Sports
If you have an interest in sports then the Air Cadets can offer you a variety of opportunities. Within Air cadets you can take part in seven main sports athletics, cross country,football, rugby, hockey, netball and swimming. Each of these sports can be played at different levels from a locally organised event by your own Squadron to representing the Air Cadets at a national level.
Athletics
The types of event you can take part in are summarised below, events are divided into age groups as follows:
- Under 15 Boys
- Under 17 Men
- Junior Men
- Under 15 Girls
- Junior Women
Track Events | Field Events |
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Cross Country
Courses are normally between 1.5 to 3 miles long. You can compete at the following levels:
- Junior Girls
- Senior Boys
- Junior Boys
- Youth Boys
- Senior Boys
Football
The Air Cadets offers two forms of football:
- 11-a-side. Only played by male cadets, we use official FA rules. Competitions are run, mainly around the Autumn, at both junior and senior levels with the senior age group being able to play right up to Corps level.
- 5-a-side. Played by both male and female cadets, this is really popular. The boys’ competition, usually at the beginning of the year, is split into juniors and seniors, though this is normally only played up to region level.
Rugby
Games are played under the rules of the Rugby Football Union. Some Regions organise friendly games at a junior level to give you an idea of what will happen in the bigger tournaments.
Hockey
Hockey is played by female cadets. You may start out by playing other Squadrons in locally organised events but there is plenty of opportunities to go on and represent the Wing or Region.
Netball
Again this is a game open to female cadets. Competitions between Squadrons are normally open to all age groups. If you compete at Wing level or above you will be split into Junior and Senior Girls.
Swimming
Swimming is open to both male and female cadets. Normally you are divided into four age groups:
- Junior Girls
- Senior Girls
- Junior Boys
- Senior Boys
There are a number of different events you can enter:
- Freestyle
- Back stroke
- Breast stroke
- Butterfly
- Individual medley
- Medley relay
- Freestyle relay