Here are a few tips to make orienteering enjoyable for all:

 

• Stand Back: Move at least 5 meters away from check-points after you've punched. Doing so 1) allows other competitors easy access to punch, and 2) doesn't give away the control location to other competitors.

• Seal the Lips: Do not shout to others in the woods. Especially avoid shouting "it's over here!" - that's not fair to others on the course who want to find the control themselves. So if you are in a group, stay within speaking distance.

• Encourage Participation: If you are in a group with less skilled orienteers, let them navigate to every other control in order to practice their skills.

• Don't Follow: Don't follow other orienteers on the course (except when specifically allowed in Minnegoats and other special events). Run your own course and refine your orienteering skills. Besides, they may be running a different course or may be making an error.

• Keep It Clean: The park should be left in better condition than you found it. Be aware of, and cautious not to cause damage in, sensitive areas such as wet spots and steep slopes. Also, artifacts in the woods should be left as you found them, and don't damage trees or plants. And please do your part to pick up trash and leave the park cleaner than you found it.

• Keep It Clean #2: Please avoid profanity and adult topics.  Small children are typically present at almost all MNOC meets. Help us create a fun and family-friendly environment enjoyable for all.

• Share The Trails: Be courteous and respectful to other park users and be sure to yield right-of-way when on trails.  The city and state park departments are kind enough to let us hold events in their parks, so please help in retaining that valuable relationship.

• Be Courteous: Please be nice to our volunteers. Everyone working at a meet is volunteering their time. Volunteers are often trying to do two or more things at once, so be patient.

• Control Retrieval: If you can, please stick around until the event is done to help with control retrieval.  This simply entails going around the park and collecting the check-point flags that were used for the event. We like to have 6-8 volunteers help with this at the end of every event.

• Volunteer: Orienteering events, along with the entire MNOC club, is run by volunteers.  We'd love for your help in running the events, so please sign up to be a volunteer if you have a few hours to spare. We'd greatly appreciate it.