CROCodiles Youth Orienteering Program (2024)

Ages 8 to 12, are you looking for a spring sport?

I’m 13. Can I do CROCodiles? Please see below.

CROCodiles is an evening sport league in April and May

We are pleased to announce our new orienteering league for kids, designed to introduce the elements of the sport through group games and activities.  Kids will learn how to read a map, how to read the terrain, and how to move efficiently and safely on foot over any ground.  There is a strong emphasis on exploration and play in a safe environment to encourage kids to grow into orienteering because it is so much fun.

When and Where?

Note! Locations have been updated again on 4/3 and now they are unlikely to change.

Wednesday, April 17 6:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Laurelhurst Park, Portland

Wednesday, April 24 6:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Reed College, Portland

Wednesday, May 1 6:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Gabriel Park, Portland

Wednesday, May 8 6:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Laurelhurst Park, Portland

Wednesday, May 15 6:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Gabriel Park, Portland

Wednesday, May 22 5:30 - 7:45 pm

  • Capstone course, potluck dinner, awards ceremony

  • Wenzel Farm, Aloha - about 10 minutes drive from downtown Beaverton

Fee and registration

Program fee for participant: $60

Family membership is also required: $25 (please go to https://www.croc.org/become-a-member)

The fee covers:

  • 6 training sessions

  • Program materials

  • Light snacks

  • Park fees

  • Awards

  • Other program expenses

Also

  • CROCodile participants have free entry at all CROC Classic events, May through September

  • Parents have reduced entry fee at all CROC Classic events through their family membership

Registration openED on March 11, 2024, 9 am PDT

Please note: the CROCodiles program has limited enrollment and is now full. If you missed getting a spot in the program this year, you can still join us for special activities for young participants at our regular Classic events starting in May. Keep an eye out for more information on that in a few weeks.

Methodology

The CROCodiles program is designed to be a first introduction to orienteering and it is also for kids who have done orienteering before. Each session consists of fun games and activities that gradually develop proficiency in the sport. Over the six weeks, kids will learn to read the map, read the terrain, and see how they match. The physical sport includes walking and running smartly over land and we will train for this as well. We do not always stay on the paths!

The games and activities include

  • Animal O

  • Follow the leader run

  • Grid Orienteering

  • Map feature matching relay

  • Capture the flag O

  • Jungle run

  • Photo Orienteering

  • Pokemon O

  • Head to head race

Coaches work with small groups to be able to see and hear what each kid is thinking as they grow into new capabilities. There is room in the curriculum to make adjustments according to what the kids are having fun with.

Some kids will finish the program feeling confident to run a beginner White course at any of our Classic events through the year. See below for more on what comes next.

Meet the coaches

CROCodiles coaches are longtime orienteers, club members, parents, and a graduate student in child development. Everyone involved in the CROCodiles program is SafeSport certified as required by the Orienteering USA national organization.

Philosophy

There has been shift in recent years across many sports to move away from specialization in one sport at an early age towards a new model that encourages general sports fluency among younger participants. The Orienteering USA national organization joins other national governing bodies at the forefront of this movement and guides our program in this philosophy. The CROCodiles program is for kids at Stage 1 of the Orienteering Development Model, where the emphasis is on experience, exploration, and play. Our program is successful if the kids enjoy the activities without having to worry about doing everything perfectly or being the fastest. This development model is committed to just letting the kids have fun playing the game. In older years, those who really love the game will be hungry to get good at one sport, maybe orienteering, and reach for high performance.

After CROCodiles

After completing the spring training sessions, many CROCodiles will have the skills to do a White course our Classic events. There are lots of ways for a young orienteer to explore the sport in the meet setting, such as

  • Kids go in pairs

  • Kid shadowed by a parent or coach

  • Beginner star course with shorter legs

We’ll be there at all of the Classic events to listen to parents and kids and put together an individual plan so that everyone can have fun and challenge themselves safely.

I’m 13. Can I do CROCodiles?

We have a different plan for teens. Please contact us using the form below and we will arrange an introduction to the sport by a coach with activities at any of the Classic events on our calendar. Already know how to orienteer? We’ll help you improve your skills further, introduce you to other kids, and prepare you for bigger regional meets if you want. The emphasis is always on fun, but you can go as far as you want with this.

Contact

Please use this contact form to send a message directly to the CROCodiles lead planner.