Junior Training – Stanborough

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After the first two training sessions, each held with a different group of juniors, first with the yellow group then with the orange group, we decided to bring the two groups together.

The venue was Stanborough Park, the venue of the Saturday Series event just two weeks before. In contrast to the Saturday Series the weather was rather overcast – and HH had been lucky that it wasn’t the date of the Saturday Series event as the pathway joining the north and south parks was now knee deep under water following the recent rain.

As I mentioned the weather wasn’t very warm so both groups (yellow and orange) started with a warm up relay. In the case of the yellow group a map symbol relay – not only to warm them up but also to see how many map symbols they recognised.

The orange group moved on to a similar relay checking their knowledge of control descriptions.

As the coaching part of the session was to develop the use of compass both groups did a few compass shapes, simple triangles for the yellow group and more complex shapes for the orange group.

The idea is that all are enclosed shapes so that the juniors should return to the same spot that they started from if they follow compass bearings accurately.

Next the yellow group moved on to a Star course helping them to develop their compass work. Starting by going to a single control – there and back – followed by short loops connecting controls together.

Time was now getting on but two of the group tried to follow the line course but managed to demonstrate the need for further work on feature recognition.

Meanwhile the orange group had completed the line course and had moved on to attempting one or more of the three courses designed to practise their compass work.

In summary, another useful morning which helped the coaches to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the attendees.
Keith