2017 National Junior Program Application
US National Junior Program
Application Information for 2017
(Please Read Carefully)
The Junior Team Executive Steering Committee (JTESC) would like to invite junior orienteers in good standing with OUSA (born in 1997 or later) to apply for the 2017 U.S. National Junior Program. The U.S. National Junior Program (USNJP) consists of two teams, the Junior National Team (JNT) and the Junior Development Team (JDT). Applying juniors who meet the JNT standards will be placed on the JNT. Juniors on JDT who reach the standards will be moved up to the JNT. Membership on each of these teams is a 10-month commitment, from January 1 through October 31, 2017.
Athletes interested in competing at the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) must be placed on the JNT prior to the JWOC selection races. Athletes on the JDT and non junior program participants are welcome to compete at the JWOC trials races; however, they will not be considered in the selection for the JWOC team. You may contact U.S. Junior National Coach Erin Schirm with questions at .
Suitability for acceptance to JNT will be evaluated by the Junior National Coach based on the performance targets described below. JTESC will oversee the application review process.
Performance Targets for JNT Membership
Navigation:
Racing Performance: Have previously competed in at least four national races or equivalent international competition in F18-20 or M18-20 categories.
Navigational Skills: Either the forest or the sprint average time per kilometer according to course length will qualify.
Women Forest / Women Sprint / Men Forest / Men Sprint13min/km / 8min/km / 10min/km / 6min/km
Technique Knowledge: Have attended at least three training days or a weekend training camp where you practiced intermediate and/or advanced level skills.
Physical Fitness:
You should be able to run for at least 50 minutes continuously, be comfortable doing physical training at least four days a week, and provide personal-best times for at least one of the distances shown below:
TimeDistance / Men / Women
1 mile / 5:10 / 6:30
3 kilometers / 10:15 / 12:55
5 kilometers / 17:50 / 22:15
These times should be from an official race on the track, a USATF-certified road race, or cross country race, to ensure that the distances are accurate; or by time trial with a coach present.
Athlete Expectations
Athletes participating in the Junior National Program will be expected to perform the following tasks:
1. Sign and return the Athlete Agreement.
2. Be a member in good standing of OUSA.
3. Have an up-to-date training log on www.attackpoint.org at the end of every week; for this purpose, each week will start with Monday and end with Sunday.
4. Have a personal/local coach and follow a training plan. For JNT members the plan must be approved by the Junior National Coach (JNC).
5. JNT members must communicate immediately with the JNC if unable to train due to injury, sickness, or any other reason.
6. Participate in one monthly team conference call.
7. Participate in weekly training group calls.
8. Participate in any course review organized at National Events.
9. Help at Team fundraisers as requested by the JNC, JTESC, and organizing volunteers.
10. Write public communications and blog posts as requested by the JNC or JTESC.
11. JNT: Set courses, training exercises, or lead orienteering educational activities for at least one event per year as approved by the JNC. JDT members are encouraged to assist with local club events.
12. JNT: Fill out an athlete profile form which will be provided by the JNC.
13. Team members who declare their intent to try out for the JWOC team must hold a U.S. passport valid through January, 2018.
14. Take the 90 minute online Safe Sport training and submit the completion certificate. https://training.teamusa.org/accounts/signin?returnurl=%2Fstore%2Fbag%3ForderId%3D284040
Additional responsibilities for athletes chosen to be JNT Captains:
1. Encourage teammates in their training.
2. Keep an eye out for teammates’ behavior that could result in violations of IOF, OUSA, and JNT policies. Proactively help these athletes make better decisions before damage is done. Consult JNC as needed.
