Page 28 - Wish Stream 2023 CREST

Sport in the Junior Term
Throughout our Junior Term at RMAS, we have been given plenty of opportuni- ties to participate in sports in both a casual and more competitive environ- ment. The former was our bi-weekly sports afternoons offering OCdts wide and diverse opportunities to experience some of the more conventional sports, such as swimming and tennis, to the more unusual such as polo or fencing. The more competitive events have come through company and platoon level events, where we were able to show our teamwork, competitive spirit and bond as a group.
Due to the hectic nature of Weeks 1 - 5, the sports that we had chosen in the first week of term were very much sidelined, so it came as a great relief for all to see a whole afternoon dedicated to sports in the otherwise busy timetable. Eager OCdts dispersed to the far reaches of RMAS and even as far as Stonehenge, to take part in a whole plethora of sporting activities from cross country to mountain biking, British Army Warrior Fitness (BAWF) to equitation. This helped to foster a spirit of adventure and inclusivity as some OCdts tried their hands at sports they had never before taken part in.
The athletics tournament in week 7 was our first experience of company level com- petition with the whole academy enjoying a sunny June afternoon on the running track. It soon became evident that this was going to be more than a few gentle laps of the track as the competitive edge was clear from the offset. Each company wore its own colours and flew emblems that created a tribal atmosphere, with compa- nies forming rivalries between one another, and although these rivalries would be forgotten by that evening, it showed how important esprit de corps is and just how quickly it is fostered here at Sandhurst.
The day after returning from our regimental visits in week 11, all the platoons of the Junior Term and the Commissioning Course (Short) were pitted against each other in the much-anticipated swimming gala. The hunger for victory (and the chance to gain points in the Old College Shield!) was palpable in every platoon, with one pla- toon even competing in matching ‘budgie smugglers’ in an attempt to bolster their chances of winning. Despite varying levels of skill and ability, the desire to perform well for your platoon was evidently driving people to success; this, combined with the vast amount of cheering by the audience on the poolside, showed how quickly we have come to embrace and celebrate the friendships and relationships formed within our platoons.
Our final event of the term will be the Steeplechase in week 14. This will be our final point scoring opportunity in the Old College Shield and our last chance to compete within our platoons, before the reshuffle going into Junior Term. We have all enjoyed the level of competition and the challenges that the sports afternoons and competitions brought to Junior Term and are left looking forward to what lies ahead in the Intermediate Term.
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