THE PUNCH

Chairman’s chat

I have mixed feelings as I sit down to write this Chairman's chat ~ my last as SUFFOC Chairman.

For me this last year has had both it's triumphs and it's disappointments. These are chronicled in the my Annual Review. A lot has gone well though I have to admit there were a few close shaves.

My biggest concern for the future is that the Club is failing to draw more people into the pool of active orienteers who are prepared to commit time to the sport. It was great to see 32 SUFFOC competitors at last seasons Compass Sport Trophy : when it comes to forming a committee, or planning / organising a fixture or producing a map in reality you find the same half dozen names in the frame. This is not a healthy situation - on paper we have a membership of 54 . If the Club is to survive into and beyond 2003 the club needs a transfusion of participants with enthusiasm.

It is however AGM time so this is your chance to respond to the challenge. Both Andrew and June have served three years as Secretary and Treasurer and deserve a rest from these particular roles. With me stepping aside, Andrew has indicated a willingness to be nominated as Chairman for the next year. John is prepared to take over from June as Treasurer and cover this role along with that of Membership Secretary, I will not mention the name that may be coerced into becoming Secretary - ANO would be delighted if someone else would volunteer !

So what could you do ? A vibrant committee does not just need these key positions to be filled. It needs to have the support of members who don't necessarily carry an official 'title'. Instead they are there to say ' Yes- I could cover that' when ever the Chairman looks around the room and asks for a volunteer.

This last committee has survived with the bare minimum of regular attendees and to be frank we have had to concentrate on core fundamentals ' i.e. fixtures. How nice it would be for next year if we could broaden the agenda. We could actually engage in developing and promoting the sport in our area. A few ideas for you to savour.

We could do with a Public Relations Officer who would cover liaison with the local press and radio to let them know when and where events were being held and submit reports back to them after each event. The need to spread the word outside the current circle of orienteers if we are to stop the slide in event participation.

We could do with a Schools liaison officer who would forge new links with Schools and encourage their participation in the Schools league - ESSOL. ( ESSOL, for those who cannot recall, is the Schools league which SUFFOC helped found along with our SOS friends ). At present most schools who participate in this league come from within SOSland. It therefore follows that most ESSOL events are held in Essex.

We also need someone to champion the junior cause within the club. This year the Yvette Baker Trophy is being held at the Epping South West event ( 6th October) - will SUFFOC juniors be forming a team ? It would also be great to have someone on the committee who would act as a Junior coach throughout the season - any volunteers ?

Finally, we need a Club Captain to co-ordinate teams for such events as the Compass Sport Trophy and, dare I suggest, the JK and British Relay Championships. Team competitions can be fun especially as a finale to a multi-day event. Currently only a few of us seem to travel outside of the county. Sadly this year we could not even manage a 4 man team for SOS relays at Hylands Park.

So there is the challenge. Please reserve a date in your diary for our AGM - October 16th. It being held in Sproughton Church Hall - Hall opening at 7:30 starting formal business at 8pm. Do come and air your views.

Mark Johnson

Some of you will have picked up the sad news of the death of Mark Johnson, the SOS Chairman. Just 6 months ago he was diagnosed as having an inoperable brain tumour. He was admitted to hospital mid way through a course of radio therapy and slipped away peacefully on 27th July.

It was illuminating to listen to the tributes that were paid during the funeral that I attended on 9th August. The service , which took the form of a 'Celebration of Mark's life' filled the Chapel to bursting point with orienteers mingling with family, friends and work colleagues.

Mark clearly lived life to the full, a young family, a successful job, a love of the outdoors, an active M40 orienteer and Mountain Marathon competitor and a commitment to the support and development of our sport. He was just about to throw his energies into the role of Coach for the East Anglian Junior squad. In recent times he has also co-ordinated the ESSOL competition.

Mark will clearly be missed by all who knew him.

Clive

Calling All Juniors

Heather Sears is putting on a coaching day aimed at introducing new recruits to the junior squad. We have a minor crisis looming as all our current W14's are W16 next year. It is important that we find 2 (or preferably 3) W12/W14 that we can develop to getting around a light green course by June next year. They don't have to be big stars but with 2 runners missing we will plunge back to the bottom of the table.

