Page 168 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
THE ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY SANDHURST
PHYSICAL TRAINING WING
Maj (MAA) W R Pacter RAPTC
Over the last twelve months we have emerged from our virtual and hybrid training regime to a point where we are back to something resembling normality. However, whilst
this has been welcomed, and has allowed us to rethink some of our ways of working, it has also come with challenges – particularly with the reinvigoration of academy sport.
Prior to this I naively thought that sport would be welcomed back into the syllabus by the CoC and OCdts once restrictions were lifted. This assumption was short-lived. When academy sport resumed at the start of winter term not all the CoC within the Colleges were receptive. On reflection, it seems that there were two reasons for this.
First, there is a significant reduction of corporate knowledge and therefore a lack of appreciation on the benefits of sport (since the start of the Covid restrictions nearly all the PS have changed over). Second, the space within the syllabus that was originally programmed for academy sport, had been filled with additional training serials, admin, or disposal periods. Whilst understandable given the context, replacing these ‘programme fillers’ in order to reinstate sport has been far from straight forward.
Given these challenges, the key to reinvigorating sport has been to manage the expectations of the OCdts and showcasing the benefits of sport to the PS. For OCdts this has meant stripping each sport back to the ‘basics’ and ensuring the OCdts simply turn up at the right time and place, with the right equipment. Thereafter, building on each session incrementally so we go from conducting platoon, to inter-unit level sport. The way in which we have showcased sports has been through the Inter Company Sports Competition (week 7) academy boxing night (week 12).
Although there is more work to do to get back to where we were, academy sport now seems to be moving in the right direction; and the delivery of these highly successful competitions has been essential in progressing to inter-unit level sport in the space of six months. This also includes a planned boxing competition against Oxford University in Jun 22 – something that has not been done in over 22 years.
However, these successes have not been without numerous setbacks and have highlighted the unforeseen side-effects of Covid-19; specifically, how measures that were originally put into place to be temporary can easily become the norm. This is something that we must continually guard against in a post Covid environment. Furthermore, it has illustrated how quickly
the organisation can forget the things that have contributed to its operational effectiveness and have been ingrained in its DNA for a long time.
Central to the successes of academy sport has been the staff of the Physical Training Wing. Given that we have almost had a complete turnaround of staff since the last article they have worked miracles in a short space of time. Therefore, I would like to welcome SSgt ‘Rambo’ Williams and SSgt ‘Daz’ Hunt, as well as newly badged RAPTCIs from the ASPT: Sgts James Dean-Netscher, Sgt John Fleming, Sgt Daniel Ford, Sgt Paul Green and Sgt Tristan Willis. All of whom have been superbly led by WO1 Vicky Blackburn who also managed to row across the Atlantic, with the RAPTC Force Atlantic team, in a world record time.
Over a relatively short space of time, The PT Wing have managed to organise and host two RMAS Inter Company Sports events and two RMAS Inter College Boxing Competition thus far, breathing the life of sporting activities back into the Academy. Considering the corporate knowledge amongst the team was very little having not seen the boxing at the academy before, the PT Wing staff very quickly got to work navigating through the MEL and co-ordinating each planning stage so that the evening would be enjoyed by both boxer and spectator. In recognition of their hard work and diligence, the RMAS boxers are now looking ahead to competing against Oxford University in Jun 22 under the watchful eye of their coaches, Sgt (SI) Ford, Sgt (SI) Critchlow and Sgt (SI) Madderson before returning to the ring for the RMAS Boxing Night in the winter.
Defence Engagement is also one of the RMAS focal points and amid all the setbacks and chaos with the pandemic the RMAS was called upon to deliver an adapted version of its Commissioning Course Short (CCS) in Belize for 27 Belizeans which made up a cohort of Defence Force, Coast Guard and Police. This took place at a time when Belize was also preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary of Independence from the UK. Such tasking also required the support of the PT Wing, which was a great opportunity for SSgt (SSI) Felix who’s KSE of the RMAS PD Syllabus saw him deploy for the duration of the CCS (Belize) to lead on all the aspect of physical training.
It is with great pride that I was able to coach and manage the RMAS Inter Unit Cross Country team throughout the UK South Cross- Country League and Championship. The final league race took place at the Defence School of Policing & Guarding, Southwick Park and after competing over a rather muddy and undulating
RMAS Boxing Competition