3. Remind team members of their training obligations and goals in the context of the growth of the team.
2017 Application
Athlete Information:
Name:First / M.I. / Last
Street Address:
City / State / Zip code
Date of Birth: / Gender (M/F):
School: / Grade / Year:
Home Phone: / Cell Phone:
E-mail Address:
Primary Orienteering Club: / Orienteering USA Member #:
USA Passport: Yes__ No___ Expiration Date: ______
Parent / Guardian Information:
For duplicate information, write “same” or “same as …”
Name:First / M.I. / Last
Relationship:
Street Address:
City / State / Zip code
Phone #s - Home: / Cell: / Work
E-mail Address:
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Other Parent / Guardian Information:
For duplicate information, write “same” or “same as …”
Name:First / M.I. / Last
Relationship:
Street Address:
City / State / Zip code
Phone #s - Home: / Cell: / Work
E-mail Address:
Current / Recent Performance
If you do not know your numbers, you may leave the answer blank; include what you do know. Feel free to provide any additional information that you think is relevant. For running times please provide date, race location, and name of race.
Track /Road/Trail Running Times: / 1 mile / 3 km / 5 kmProvide a list of the national and international races you have attended including which age categories you competed in.
Provide a list of training days or camps that you attended and who the coaches were.
2017 Application
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Orienteering Reference/Coach:
If one is a parent /guardian, please enter in next section
Relationship:Name:
First / M.I. / Last
Street Address:
City / State / Zip code
Phone #s - Home: / Cell: / Work
E-mail: / Primary O-club:
Secondary Orienteering Reference:
If a parent /guardian, just enter relationship
Relationship:Name:
First / M.I. / Last
Street Address:
City / State / Zip code
Phone #s - Home: / Cell: / Work
E-mail: / Primary O-club:
Please respond to the following questions:
Q1. What personal outcome and process orienteering goals do you have?
2017 Application
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Q2. Describe one training camp you have attended and what you learned at the camp.
Q3. Describe a race that did not go well. What did you learn about yourself from that race?
Q4. How much time are you willing to dedicate each week to becoming a better orienteer?
Q5. Describe your typical week of physical training?
Q6. Have you attended any international orienteering events? Have you attended National Events (formerly known as A-meets)? What did you take away about your ability to compete?
Q7. If you have had injuries that have prevented you from training recently, what did you do
to get healthy?
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Do you participate in any other sports? If not, skip questions Q8 – Q10.
Q8. In which sports besides orienteering do you participate, and at what level of competition?
Q9. How will your other sports impact your orienteering training and competing?
Q10. Please provide the contact info for your coaches in other sports. (The Junior Team Coach may contact them to find out more about you, let them know about your desire to be on the JNT, ask for their support, and see if we can work something out.)
2017 Application
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Personal Statement
Please provide a personal statement (100-200 words) to help the JNC get to know you. Discussing this with other orienteers you know who might help you develop your thoughts.
If you are not a 2016 Junior National Team member, you might wish to address these questions:
● How has orienteering benefited you since you first tried it?
● What could you offer to your orienteering club and the O community?
● What do you dream of accomplishing in orienteering?
● What else would you like the JNC to know about you?
If you are a 2016 Junior National Team member re-applying for 2017, please address these questions:
● Describe how you have impacted the team and the Team has impacted you.
● What goals did you accomplish this year?
● In 2017, what would you like to improve for yourself and what would you like to see improved on the team?
Please type on the page below
Athlete Agreement
In order to join the JDT or JNT, you must agree to the following conditions. Please initial on the lines provided to indicate such agreement. Parents of athletes under the age of 18 must also initial each item.
If you are using the Word version, please type your initials.
Initials1. / I agree to train each week based on the volume and specificity in my personal training plan.
2. / I agree to run in four Orienteering races sanctioned as national events or championships by the Federation governing the country or region where the race is being held.
3. / I agree to adhere to all IOF and international rules of competition for the sport of orienteering. I agree to adhere to all OUSA safety and behavior policies at official team functions, camps, events, and on all official team trips. I agree to abstain from using illegal substances and participating in any illegal activity while participating on the JDT or JNT. The following are links to the IOF rules page orienteering.org and the OUSA safety handbook http://www.orienteeringusa.org/us-teams/junior/junior-safety
4. / I agree to proactively work with and communicate with my teachers and school administrators, employers, and secondary sport coaches, as applicable, so that I can uphold my commitments to the JDT or JNT.
