Despite being an internationally played sport and expansive Berkeley High School (BHS) club, the vast majority of the BHS community has probably never heard of orienteering.
But what is orienteering? Orienteering is a competitive sport that requires players to use a highly detailed map and compass in order to navigate through a series of checkpoints in a course as fast as possible in typically unfamiliar terrain. However, it can also be a recreational activity instead of a tournament. Players usually compete individually but there are multiple ways orienteering can be played. To win, one must visit all control points before the other players.
BHS’s Orienteering Club was founded in 2009 and today comprises of dedicated members — some of whom are quite competitive, while others simply play for enjoyment. Competitions, called “meets,” are usually held in parks such as Tilden or Briones, but are occasionally in an urban setting, such as UC Berkeley’s campus, or the Presidio. The Orienteering Club used to compete in the regional interscholastic championships but they have not occurred in several years. The members today compete against individual students from other schools and adults across the Bay Area.
Students can get P.E. credit from being a member and completing the requirements, such as attending weekly practices and monthly meets.
Davy Williams has been the club leader since last year and has participated in the sport since he was young. “My enjoyment of the sport, as well as fitness benefits explain my participation in the club,” he said. In addition, he stated that his knowledge and experience of orienteering accounts for his current leadership position.
According to Williams, orienteering requires both physical and mental strength, as quickly getting to each checkpoint can be difficult, especially when competing against others in more advanced courses. Strong navigational skills and being quick are essential to compete well. However, Williams explains that, “None of this means that if you aren’t a runner, or good with maps, you can’t improve through training and practice.”
Williams also enjoys orienteering because, “you are often competing in nature, which cannot be said for most sports.”
Fellow orienteer Eli Svoboda has been in the club since his freshman year, and while he did not initially join because of the sport’s intrigue but for the P.E. credit, he enjoys it now. However, he states that P.E. credit is easy to obtain as long as students meet the requirements.
“The sport is genuinely enjoyable, and I’m not just some hippie saying that. I was skeptical at the beginning as well, but I found myself to be sincerely looking forward to the meets by the end of the season,” he said. Svoboda explained that everyone in the club is very welcoming and willing to show the ropes of the sport to new members.
Orienteering can be either competitive or noncompetitive, depending on one’s preference. According to Svoboda, the focus is much less on competition than in other sports, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a more interesting form of running, where instead of just plodding forwards endlessly, I am using my brain, searching for control points, and also appreciating the environment around me.”
Svoboda commonly sees normal people trying out orienteering for fun, yet BHS places quite well in some meets throughout the year. Although anyone can participate in the sport, Svoboda believes that orienteering is not for everyone. “Granted, it’s only for certain people since you get dirty and are not in the greatest conditions… and you’re travelling through wilderness by yourself. If someone is not willing to get dirty or exhausted … they probably should not do orienteering,” he said.
As stated by Williams, although the club lacks racial diversity as it stands, it has a mixture of ages, genders, and small learning communities. He also says that the members of the club have varying levels of competitiveness, which is for the most part healthy.
Williams suggests that anyone at BHS who’s interested in the sport should consider either joining or learning more about the club.
“I met a lot of new people. Every single person is unbelievably nice … Intimidation should not be an issue for students thinking of joining – one meeting and you will see that clearly. Super friendly, super helpful people in the club,” Svoboda said.
If you are interested, Orienteering Club meets at lunch on Fridays in room C221. Orienteering is an engaging sport that you can enjoy and compete against friends. It requires both physical and mental strength as you need to have a good sense of direction in order to move quickly throughout courses. BHS students always have the option to start learning how to play the sport if they stop by during a club meeting.