Page 121 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

Having spent the last 12 months at Loughborough University studying for an MSc in Sports & Exercise Psychology it was
time to return to the throws of RAPTC life, taking over from Capt (MAA) Sawyer as the OC Course Design Cell. Other changes within the cell since last year, was the arrival of SSgts Dosunmu and Haslam, replacing Sgts Stoby and Steele. We also bid fair well to Miss Bridgette Swales (UKSCA senior-tutor assessor) who had joined the team on a one year placement in order to provide SME knowledge and tuition to the cell and ASPT staff.
The primary work strands within the cell over the last
year have been the re-write of the RAPTC instructors
and the All Arms PTI courses, led by SSgts Greaves and Cubbage respectively. This was in order to address the relevant ndings from the PTI training review conducted by Maj (MAA) Humes and to update current practice and delivery methodologies.
Collectively, both courses will now be more modular in design, building on the knowledge and skill acquisition within one module, before it is then integrated within the application of the next. A key feature throughout much of this will be the components of tness and clean movement patterns, which can then be further progressed or regressed. Accompanying this will be new resources
that have been created by, and in conjunction with the UKSCA tutor to support the delivery of each of these components. There will also be an increase in the number of individual practices conducted by the students, that will be more scenario based, taking into consideration aspects such as safety, special populations and the moral components identi ed as contributing factors in previous HSE and LAIT investigations.
Another key feature to be integrated within the courses will be to raise awareness of the psychological components to physical exercise, and how they can in uence exercise adherence and performance optimisation, and highlights the
importance of the coach-athlete relationship.
Expanding on the previous work conducted by my predecessor towards developing a Virtual School (VS), the last few months have involved up-skilling staff and sourcing new equipment in order to be able to incorporate the VS within the daily delivery of training through a blended learning approach. With an £80k tech uplift and receipt of 200 netbooks to facilitate the implementation of the new courses, there is expected to be signi cant change over the next 12 months in order to enhance what and how it is delivered.
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ASPT OC COURSE DESIGN CELL
Capt (MAA) M Horner RAPTC
KOSOVO SECURITY FORCE (KSF) SHORT TERM TRAINING TEAM (STTT)
WO2 (QMSI) J Gordon RAPTC
Over the period 12 – 24 July 2016, WO2 (QMSI) Gordon, SSgt (SSI) Greaves and Sgt (SI) Parker RAPTC were sent to Kosovo as part of a Short Term Training Team (STTT)
tasking. This saw them conduct a bespoke version of the PTI course to qualify Kosovo Security Force (KSF) instructors.
The team’s main aim was to train and qualify members of the KSF as newly badged PTIs’. The secondary aim was to encourage team spirit and cohesion amongst the course. It was hoped that this in turn would help promote and embed a physical training ethic within the KSF.
The course initially started with 27 students. Following a series of physical tests, the team were left with a 14 strong course that were keen and willing to learn and gain new skills and knowledge. The language barrier was tough at rst, but SSgt Greaves and Sgt
Parker managed to develop their vocabulary and even learned a new word, ‘pompa’. This is translated as ‘press ups’ and was a favourite word used by all instructors and students.
During the STTT, there was a TRADOC PT session which was arranged by WO2 Gordon, this was the rst time EVER that 100 members of the KSF had taken part in a mass PT session together. This was the students’ chance to show their new coaching and PT development skills.
At the end of the course, the students arranged a series of displays in front of their chain of command; this involved a functional tness circuit, a hill rep session, a combat PT session and an obstacle course competition. The course culminated in a pass off parade where the students were presented with the coveted crosswords and were awarded their quali cation.