Recently we announced how the Florida JROTC cadets rank over the school year in their orienteering competitions.
You can see their individual rankings here: https://rb.gy/9k5bpx
Today, we announce the Team Rankings. Unlike the individual rankings, the teams count points earned from their best five events over the last 12 months. Currently, the points earned from May 2023 to April 2024 are counted in the Team Rankings.
See the team rankings here: https://rb.gy/x6wetu
With four competition categories for teams – Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Overall – who’s on top? Nope. (with apologies to Laurel and Hardy) Gaither is. And so are Central, Lakewood Ranch and Boca Raton, all placing top five in the four categories with Admiral Farragut (2), Titusville and West Nassau (one each) also making it to the top five somewhere.
We currently have 60 Florida high schools listed as competing in at least one orienteering event in the last year.
What gets a team to the top? It seems the top-rated teams have several things in common:
• They come to competitions. You can’t score points if you are not there. A team’s best five competitions over the last year are counted for their standings.
• They have depth on their teams. Gaither, Lakewood Ranch, and Central have teams with 30+ orienteers.
• They have keen cores of individual cadet leaders. In addition to the three above, Farragut, Titusville, Boca, and Venice have well-scoring individuals.
• You don’t have to be a big city school to score big points. Suwannee, DeSoto, and West Nassau are working their way up the leaderboards.
• The time penalty for not having a complete team is severe, but times do not count in the Rankings.
Gord Hunter
Suncoast Orienteering