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You don't have to be a qualified controller to do the 'controlling' job at Saturday events. When we first started them the job was principally about checking controls were in the right place, you're also a second pair of eyes to catch any obvious errors.
Take account of the experience of the Planner (and Organiser). You're the best placed person to mentor them, or if they are experienced, to be a sounding board.
Safety
You must review and sign off the risk assessment which has been produced by the organiser in consultation with the planner. See the Organiser page for risk assessment template and examples.
It is always worth discussing with the planner and organiser any road crossings (do they need marshals / timing out?) and particular hazards eg ponds, steep banks. Remember to apply more stringent standards for courses and controls juniors might use.
Standards
It is critical that juniors get the kind of course they expect. You must ensure the White, Yellow and Orange courses conform to technical difficulty standards (and Light Green if you are fortunate enough to be on an area where TD5 is possible). The Rules of Orienteering define those standards; there is good interpretation in the 'Guidance on planning xx courses' available from the BOF website.
Quality
You must satisfy yourself in advance of the day that the controls will go in the right place. Have the planner tag the sites and then find the tags or have the planner try again! You can 'cheat' by using GPS (see the Planner page) but always be certain that the site is findable by a reasonable orienteer using only the map and compass and the skills for that technical difficulty.
Arrange for the controls to be visited on the day, before paying customers start on the courses. Usually this means visiting them all yourself. Clear your card before you start and if SIAC, Check as well. Make sure the number on top of the control matches the number on the tag and the number on the map. Try swiping the control, if that doesn't work (hanger forgot to wake the control), punch and then you can swipe to check SIAC afterwards. Back at Download, ask for a SI Card Data Dump printout and check all the controls are returning the number you expect.
If a control misbehaves, there should be a couple of spares, ask the planner. Make sure they show the correct number.
Mentoring
Provide guidance to the planner and/or organiser on any aspect of their role, especially reminding them of what they need to do next. If they are inexperienced the Events Coordinator will have made you aware in advance.
Remember they are the planner's courses, most of what you say will be advice ("consider" is a really useful word). However, if anything they propose affects safety or standards, you must insist on a change.
