Page 97 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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As the first embedded ERI Forward within 2 SCOTS, I have embraced the challenge of working within an extremely busy Infantry Battalion over the past three years. I have done my utmost to reduce the musculoskeletal injuries and aid a soldier’s transition through the levels of PT with the goal to return to mainstream PT and pre-deployment training, prior to Operations. As a Battalion, we ran three rehabilitation sprints in which the soldier’s only focus was to rehabilitate their injury away from any work commitments through six weeks of intense education, individual programmes, and group classes.
The gymnasium staff and I have spent a great deal of our time upgrading the whole of the gymnasium over the past three years. This includes an exercise rehabilitation suite, which now meets medical standards for me, the ERI forward, to work and conduct group classes from, an impressive fully converted strength and conditioning suite that a civilian gymnasium would envy (especially the red and black paintwork!) and managed to convert a squash court into a concept High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) studio.
2 SCOTS has had massive success this year in many sports including BAWF, in which the gymnasium staff are all part of the winning team. This year has seen the team compete in and win all 4 events so far in the Region. The final event will be held at 2 SCOTS gymnasium this May with the team now guaranteed overall first place and the opportunity to represent the Battalion in
the finals in Aldershot. The team success is down to the excellent training the gym staff delivers daily and the sessions delivered on a sports afternoon by SSgt Hodskinson and LCpl McGregor.
The Battalion Football Team are also having a fantastic season so far. With only one defeat after a close game in the Walter Tull Cup, losing on penalties, the team are now into the Infantry Cup semi-finals later this month with a strong chance of lifting the cup. The Battalion were unable to form a team over the previous two seasons due to Operations and during the pandemic. We then had over 50 players attend for the first training session in over two years and it was great to see the passion of the players wanting to take part. The team are coached by Sgt (SI) L Evans RAPTC who has now formed a strong 25-man squad for the season.
After the huge success of the Summer Festival of Sport event held within 2 SCOTS earlier in the year, the gym staff decided to organise a two-day Winter Festival of Sport competition for all soldiers within their Companies to participate; this winter’s festival saw over 200 soldiers take part. This included; football, rugby, TOW, basketball, volleyball, BAWF, indoor cycling, and many other sports. Each winning team were awarded trophies and all points went towards the Festival of Sport Shield which is defended each summer, and now winter, to give the soldier maximum exposure to sports throughout the year.
BAWF Team Sgt (SI) L Evans RAPTC, LCpl McGregor & SSgt (SSI) J Hodskinson RAPTC
2 SCOTS
Sgt (SI) L Evans RAPTC
2 SCOTS Football Team coached by Sgt (SI) L Evans RAPTC