Huh, TIL!
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Is that really a thing though? In my experience you have the inter-squadron competition/trials at which the Cadets who already do the Sport at County level get picked for the Wing team and so on upwards.
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Can the admins link this thread to the ‘Is the RAFAC in a death spiral’ thread?
I’d recommend not doing that. Separate thread makes things a lot easier to find later down the line!
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I was talking specifically about national level sports.
I agree that Wing athletics and 5-a-side are generally popular and fun events. Although mainly for the social side though rather than the quality of the sports 
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Both directions good enough?
You have the power to quote and use links by the way…
DM me if you aren’t sure how and would like a private lesson 
(I almost opted for wink to show friendliness, but it felt a little too “I have Haribo in my van” 
)
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Really does read like Clay shooting and Archery will both suffer as a result.
Is travel cost impacted by this? I assume so.
We really are soon gooing to be left with radio, cyber, space only…
And if really really good boys and girls once a year putting face paint on in the car park for Fieldcraft.
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I fail to see how activities that already don’t get public funding will suffer when public funding gets cut.
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The general theme that I’m taking from this thread is that most CFAVs probably aren’t that fussed if sports were to disappear. Not trying to stir the pot, but just to summarise what I’m reading - I’m planning a wing-wide review of sports anyhow (from before yesterday’s announcement) and it at least lets me know the general landscape before starting.
Is that a fair assessment?
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From my point of view, I think sports in the organisation is pretty important, but mostly at a Sqn/Wing level. Much less so at Region/HQ.
I think there is loads gained from running inter-sqn sports events. Wing Athletics, Swimming, Football etc. Cadets and staff get to know those around them, as well as keeping fit etc. Also a good level to get those not normally interested involved.
But once you get up to the top level, all you’ve really got is cadets who already do that sport pretty seriously outside of cadets competing against others that are the same. Less to gain there imo.
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As a CFAV, I would love sports to continue, however it is the cadets that I struggle to motivate to attend.
It doesn’t help that there is a lack of preparation for these events within the Wing and everything feels very last minute.
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We did have a discussion on here a couple of years back about this so the thread may be useful to any review you do.
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Out of interest, what sort of reasons for not wanting to attend are you hearing?
I see part of my role as attempting to remove barriers to participation.
I struggled to get enough for a 5-a-side team out of 40 cadets on parade!
Nonenof them gave a reason though
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It’s not what the joined for as they do it at school & then it’s oversold on the quality of the event.
This is what I mainly get out of them for why no to athletics & cross country.
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Don’t many people consider gliding to be a sport? 
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And most target shooting…
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Back when I was involved with running the Clay Shooting with the wing it was all self-funded then.
Grants to buy the kit then the wing funded clays and cartridges, etc
from my point of view:
when i was a new CFAV, and at the time also in my 20s, anything sports went to me - simply because I was seen as the “fittest” staff member on Sqn based on age.
this “positive discrimination” was also seen at a Wing level, at least on annual Camps, when it came to dishing out who would be looking after each element of camp, Sports fell on my lap - presumably for the same reasons.
FWIW - i am of “average” sporting ability. Yes I could sprint 100m, and jog 400, even 800m without dying, but i have no specific sporting ability.
Now i am older, sports does tend to be picked up by someone else (in their 20s). Although Sports/fitness is very much a part of RAF life, and with regular fitness tests for the regulars it is no surprise, as CFAVs we don’t have that same mentality or culture.
Wing athletics, X-country, Swimming etc was typically well attended by Cadets but saw limited appeal from the Staff (perhaps linked to the lack of VA it attracts?).
Often it would be those who did sports outside of the RAFAC that did well (unsurprisingly), particularly in swimming and would go on to Region level competitions
Sports has typically always been a “filler” on the training programme, and i have certainly noticed a lower attendance from the Cadets on those nights versus others.
I don’t feel there has ever much been interest or focus on Sports from the top, and this has fed down to the Squadron level.
while Wing competitions have always taken place, the Staff interest is limited due to the lack of fitness/sports Culture within the CFAVs themselves
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I mean I find our monthly sports/fitness nights often our most paraded activity - though I doubt its because they’re interested in seeing personal progression.