Colin used to employ a selection policy that involved counting legs and if it came to 2 then you were in ! Just finishing the course at the Junior Inter-regionals guarantees 1 or 2 points. As Northern Ireland don't usually enter this becomes 3 or 4. This year there was no NE and if other regions are short then the points start to add up. And without W14's we will have no girls relay teams which is a total disaster.

So we are looking for 12/14's who are comfortable running an orange course, enthusiastic and keen to progress. Preferably female but we will welcome boys as well. It all builds for the future.

Our current M/W14's will also be taking part and some of the older members of the squad will act as assistant coaches/shadowers.

Date September 21st
Time 10.30am
Venue To be arranged

Lyn West

Winter Sunshine?

Do you want a chance to escape from the grotty English weather? Do you fancy some skiing or just alpine sunshine?

I am thinking of organising another trip to the Alps next January . Unless anyone comes up with a better idea, I am thinking about the same self-catering (we usually eat out at night) apartment(s) that we have had for the last few years at Méribel. This should give easy access to lots of snow for the skiers, with plenty of walking and other things to do for non skiers.

I am thinking about the cheapest weeks for the apartment(s), which are: 11th to 18th January and 18th to 25th January. The following week (medium price) the Ryder family from HAVOC have grabbed the apartments.

Would you be interested in either or both of those weeks? If you could be interested, or want further information, please let me know as soon as possible as I need to make at least a provisional booking in the next few days.

John Webb 01473 742778

Annual General Meeting - October 16th, 2002
Sproughton Church Hall - Hall opening at 7:30 starting formal business at 8pm

Chairman’s Annual Review
Your committee have had a busy year staging 3 events as part of the East Anglian fixture calendar. Many thanks are due to the key event officials and the loyal group of club members who helped run these events.

Sutton Common Full Colour Coded event & EAGAL - 4 November 2001
Planner : Clive Coles, Organiser : Yvonne McLean, Controller : Steve Robertson (SOS)
This event also acted as the regional qualification round for the Yvette Baker trophy. It was great to see over 100 junior competitors taking part with such keenness - this more than made up for the small number of SUFFOC seniors who were able to run on the day. Some of the senior competitors who managed a run did not appear to share my enthusiasm for legs across the open heather - obviously never been to Scotland or the Yorkshire Moors in recent times!

Rendlesham Forest BOF Ranking Badge event & EAGAL - 13 January 2002
Planner : Bert Park, Organiser : John Webb, Controller : Clarissa Napier (NOR)
Rescheduled from last year ( due to the Foot and Mouth crisis), this event eventually made it into the fixture programme in spite of a last minute intervention by HMG who threatened to deploy our planner in Afghanistan. It took a lot of effort for a club of our size to stage a Badge event - all credit due to Bert and John and to all who helped. We were fortunate to enjoy the forest at it's best and Bert treated us to some cunning twists and turns so as to keep us out in the nicest areas. A great day's sport.

Shrubland Park Full Colour Code - 7 April 2002
Planner : Paul Lowe, Organiser : Andrew Elliott, Controller : Bill McLean
A most enjoyable event, again another fixture rescheduled from last year. Paul's courses were well received and for those of us in the know the cunning twist at the end of the Brown caused some additional amusement as we observed finishers getting a little disorientated when trying to locate the finish ( at the top of the hill ).

The three major events all utilised the Sport ident electronic punching system; now very much the norm for East Anglian events. Thanks to the efforts of John, Paul . Viv Mark and supporting keyboard specialists, I think we can now claim to have mastered the set up and running of events with this kit. The club has also invested in a new tent to act as a waterproof, windproof home for the SI team and their computers.
We had hoped to hold a 'Come and Try it' event at Bridge Wood on 29th September . Louise Walker had agreed to act as event organiser.

