia O-Fest, members of the 2021 US National Team voted to elect Alison Campbell to a seat on the US National Team Executive Steering Committee (ESC).

Alison has been a member of the US Team for over 10 years competing as part of the Development, Performance and Elite squads during her tenure on the team. Originally from the Philadelphia area (DVOA) she currently lives and competes in Glasgow, Scotland.

Alison is stepping into the ESC spot vacated by Giacomo Barbone who is stepping down having completed his term. OUSA would like to express our sincere thanks to Giacomo for his service to TeamUSA during his term on the ESC. Alison and Giacomo are pictured here at the World Cup Sprint Relay in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy last October.

Peggy Dickison (QOC) was re-elected to the ESC for another term and will continue in her role as acting Committee Chair. Peggy is pictured here handling the starts for the 2021 Team Trials held last May.

Rounding out the ESC for 2022 are:

  • Linda Kohn – Administrator
  • Greg Ahlswede
  • Eric Bone
  • Virginia DeBons
  • Jeff Saeger
  • Samantha Saeger

Stay tuned for an important announcement about the 2022 US National Team early next week. With the recent merger of the Senior & Junior Teams into a single entity we are excited about the future prospects for TeamUSA.

2022 Georgia O-Fest Recap

January 14-17, 2022

  • Official Event Website
  • Event Director: Charlie Bleau
    • UWG Course Setter: Fred Zendt
    • FDR Course Setter: Andi Berger
    • Registrar: Rick Shane
  • Friday: University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA
    • Sprint WRE
    • Sprint NRE
  • Saturday: FDR State Park, Pine Mountain, GA
    • Middle Distance WRE
    • Classic Distance NRE Day 1
    • Southeast Interscholastic Championships Day 1
  • Sunday: FDR State Park, Pine Mountain, GA
    • Long Distance WRE
    • Classic Distance NRE Day 2
    • Southeast Interscholastic Championships Day 2
  • Monday: FDR State Park, Pine Mountain, GA
    • Mal Harding Extreme-O

Friday Photos:

Friday Media:

Saturday Photos:

Saturday Media:

Sunday Photos:

Sunday Media:

Monday Media:

OUSA Junior Development Team expands into Youth Development Program

As originally conceived, the Junior Development Team was intended to encourage and support kids who simply love orienteering – with competitive aspirations an option but not a requirement.  

The recent merger of the competitive Senior Team and the Junior National Team allows us to hone in on this original conception by expanding on existing training, coaching and Youth Mapping Program initiatives. We envision a Youth Development Program to support youth and young adults in developing their competitive interests as well as mapping, event direction, course design, sport journalism, or other aspects of orienteering that they love.  

The program can connect orienteers from all disciplines with peers, experts, and coaches as part of building Orienteering Development Model Stage 4 capacity and community across the sport. Youth participants will have the opportunity to increase their skills, connect with other orienteers, and develop relationships in the community that support their continued participation in the sport as they transition into independent adulthood.  All participants will have access to OUSA resources to work in areas such as mapping, sport photography and marketing, youth coaching, or competitive orienteering below the national team level. Participants will have access to existing education and coaching resources and can apply to use funding designated for Youth Development in their projects. 

Orienteering USA is  looking for people interested in both supporting and participating in this program. We especially need people who are well-connected within their local orienteering community to help build these important connections. Once we have identified a team of 3-5 people to support this effort, we will publish forms for youth and adults to indicate interest in participation.  Interested in helping us get started?  Let us know here.

US Team Merger Announced

Orienteering USA is excited to announce the merger of the US National Team, aka TeamUSA, with the US Junior National Team to create a single, unified US National Team beginning in 2022. This merger will provide a more streamlined pathway for competitive junior athletes interested in advancing to the elite level.

Starting in 2022, the National Team will consist of three tiers: the Elite Squad, the Performance Squad, and the Junior Squad. The Elite Squad will consist of those athletes who consistently perform at a high level and are deemed most likely to be selected for WOC, WC or TWG teams. Performance Squad athletes also perform at a high level but may not yet be consistent picks for international team selection. The Junior Squad will encompass all Team members age 20 and under but are fully eligible to take part in all team activities and to compete for spots on the international event teams. Team selection for races such as JWOC and WUOC will of course be subject to the age restrictions of the individual competitions.

Applications for the 2022 US National Team were announced in December and athletes interested in applying for this year’s team should have submitted their applications. The entry period for 2022 is now closed. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement about the revised Junior Development Program which will include exciting new options for youth orienteers beyond the competitive track.

The World Games ’22 – Request for Athlete Intentions

Team USA will be sending a 4-person team (2 men + 2 women) to compete at The World Games this July in Birmingham AL. The event program will include Sprint, Middle and Sprint Relay disciplines pitting some of the best orienteers in the world against each other on American soil.

Athletes that would like to be considered for The World Games team should email their intentions to the Committee by March 1st.

  • Applicants for the team must compete in at least one of the following qualifying events:
    • Jan 14 – Georgia Navigator Cup Sprint WRE
    • Jan 15 – Georgia Navigator Cup Middle WRE
    • Jan 16 – Georgia Navigator Cup Long WRE
    • Feb 19 – COC Winter League Championship Middle NRE (M-21+/F-21+)
    • Feb 19 – TSN Southwest Spring Week Classic @ Catalina SP (Long course)
    • Mar 19 – DVOA Big Woods Classic NRE Day 1 (M-21+/F-21+)
    • Mar 20 – DVOA Big Woods Classic NRE Day 2 (M-21+/F-21+)
    • *Europe-based athletes may attend a national-level event in Europe
      • specify event with your intention

To recap: If you want to be considered for the US World Games Team, send Peggy (pdickison@nullcomcast.net) an intention email by March 1st, stating what qualifier race(s) you plan to run. Run at least one NRE day or European national-level event. Send us the results!