Orienteering Coaching

2020 Work- The COVID era has been good in that its given lots of opportunities to promote safe social distanced activity including Maprunning. I have been busy making maps and pleased to have instigated the first uses of Urban Permanent Courses. Gillingham was the first of these and Sturminster Newton is launching soon, along with promotion of last summers areas that were limited in promotion due to various reasons. We First begun using the MapRun APP last year, and heres what thats about. A new APP based type of navigation that fits 2021 to a tee. Also going live this Easter will be Durlston Country Park- we have Dorset well served for the summer this year.

I’m Honoured to recieve this Award from British Orienteering for National Coach of the Year 2018. There are 120 Clubs in the UK and its super to be representing the South West region again which has a great S.W Junior Team, who Wessex send our next top club runners to, aspiration being National Squad!

Working independently since 2013:- I partner with all the local Sporting Organisations and Clubs Wimborne and Wessex, Active Dorset Schools Games Organisers and Schools. Most recently I partnered with Public Health Dorset from Dorset Council to Map, Plan Permanent courses and Install them at two locations in Weymouth. These courses use the Oriento Plaque system that is QR code based, Users scan controls using a smart phone APP and theyre runs are shared to the Web. I opened the first of these type of courses in 2015 in Alexandra Park, Poole. Secondary Schools may be interested in this system adopted with my creation at Bournemouth School for Girls 2018.     

Evidence of recent work:- I worked with Beat the Street Poole last Autumn 2018 to provide celebration Events in Poole and Upton CP with Wessex Orienteering , very happy to be encouraging  families further exploration of all our great parks and outdoor spaces. 12 of them locally available to explore. You can read all the weekly updates of Wessex events and activities on my Co-Chairmans chat on the website. Seems the life skill of navigating is having another re-surgence as people become increasingly dependent on tech, I’m making more schools maps than ever and doing updates as teachers revisit whats a great fun outdoors activity. If youre Dorset school has perhaps been mapped search here. I previously worked for Sustrans between 2007-2013 as a full time Schools Bike-It officer, read my newsletters here.

 

I plan, organise and deliver Events and Activities regularly on a local level both independently and with my club Wessex Orienteering, a small club based in Dorset. An example was the Workplace challenge January – March 2015. This was great fun in one of my favourite places- Bourne Valley – read the full post here.

Recent Testimonial 2021:- Class Teacher from Baden Powell St Peters Poole:
Name one aspect you really enjoyed about the sessions:-

“It’s so hard to choose one as my class were so passionate and positive about OAA every week, but if I had to choose, it would be the task design. The block of lessons was planned in a way that ensured every child could independently and confidently take part. I have never seen a class of children so hyped up for PE every week, and so willing to engage with whatever Jason asked them to do.

I also have to mention how engaging it was for them when you brought in your race maps. They loved hearing about OAA in real life and I think this really put into perspective for some of them how you don’t necessarily have to be the best runner to be valued in the sporting community.”

Please make any additional comments that you wish to pass on the coach:-

“I would just like to say a massive thank you to Jason! You were an absolute star and team teaching with you each week was such an amazing experience, which I learnt so much for. Your passion for OAA made each session so enjoyable for me and the class. Also, you had such a lovely way of reassuring them if they were stuck. They naturally gravitated towards you for help, which was a big step for some of my kids and says a lot about the relationship they formed with you in the short space of time. I hope your races are going well, and so do the kids – they ask every now and then if I’ve heard anything about them”