Both Paul and myself tried various approaches in an attempt to find a willing volunteer to plan the courses. Our regular planners had all undertaken to either plan, control or organise one or more events in the last year and many were already pencilled in for future fixtures in the programme. We were therefore hoping to encourage a first time planner to come forward to try their hand. Sadly this was not to be - the event had to be cancelled.

A second disappointment - we made two attempts to introduce a social aspect to our club activities this year. Back in January John and June offered to host a 'Welcome back to Orienteering' party to thank you all for you help/attendance at the Sutton Common and Rendlesham events. In July we aimed to stage a club picnic in conjunction with the SOS relays . Sadly both initiatives foundered due to lack of support. May be next year ?

The club championship for 2001 was held at the RAFO fixture at Lyndford Stag on 2nd December. John Webb emerged as SUFFOC champion for 2001.
This event also acted as the East Anglian Championships - John's run earned him the EAOA M65 Championship Trophy; Martin Hore picked up the M50 Championship Trophy - Well done guys.

The Compass Sport Trophy regional round at High Lodge provided us with our biggest turnout of the year - 32 SUFFOC runners. Hope to see you all out there again next season.

I am grateful to the support received from the committee that you elected at the last AGM. Andrew Elliott and June Webb continued to serve as Secretary and Treasurer;. We owe them, together with John Webb (Membership), Simon Peck (Mapping), Ian Price (Punch Editor) and Bill & Yvonne McLean all a great vote of thanks for their contributions throughout the year.

Shortly after the AGM Goff Hill asked to be relieved from the position of Club Captain and David Freer made a similar request in respect of the Webmaster role. John stepped in to cover the Club Captain position for the Compass Sport Trophy fixture and Paul Lowe took over as Webmaster. Thanks are due to Goff and David for covering these positions in the past and for John and Paul for agreeing to be co-opted.

Russ Edwards also stood down as Fixtures Secretary in the spring. Paul happened to be travelling with me to the Double Dumpling event and found himself 'invited' to attend the annual EAOA fixtures meeting that followed his run in the forest. He could hardly refuse the Fixtures baton ! Thanks Paul for allowing yourself to be stitched up and, of course to Russ for covering the position in the earlier part of the season.

Ian Price has edited 4 editions of the Punch Newsletter since the last AGM. I feel I should draw attention to the small logo that is always to be found at the foot of the front page. We are very grateful to Ian and the Bury St Edmunds County Upper School for sponsoring the printing of the Punch.

On the mapping front the sap is rising - Simon has already surveyed a substantial section of Tunstall forest and he, together with Mac, will be returning to the area in the autumn once the vegetation begins to flatten, in order to complete the project. We hope to utilise this new map next season - another brand new area for orienteering in Suffolk.

The fixture programme for the new 2002/3 season is already taking shape - it's looking good. Here in Suffolk we aim to be utilising Rendlesham in November, Knettishall in January and either Tunstall or Ickworth in March. Later in 2003 we could be revisiting Nowton Park in September and either Ickworth or Tunstall in November.

Happy Orienteering
Clive Coles
Chairman

THE YVETTE BAKER TROPHY
...is a competition for junior members (age 8-20) of English clubs. A number of qualifying matches are held from the end of September through to November, with a final in December. The competition is based on colour-coded events, and is designed to enable juniors of all abilities to compete and contribute to their club's performance, whilst still enabling clubs with a small number of juniors to participate.
More details can be found at...
www.andrew.kelly.dsl.pipex.com/bofybtrul.htm

The FUTURE CHAMPIONS CUP…
is open to all BOF members aged 17-20. It is based on a series of races during the period March to June culminating in a 2-day final. Team trophies for open and university clubs were introduced in 2000, with athletes able to compete in both competitions.
More details can be found at...
www.andrew.kelly.dsl.pipex.com/boffccrul.htm

Foot Orienteering

Trail Orienteering, sometimes called ‘control choice’ orienteering, is a form of orienteering in which the physically disabled can compete on equal terms with the able-bodied. It does not demand speed, strength or navigation but retains the crucial orienteering skill of relating map to the ground in complex terrain.
www.cix.co.uk/~bof/trailo.html