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About the South West Junior Orienteering Squad

What is the squad, and what does it do?

The South-West Junior Squad is a team of juniors and coaches/adult helpers from all around the SWOA region. We provide training and personal coaching for juniors who are keen and committed to progress their orienteering beyond Light Green courses and local/schools events.

The squad is one of the 12 Junior Regional Orienteering Squads that form JROS and act as a link between coaching in local clubs and the national Talent Squad development programme.

We provide training days, track sessions and residential trips throughout the season and the year is focussed on achieving high performances in the big championships and selection races held in the spring, plus the Junior Inter-Regional Championships, usually held in September.

SWJOS emphasises working together as a team and the most important point is that we enjoy orienteering, whilst meeting friends with similar interests.

How can I join?

To join the South West Junior Squad you usually need to be:

Younger and less experienced runners can develop their skills with their own club's training until they are ready to join the Squad, which usually has about 30 members.

We also rely on the support of parents and other adults to help in various ways at training (from help with transport to control hanging and coaching) - so any volunteers are welcome.

What's a training day like?

Training Days are held all over the south-west, whilst residential trips may be anyway in the UK. We try to use areas that are reasonably accessible to us all wherever possible.

Activities at these days are varied, working on improving orienteering skills, but also raising running fitness and looking at training plans, diet etc. We work in small groups so everyone gets some personal coaching from one of the Squad Coaches. Sometimes we will combine a training day with a Sunday race and stay overnight in a local village hall. Training days usually cost around £10, whilst residential weekends cost in the region of £50 including transport, food and accommodation.

For more information

If you, or someone you know, would be interested in joining the South West Junior Squad and would like more information, please contact Pete Maliphant.