Cadets and Sports

I have had a couple of cadet’s mention that they were interested in a sporty type sport that could lead on to wing, region etc etc…but they have been over looked for more successful sporty type Cadet’s. It didn’t really compute with me until they mentioned it…but I get where they are coming from (I Think) A lot of Cadet’s are Sporty, many are Shooty and the rest are more Outdoorsy and Campy (NOT THAT KIND OF CAMP!) Is it right they don’t get a chance to get involved or is it all about the Trophy and points at the end of the day?

It is to HQAC because it is quantifiable therefore can be used as a weapon to batter Squadrons and CFAVs over the head with.

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That is quite sad :expressionless: I have witnessed the saying “You only need to turn up so we can get points for the Sqn” when no cadet’s have had an interest in that activity, which means getting up early on a rainy sunday to stand about looking clueless with what is going on :neutral_face:

Which hacks cadets off and they say bye bye and staff leave themselves open to grief from families for the time they put in particular if it’s just point collection. When staff really want to go away to an event, it just makes it far harder to justify to partners or to children why mummy/daddy can’t be with them. And you wonder why there is a staff recruitment/retentsion problem.

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Surely though these Cadets who have been ‘overlooked’ have been to the trial for said Sport and then not been selected? I feel for them in that sense, but that happens everywhere, especially School, and they need to learn to deal with rejection, and what to do when other people are better than you. If they have been overlooked because Staff can’t get them to the Sport etc thats different.

If they really want to take part in this certain Sport, then why don’t they join a club dedicated to that? The ATC can’t be all things to all people.

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On Wednesday the post of Cadets for sports were the usual sporty cadets chosen was posted. We have newbies who were told uniform and have exams to prepare for. Parents have in the past asked why Jenny and Johnny couldn’t do sports but I don’t know how to answer them and the sporty CI didn’t bother responding to them. Just my personal opinion it’s all about the CI and not the Cadets which I don’t like.

Football, netball and hockey given there seems to be something going on with rugby are the main ones they can get involved in without a need to represent the squadron first. Although football is currently the only one boys can do, as netball and hockey are girls only.
When I was a cadet I played rugby to Region level, swam and played football for the squadron and wing and did athletics but only as it was a chance to meet up with mates from other squadrons.

What I will say is that in my experience sports seem to be really good way to get noticed in a good way as a cadet, especially if you do it regularly and more so if you have some success. Given it is open to all and you don’t necessarily need to be good at it, I advocate sports to cadets and if needed ensure they get to do it.

The good thing is cadets don’t need to pass a test to do sport, don’t a specific uniform, you don’t need expensive kit and staff don’t need to be qualified, just a bit of a will to get cadets involved.

The only things cadets need to be is enrolled and I have enrolled cadets on paper so they can take part. They don’t need a uniform unless you’re in a idiotic Wing where they want them to turn up in uniform.

If you’re that bothered about such things sport can put a squadron on the map as it keeps popping up in lists that go out to all squadrons. My cadet squadron had a spell of 13 years where it excelled and had cadets representing up to Region and or Corps each year, not just an odd cadet but several across different disciplines. This seemed to spin off into success in other things as the esprit de corps was high. The success we had was disproportionate to our size as we were a small squadron. However I am talking of a time when as kids at school sport / PE seemed to be more ‘organised’ and we would do the old jumpers for goalpost football, play knockabout cricket and swimming was a big (for us) social thing.

But if you have cadets interested in sport get them doing it and as I say the kit isn’t expensive.