Page 57 - QDG Year of 2020

Due to the unfortunate circumstances of COVID-19 this year, the adventure training which was put in place for A Squadron had to be adjusted to follow guidelines set by the government and to keep participating members safe. Unable to use areas in Wales for mountain biking as initially planned, A Squadron utilised a more local and feasible approach to make sure that members of the squadron could still manage to take part and have fun. High Lodge in Thetford Forest was used as the area in which mountain biking would take place and offered some fairly
decent trails which riders of all abilities were able to ride and practise their skills. 6 riders a day were able to get out and around the routes with 1 instructor for the week. The trails which were used at High Lodge consisted of a blue route of around 10 miles and a red route of which was around 9 miles. This was split down into the morning and afternoon, in which the group would ride the blue route first. The blue allowed the riders to practise on the easier more basic route slow time especially for people who had not done mountain biking before and also allowed
them to try basic technical parts before we attempted the red route in the after- noon. The red route allowed everyone to have a bit more fun and really go for it with a few small drop offs, technical sections and some tight wood block areas to finish off the day. The weather for the week was very wet with lots of rain on most of the days but that did not hinder any of the groups and made it more fun getting muddy and filthy sliding round the area.
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1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards 55
QDG Squash
Like all Regimental sports, squash had a promising start in 2020, with the Regimental Squash Team, consisting of: WO2 Chant, SSgt Pope, Sgt Dell, Sgt Rai, Cpl Thomas, LCpl McSween, LCpl Murphy and Tpr Finlay. With a healthy number of players and previously wiping the floor with the rest of the RAC in Nov 19, all personnel were eager to begin playing in the New Year.
In preparation for the RAC Championships and further competitions in 2020, the team had established regular structured training sessions and practice games on sports afternoons. These sessions were instrumental in improving the overall standard of squash within the team.
The high standard of QDG squash was evident during the next major squash event in the calendar, with Sgt Dell competing in the Army Individuals Squash Championships. Held over 21-23 Jan 20 in Winchester, Sgt Dell
placed fifth overall in the Army Open Champion-
ship category – a remarkable result!
The RSM and his informants
hygiene procedures. These measures were implemented by Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre. Coaching was not just based on one-on-one training, but focused on skills and
The team had plans for a busy year ahead,
intending to compete in the Army Squash Inter-
Unit Championships and attending a Squash
Advanced Skills course, both timetabled for
March 2020. However, it was at this time that
COVID-19 struck and unfortunately both were
cancelled. Future fixtures were also cancelled
or postponed in-line with the England Squash
COVID-19 policy. With courts closed, the team
have struggled this year to maintain any form of court based training, but have continued to look to develop their skills else- where.
In Sept 20, Sgt Dell attended the first Level One, Army Squash Coaching course, held on 15 Sept in Aldershot. This pilot coaching course was designed with the intention of enabling individuals across Units to train and coach other soldiers, developing their squash skills and generally encour- aging the uptake of the sport. This course was conducted during the pandemic due to strict social distancing and
drills incorporating multiple players of varying levels on court simultaneously. This maximises the number of people that can train at once and aims to make the sport more accessible to entry-level players – something we now imple- ment on a Wednesday afternoon.
As 2020 comes to a close, the team looks positively to what 2021 will bring. With funding now allocated for new kit and the courts due to be refurbished, the team are set for the New Year and will start off in the best possible manner.
Although still dependent on the global pandemic, the intention for next year is to welcome as many new players as possible and build the Regimental Squash family. These new players will be encouraged to attend Army Squash courses, including Basic and Advanced Squash skills, as well as the option to qualify as a referee by attending the Squash Referee course. Once training is able to resume, the team looks forward to competing in future competitions and representing the Regiment.
CD
the team looks positively to what 2021 will bring
Mountain Biking Adventure Training
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