Fitness tests for those in uniform? There are reasonable arguments pro and con, but it really only comes down to one thing for me; if you’re asking the cadets to do something you should be able to do it yourself.
If you’re asking them to go do wing athletics, wing swimming, football, netball, hockey, DofE physicals, etc etc, then you should be able to do it as well. It’s your duty as a leader.
We give them the opportunity, we don’t require participation.
If those activities were mandatory then your point would be valid.
We are the Air Cadets. We fly. Hardly any of are pilots.
Our job as staff is to facilitate events, this may organising or it may be leading. You wouldn’t want me to be on a hockey field with a weapon in my hand. The duty first aider will have a very busy time.
We are the Air Cadets. We flew.
Fixed that for you.
The cadets that do sports are the ones who want to do them. I would not force a cadet to participate in a competitive sport.
Even DofE physical is personal improvement and not a set against criteria/points as it once was.
Do I in my 50s want to run around like I did in nonsensical PE lessons years ago … NO. How many staff in school do PE/sport in school if they aren’t PE teachers, I don’t even remember the PS teacher doing things, they just supervised.
Nowadays PE staff cannot participate in sports with pupils especially contact sports.
So, do you put your kit on every time the cadets do sports? Do you lead the way on the inter squadron 100m sprint? Do you get in the pool with the cadets at the inter wing swimming comp?
I know what your saying, but whilst I support your viewpoint for staff engaged in fieldcraft, AT etc. Sports is one of the areas I wouldn’t expect staff to participate.
If the rules didn’t say I wasn’t allowed, then yes, I’d happily do so.
Can I ask why?
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve come across enough “do as I say, not as I do” staff in my time to see that most lack any kind of credibility. On the other hand, the cadets don’t necessarily want staff to get involved with every activity - my lot wouldn’t think any more of me if I played football alongside them, and would probably enjoy the game more if stayed in my office!
And I wouldn’t necessarily want to get involved with everything, but I wouldn’t want them to think I’m not involved because I can’t be.
I don’t advocate that people get involved with everything and you’re quite right, some cadets would rather you didn’t. But some cadets might value there being someone around who’s ‘just giving it a go’.
Some cadets are sporty and that’s great. We give them every opportunity to use their sportiness. But some aren’t. Some are quite intimidated by those who are really sporty and shy away from getting involved.
I read in the thread about trying to encourage the right mindset amongst a youth who are pretty much constantly pilloried as being fat and useless. Couldn’t agree more. And part of that is showing kids that you don’t have to be good at sports to take part.
If only the sporty kids get involved in the activities then we haven’t done our jobs correctly. We can show the rest of them that there’s enjoyment in taking part. But we can show them that much more easily if we join in too.
You don’t want to? Fine. I’m not making you. Just like I’m not making the kids who don’t want to. But there’s a middle ground.
I tend not to get involved with much of the Sqn sports, and a 16.5stone or so of 50yr old, that might be thought as because I can’t.
However, I do enough of the AT activities with them (‘real’ not crawling round muddy fields!) for them to know I am active, and I did take part in the sports competition thing last year with and promptly trounced most of them, even in the skipping rope one.
Totally against compulsory fitness tests though as our job is principally admin and facilitating in my opinion.
Cheers
Dub
Last time I was involved in RAF Fitness tests was at Leuchars in 2000.The cadets were in the gym with the PTIs doing the standard RAF fitness test of the time.I was the only member of staff who took part and managed to get the required grades.Mind some cadets were dropping out at level 2 on the beep tests!
Level 2?? That’s frankly scary
Drop outs at level 2? I’m still chatting at level 7…
My son a very sporty lad never went beyond L3 in PE lessons (much to the teachers annoyance) as he got bored and didn’t see the point, so drop out at level 2 seems a perfectly sensible and intelligent.
I’ve never done a beep test (didn’t exist when I was at school) and can’t really think I missed anything.
yes - that is the “uniform” for the evening.
Can I ask if that is a squadron rule, or just something the staff decide they will do?
I’ve never really considered sports kit as a form of dress, to be honest. Unless every cadet has branded shorts/tracksuit bottoms , t shirts, and hoodies?
I’ve only ever worn sports kit at the Sqn if I was involved in running, demonstrating or coaching sports. If someone else is running the sessions, then I’ll either wear uniform, or civvies (and by civvies, I mean smart casual, not sports wear).
Same here, the dress for the night is dependant on what you are doing. So if you aren’t doing Sports you wear your normal kit. (Same goes for any cadets not taking part).
I do whole sqn sport nights.
When I was a cadet it used to be split and it what was nonsense. Invariably those not doing sport voted with their feet for that night.
those of us at the field overseeing sports dress for the activity much as i/we would for FT