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Bristol Orienteering Klub (BOK) pioneer new “Track to Terrain” programme

Bristol Orienteering Klub (BOK) has successfully organised a new programme, designed to recruit and coach adult joiners into the club. Aptly named “Track to Terrain”, it aimed to recruit and coach new adult joiners into the sport. A range of participants from the Bristol area was recruited, and given a series of four coaching sessions designed to give them the skills and confidence needed to complete an Orange course.

Amy Curtis from BOK takes up the story …..

"Twenty-two people started the course which was well oversubscribed so there is already a list of people for the next course.

Attendance was up and down due to other commitments, illness and injuries but by the end of the four-week course, fourteen of the attendees had joined BOK."

"Since then, quite a lot of them have participated in the Wednesday evening BOK urban series. It’s been great to see so many newcomers being greeted by BOK members and already being actively involved in conversations about route choices and times!!!

A few track to terrain participants have also recently volunteered to help pick up controls.

BOK are hopeful that they will continue to develop into active members of the club.

Having only just been trained as coaches, Helen Kelsey and Mike Skehel found it a fairly steep learning curve to lead the course and both agreed that they had probably learnt more about coaching than they had actually taught about orienteering, but that’s certainly not what the participants thought!!! The numbers themselves talk in the fact that those attending the BOK urban series are now happily running orange, some are running green and one has even tried the blue!

Jackie Hallett was a great mentor to the coaches; “non-interfering, but helpful and supportive when we needed her”, said Helen. “We also certainly couldn’t have done it without the help of the six extra volunteers, four from BOK and two from University of Bristol Orienteering Club. At least six coaches attended each event, so the participants were able to be divided into small groups and learn from a wide range of coaches sharing their knowledge and experience".

BOK will be running another course and the consensus seems to be to go for the same time of year, next year. It’s been a lot of hard work, time and effort, but most certainly worth it." 

For more information visit: bristolorienteering.org.uk

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