You may have seen the orange and white 3D fabric triangles on poles set up outside school and thought, “What’s the government up to now?”

But even though orienteering was invented as a training exercise for military officers, the feds have nothing to do with this activity.

Sports have always been a test of physical traits, but orienteering seeks to test the competitor’s mental strength as well. Orienteering pushes boundaries, incorporating not only the physical activity of running, but also the mental art of navigation, forcing orienteers to drop their Google Maps for a paper one and a compass to find their way around a set course as fast as possible.

The fall season is being used as an entry point into orienteering, for new recruits to learn the rules and tricks of the sport and train in preparation for the more competitive spring season.  One of the reasons that CRLS has chosen to make orienteering an official sport here now is that this coming spring brings the Junior National Orienteering Championships to Massachusetts.  Rindge is seizing its opportunity to make a name for itself in the sport, partly due to its relatively new popularity.

“CRLS is really leading the way in terms of interscholastic competitions and support for the sport,” Athletic Director Tom Arria said.

In addition to getting some silverware from competitions, the school is interested in orienteering’s alternative athletic appeal.  While most sports might attract athletes based mainly on physical prowess in specific areas, Arria says that orienteering “provides an opportunity for students who are not currently involved in extracurricular activities through the school to be a part of Rindge’s athletic program.” CRLS has decided to invest time and money into the sport partly because of the school’s commitment to fitness in its student body, and so that orienteering can pose another way to fulfill the school’s gym requirement while also engaging in fun physical activity.

So, if you are looking for a fun, mentally stimulating, and physically rigorous sport, you may want to consider picking up a compass and trying your hand at orienteering.

This piece also appears in our September print edition.