United States Orienteering Federation
Encyclopedia
United States Orienteering Federation or USOF is the national governing body for orienteering
in the United States
. The group announced in August 2010 that it will change its public-facing name to Orienteering USA. It is recognized by the International Orienteering Federation
and the United States Olympic Committee
. It was founded on 1 August 1971. USOF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. There are 55 current member clubs. There are approximately 1,430 family and individual members.
by a Finnish
army officer named Piltti Heiskanen. There were military orienteering events at West Point Military Academy in New York state by 1966 and at Quantico Marine Base in Virginia
by 1967, where the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Academy's first public event was held on July 12, 1968 on Harald Wibye's color orienteering map
, the first such map in the English-speaking world. The Norwegian Wibye also hosted the first known public competitive orienteering event in the U.S. at Valley Forge
in Pennsylvania
on Nov. 5, 1967. From this event would emerge what is currently the largest club in the U.S., the Delaware Valley Orienteering Association, with Caroline and Kent Ringo and others providing leadership from the late 1960s into the 2000s.
The most influential early benefactor to and promoter of U.S. map and compass use and orienteering, and easily the most well-read author on these topics, was Bjorn Kjellstrom
, a 1930's Swedish
orienteering champion. From his events with Boy Scouts of America
scouts as early as 1946 to his guidance and support in the 1990s, he provided impetus and inspiration. His map and compass events from 1965-67 in Westchester County, NY saw competitive orienteering courses added in 1968 by Wibye. Bill Gookin's first events in 1969 in the San Diego area were the earliest known competitive public orienteering events West of the Mississippi
. Kjellstrom assisted several Quantico officers is establishing the U.S. Orienteering Federation in 1971. The early 1970s would see the founding, in part, by orienteering book author Hans Bengstsson, of the New England Orienteering Club, the largest in the U.S. from the late 1970s through the 1980s.
It states its mission is to:
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group announced in August 2010 that it will change its public-facing name to Orienteering USA. It is recognized by the International Orienteering Federation
International Orienteering Federation
The International Orienteering Federation is the international governing body of the sport of orienteering. The IOF head office is located in Helsinki, Finland....
and the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
. It was founded on 1 August 1971. USOF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. There are 55 current member clubs. There are approximately 1,430 family and individual members.
History
The first known competitive orienteering events in the U.S. were held from 1941 to 1943 in New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
by a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
army officer named Piltti Heiskanen. There were military orienteering events at West Point Military Academy in New York state by 1966 and at Quantico Marine Base in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
by 1967, where the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Academy's first public event was held on July 12, 1968 on Harald Wibye's color orienteering map
Orienteering map
An orienteering map is a map specially prepared for use in orienteering competitions. It is a topographic map with extra details to help the competitor navigate through the competition area....
, the first such map in the English-speaking world. The Norwegian Wibye also hosted the first known public competitive orienteering event in the U.S. at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on Nov. 5, 1967. From this event would emerge what is currently the largest club in the U.S., the Delaware Valley Orienteering Association, with Caroline and Kent Ringo and others providing leadership from the late 1960s into the 2000s.
The most influential early benefactor to and promoter of U.S. map and compass use and orienteering, and easily the most well-read author on these topics, was Bjorn Kjellstrom
Björn Kjellström
Björn Kjellström , originally from Sweden, was a ski orienteering champion in Sweden and co-founder of the compass manufacturing company Silva Sweden AB....
, a 1930's Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
orienteering champion. From his events with Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
scouts as early as 1946 to his guidance and support in the 1990s, he provided impetus and inspiration. His map and compass events from 1965-67 in Westchester County, NY saw competitive orienteering courses added in 1968 by Wibye. Bill Gookin's first events in 1969 in the San Diego area were the earliest known competitive public orienteering events West of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Kjellstrom assisted several Quantico officers is establishing the U.S. Orienteering Federation in 1971. The early 1970s would see the founding, in part, by orienteering book author Hans Bengstsson, of the New England Orienteering Club, the largest in the U.S. from the late 1970s through the 1980s.
Organization
Originally an organization based solely on volunteers, it now employs a paid executive director, Glen Schorr. It has a Board of Directors, officers and numerous committees and task forces.It states its mission is to:
- Provide orienteering as a viable and attractive recreation choice for U.S. outdoors enthusiasts.
- Promote orienteering for education, personal development, and environmental awareness.
- Improve the competitive performance of U.S. orienteering athletes to world-class levels.
Member clubs
- Adirondack Orienteering Klub
- Arctic Orienteering Club
- ARK-LA-TEX Orienteering Society
- Austin Orienteering Club
- Backwoods Orienteering Klub
- Badger Orienteering Club
- Bay Area Orienteering Club
- Buffalo Orienteering Club
- Cambridge Sports UnionCambridge Sports UnionThe Cambridge Sports Union was founded in 1962 by Larry Berman and Sara Mae Berman and consists of four semiautonomous sections: running, skiing, orienteering, and racewalking. The running section was founded in 1962 as a component of the Amateur Athletic Union . In 1964, the club added the...
- Carolina Orienteering Klub
- Cascade Orienteering Club
- Central New York Orienteering
- Central Ohio Orienteering
- Chicago Area Orienteering Club
- City of Trees Orienteering Club
- Columbia River Orienteering Club
- Delaware Valley Orienteering AssociationDelaware Valley Orienteering AssociationDelaware Valley Orienteering Association is the oldest and largest orienteering club in the United States. Caroline and Kent Ringo and others provided leadership from the late 1960s into the 2000s. DVOA distributes the popular Clue computer program for making control description sheets.DVOA held...
- Eastern Washington Orienteering Club
- Empire Orienteering Club
- Florida Orienteering Club
- Forest Scouts Orienteering Organization
- Georgia Orienteering Club
- Gold Country Orienteers
- Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club
- Green Mountain Orienteering Club
- Houston Orienteering Club
- Hudson Valley Orienteering
- Illinois River Valley Orienteering Club
- Indiana Crossroads Orienteering
- Laramie Range Orienteering Club
- Long Island Orienteering Club
- Los Angeles Orienteering Club
- Miami Valley Orienteering Club
- Minnesota Orienteering Club
- New England Orienteering ClubNew England Orienteering ClubNew England Orienteering Club NEOC was founded in 1972 to promote the sport of orienteering and develop suitable maps. Today, NEOC has over 400 members, organizes approximately 40 events per year, and has produced nearly 40 specialized, five color orienteering maps in Massachusetts, Rhode Island...
- New Mexico Orienteers
- North Eastern Ohio Orienteering Club
- North Texas Orienteering Association
- Oregon Cascades Orienteering Klub
- Orienteer Kansas
- Orienteering Club of Cincinnati
- Orienteering Louisville
- Orienteering Utah
- Possum Trot Orienteering Club
- Quantico Orienteering Club
- Rochester Orienteering Club
- Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club
- Sammamish Orienteering Club
- San Diego Orienteering
- Southern Michigan Orienteering Club
- St. Louis Orienteering Club
- Susquehanna Valley Orienteering
- Tucson Orienteering Club
- Up North Orienteers
- U.S. Military Academy Orienteering Club
- Vulcan Orienteering Club
- Western Connecticut Orienteering Club
- Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club