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Little Trolls Program Revival

Ember Schopp has volunteered to revive the Little Trolls program for IRVOC.  The Little Trolls Program is a USOF sponsored rewards system for kids of all ages.  It is a fun way to recognize attendance for orienteering meets while learning the basic skills.  Once registered, children receive a sticker on their Little Trolls card each time they participates in a course.  Recognition patches or emblems from USOF are available by turning in completed cards, with only a dollar fee, as various stages are completed.  Be sure to look for or ask about The Little Trolls Program at each event.

Mapping out a healthier future with orienteering

10th October 2009, Gareth Palmer, Colchester Daily Gazette

ORIENTEERING at playtime is the best way for schools to help in the battle against childhood obesity, according to an Essex University study.

Research carried out with two primary schools also concluded that learning navigation skills helps boost self-esteem, particularly among overweight children. To add to this, the children are also exercising without realising it.

Thirty children at Willow Brook Primary School, in Barnardiston Road, Colchester, and Langenhoe Community Primary School, in Abberton, were given all-weather clothing and an accelerometer, which measures the amount and intensity of exercise they do.

Dr Caroline Angus, of the university’s centre for sports and exercise science, said the popularity and impact of orienteering was “quite surprising”.

She said: “The changes in activity levels and self-esteem were dramatic among overweight children and much greater than we anticipated.  Orienteering has a different focus with the concentration on working together and reading a map to achieve something, rather than the good co-ordination and motor skills required to use sports equipment.  Children are exercising without realising it.”

Providing equipment, such as frisbees and skipping ropes, did the most to boost activity levels among fitter children, but less-fit children did not become involved as much.

Nationally, a third of children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school and a third of under-tens fail to do the recommended 60 minutes of exercise every day.

Dr Angus added: “The amount of time children play outdoors has halved in the last 20 years, but we have shown we can improve children’s health with very simple measures.”

RoadID – Be seen wearing it.

The US Orienteering Federation is teaming up with RoadID is to produce revenue that will support junior orienteering programs.

 RoadID is a personalized identification product that can be used by an athlete while training and/or competing.  In the case of accident or medical emergency, it can provide valuable information to medical personnel.  Purchases can be made through a link on the USOF website or with an order form that will be available at Bushwhacker or IRVOC events.  A part of each purchase will be used to fund programs for Juniors like the summer trips to participate in international O meets and other efforts like the junior development team.  To produce a commission for USOF, an order must be placed through the link on the USOF website (home page or O-Gear page) or via a coded order form (available from IRVOC/Bushwhacker)

or by supplying the USOF code (14F) when ordering by phone or going directly to RoadID’s website.

Check out the styles of personalized identification offered by Road ID by using the link above, or on the USOF Home page.  Order one for yourself and every athlete in your family.  Show your RoadID to your friends, classmates, and teammates, and give them the USOF URL (www.us.orienteering.org) so their order will go through the link.  Every single order (including other products available on the RoadID website) will yield financial support for junior programs.

Interesting Link

Discover the Forest  (www.discovertheforest.org)

Find a nearby park or State Forest.  This campaign aims to inspire tweens (aged 8-12) and their parents to re-connect with nature, experiencing it first-hand. The campaign brings to life the joy and excitement kids have when they discover the wonders of nature, helping create interest in their environment and a lifelong relationship with it.