5. / I agree to perform all requirements as described above in the athlete expectations section of this application
I agree to prioritize one regional training camp, the summer National Training Camp and JWOC team trials over other obligations.
6.
7. / I acknowledge that failure to comply with the above conditions may result in consequences meted out by Orienteering USA and/or the JNC.
1. / For Parents and/or legal Guardians
I agree to pay the team fee of $100 no later than January 15, 2017. When named to the JNT, I agree to pay an additional $100.
2. / I agree to commit to at least 10 hours of service for the team. (Note that in addendum 2 you can sign up for specific tasks that you may be interested in.)
Signatures
By signing below, I attest that the information being submitted on this application is substantially my own work, and is a truthful representation of my ambitions and my character. I further attest that I am familiar with and agree to all the conditions, as initialed, in the Athlete Contract.
If using the Word version of the application form, sign by typing full (first middle last) name on the signature line and leaving the printed name line blank.
Athlete
Signature: / Date:Please print name:
Parent / Guardian
Signature: / Date:Please print name:
Submission
Please submit the application to Erin Schirm, US Junior National Coach, by any of these methods:
● Mail it, with a postmark no later than Jan 20, 2017 to:
Erin Schirm
107 Elizabeth Way
San Rafael, CA 94901
● Scan it, and e-mail it (preferably as a PDF file) to , no later than Jan 20, 2017.
● If you are using the Word version of the application form, e-mail the completed form as a Word document (.doc, .docx) file to , no later than Jan 20, 2017.
Please submit your payment of $100 at the time of your application. Checks should be made out to “Orienteering USA” (not “OUSA”!), with “Junior Program Fee” as the memo, and mailed to:
Orienteering USA, P.O. Box 1444, Forest Park, GA 30298-1444.
Please feel free to contact Coach Erin Schirm () at any time with questions, or if you are having trouble completing the application.
Please read through all Addendum pages and fill out emergency and travel permission forms, volunteer forms, and review the schedule and the potential financial cost of being on the team.
Addendum1
Permission to Travel
and
Medical and Emergency Contact Information
~ In the case of siblings, please complete one form for each athlete ~
Section A: To be completed for all participants:
Orienteering is an outdoor athletic activity. Athlete has the following special allergies or medical problems:
______
Athlete’s Hospitalization Carrier and Policy Number:
______
TWO parent/relative emergency contact phone number(s):
1) ______(Name ______)
2) ______(Name ______)
Section B: to be completed for all participants under age 18. At least one signature is required:
______, the [name(s) of parent(s)/legal guardian(s) name]
Parent/Legal Guardian(s) of ______, [name of athlete]
hereby authorize(s) junior national coach and OUSA officially designated coaches and adults to
chaperone their/her/his son/daughter, , [name of athlete]
during national orienteering training camps, trips and races, which may include interstate and international travel.
______
Signature of Parent or Legal Guardian Date
Addendum2
Parent / Guardian Volunteering Opportunities
Please review the following list of areas where help is needed for the Team, and select at least one in which you would be interested/willing to contribute:
Enter “X” to select
Team fundraisingOrganizing team activities such as travel and lodging for races.
Team publicity and media communications
ONA correspondent
Other (please specify):
Notes (anything you wish to convey):
Addendum3
2017 Team Calendar
Races
March 4-5, 2017 — Interscholastic and Intercollegiate Champs, Cooper Lake State Park, Sulphur Springs, Texas. (Priority)
April 28-30 — JWOC Team Trials location TBD (Mandatory Races)
June 23 and 24 — Sprint / Middle / Long Champs, Ketchum and Stanley, Idaho (Recommended)
JWOC 2017 — Tampere Finland. Pre training camp and competition June 30 - July 16 (Only by Selection)
National Training Camps
July 28th - Aug 8th — Woodland Park Colorado (Tentative)
Regional Training
West Coast
Physical Training Camp, San Rafael, CA — Jan (TBD)