NATIONAL SQUADS

Keep track of the Australian Orienteering team known as the Boomerangs and Junior Orienteering Squad as they compete abroad.

Orienteering Australia High Performance Squads:

The OA High Performance Management Group (HPMG) has established a squad structure to be used in 2023 and future years, based off the trial run in 2022. The number of OA squads will remain at 2:

High Performance Squad: designed to meet the needs of athletes aiming to excel at the World Orienteering Championships.
National Development Squad: designed to meet the needs of developing orienteers aiming for representation at Junior and University World Championships.

OA will continue to support states to provide a squad structure to athletes who are not in the OA squads.

National team selection and team preparation activities sit outside, but compliment, this structure. Athletes do not have to be a member of a squad in order to be selected in a national team. However selected athletes will be invited to join applicable squad if eligible at the time of selection.

The following figure outlines the overall squad structure:A detailed description of the squads, eligibility, support and athlete expectations for each, can be found in the following document:

Orienteering Australia Squad Structure Sep 2022

High Performance Squad (HPS)

To support athletes who striving for top 30 placing at world championships or top 40 placing in a world cup round in the following 3-5 years. Discipline specific groups (e.g. sprint group and forest group) within this squad will assist athletes optimise their performance for their preferred event.

National Development Squad (NDS)

To support athletes who are striving to represent Australia at a Junior or University World Championships in the following 3 years. Where appropriate, athletes may be invited to join activities with discipline specific groups run within the HPS.

Nomination and Selection

Athletes must nominate to join a squad, to demonstrate their interest in and commitment to be involved with squad activities. For each squad, initial selection will be made by the squad coach/s, the OA Head Coach and the OA HP administrator. A nomination form can be found here.

Squads will be announced each year as soon as possible after the Australian Championship carnival and closing of nominations. Outside of this announcement, athletes can apply to be in the squad at any time in the year if they feel they meet the eligibility criteria. Their application will be assessed by the selection committee above.

Subjective and objective eligibility criteria for each squad is outlined in the OA Squad Structure document above. Athletes need to meet most, but not all, eligibility criteria in order to be selected in a squad.