CROCodiles Youth Orienteering

CROCodiles is kids orienteering

Our mission for youth programs

  • Support families

  • Teach orienteering using outdoor navigation games and activities

  • Encourage teamwork and in-person interactions

  • In a safe and nurturing environment

Who

Youth age 8-17 who are brand new to orienteering, or those who want to advance to Yellow (advanced beginner) courses

Activities are adjusted for age and ability with the guidance of experienced coaches, about one for every six youth

Youth already running on Yellow courses who are ready to learn more can get personalized, next stage coaching separately from this program. Please use the contact form below to introduce yourself and we will meet up at the next Classic meet to make a plan.

When and Where?

CROCodiles Field Days

Three weekend dates from late April through Early June

CROCodiles Field Days replace the six week evening program we hosted in 2024 and 2025. Meeting from late morning to mid-afternoon, we will plan a number of games and activities at Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Orienteering Development model. In between the activities there is time for lunch and hanging out.

You can come to any or all of the Field Days. While there is a progression of activities from the first one to the third, you can skip one or two and just come to the ones you can make.

All dates are in 2026

Schedule is under development

Sunday, April __, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

  • Laurelhurst Park or Gabriel Park, Portland

Saturday, May __, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

  • Gabriel Park or Catlin Gable School

Sunday, May __, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

  • Catlin Gable School or Wenzel Farm

CROCodiles Hangouts

Youths gather at 1 pm at every classic meet on our event schedule, starting with the Stub Stewart meet in March. Kids can share with each other how their courses went, throw a disc back and forth, and just hang out. There may be snacks. CROCodiles coaches will be on hand to get things going. We may also bring in one of the activities from the CROCodiles Field Days to have another fun thing for kids to do.

Families, if you’re going on your course as group, plan your start time so that the young people in your group are back in time for the CROCodiles hangout.

Kids, if you’re running on the White or Yellow course, plan your start time so you can be back in time for the CROCodiles hangout.

Registration and Cost

Youth 17 and under can register for CROCodiles Field Days. Each Field Day has a separate registration.

Adults do not register as participants for CROCodiles Field Days.

We are currently discussing the fee for the Field Day, but our goal is to cover the cost of the program. CROC is 100% volunteer driven and coaches are not paid. The park use permit is the biggest component of the cost and will likely result in a fee of $10-12 per person per Field Day. We’ll finish figuring that out soon.

Find the registration link for each Field Day on the Events page.

There is no signup or fee for CROCodiles Hangouts. Just find us at 1 pm at each Classic meet.

What do Parents/Guardians do?

Adults do not register as participants for CROCodiles Field Days, but parents/guardians of participants are always welcome to be present and observe the activities. Parents/guardians are also welcome to relax and let the coaches be the ones keeping their eyes on the kids. Kids age 8-12 wear orange pinnies when we are responsible for their whereabouts and safety.

A Parents’ course is planned for CROCodiles Field Days to give parents/guardians the chance to do a little orienteering on their own if they are staying in the park during the field day. This will be at the Advanced Beginner technical difficulty level. Bring your well behaved dog.

We have a need for photographers. If you are a parent/guardian with a DSLR camera and can offer to take pictures, please contact us using the form below.

Finally, parents/guardians can also be coaches. If you are a little hesitant about whether you know enough to be an effective coach, be assured that this is more about creating a nurturing environment for exploration than it is about the technical aspects of orienteering. You will be paired with an experienced orienteering coach who is very knowledgeable about the activity. All coaches including those who are parents/guardians of program participants are SafeSport certified, so there is some necessary training to do after volunteering before you can be present with the kids. Please contact us using the form below if you would like to help coach at CROCodiles Field Days and we’ll get the process going.

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 three field days, kids will learn to read the map, read the terrain, and travel with confidence. The physical side of orienteering includes walking and running smartly over land and we will train for this as well. We do not always stay on path and trails!

The games and activities include

  • Animal O

  • Follow the leader run

  • Grid Orienteering

  • Map feature matching relay

  • Jungle run

  • Photo Orienteering

  • 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 skills. There is room in the curriculum to make adjustments according to what the kids are having fun with.

Some kids will finish the program ready to run a beginner White course at our Classic events. See below for more on what comes next.

Meet the coaches

CROCodiles coaches are longtime orienteers, club members, parents, graduate students, and older youth who already have orienteering experience. Every adult involved in the CROCodiles program is SafeSport certified as required by the Orienteering USA national organization. Coaches generally work in pairs and we are constantly counting noses and keeping eyes on everyone, especially for ages 8 - 12.

Philosophy

There has been a 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 begins at Stage 1 of the Orienteering Development Model, where the emphasis is on experience, exploration, and play. Older kids with some orienteering experience will participate in Stage 2 activities which add intermediate navigation skills and a competitive edge. 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 really good at one sport, maybe orienteering, and reach for high performance.

After CROCodiles

After completing the spring Field Days, many kids will have the skills to do a White (beginner) course our Classic events. There are lots of ways for a young orienteer to explore the sport safely in the meet setting, such as

  • Kids go in pairs

  • Kid shadowed by a parent or coach

  • Run on a beginner “star” or “fly” course which have shorter legs, closer to the event center, during the CROCodiles hangout time.

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

I’m already orienteering on Yellow (advanced beginner) courses. Should I sign up for a CROCodiles Field Day?

We have a different plan for experienced orienteering teens. Please contact us using the form below and we will arrange to meet you at any of our Classic meets. We can help you improve your skills further, introduce you to other kids running at your level, 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, right up to the Junior National Team if that is your goal.

We also have room at the CROCodiles Field Days for experienced youth orienteers as assistant coaches. Please contact us if you’re interested in doing that.

Contact

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