Words and photos by Squadron Leader Philip Jones RAFVR(T)
One of the most tightly contested day’s of cadet sport has now resulted in the 2016 Air Training Corps(ATC) Football and Hockey winners being declared.
A day of gradually improving weather saw cadets from all six Regions gather at RAF Cranwell for the championships. Close fought games ensued as the tournaments progressed. A number of soccer games going to penalties to obtain a result.
In the end though the day belonged to Central & East(C&E) Region with them wining both competitions. The hockey tournament was so close that the officials could only decide the winner on count back (ie level on points, then goal difference etc).
Seventeen year old Cadet Flight Sergeant Hannah Roberts (759 (Beccles) Squadron)was the captain of the winning Hockey team. She said “it was a really good competition with really friendly teams (except on the pitch!). The C&E team played very well together and the 40% or so of cadets who were here for the first time integrated really well with the others especially as we had to substitute someone the night before the tournament”. 
Hannah’s opposite number on the football team was 19 year old Cadet Warrant Officer Stuart Bagley from 1211 (Swadlincote) Squadron. With less than three weeks left as a cadet he was naturally very happy to go out on “a massive high”. He added that he “had a very good team made up of very keen players”. Sergeant (ATC) Tom Shaw, C&E Region’s football manager said that “there has been a fantastic team spirit and I am very proud of how the players dug in and not given up; a very good winning mentality”.”