Silverware for Norfolk & Suffolk Wing Air Cadets | Sunday 23rd May
The Central & East Region Inter-Wing athletics championships for the Air Cadet organisation were held on Sunday 23rd May at the Saffron Lane Stadium, Leicester, cadets from Norfolk & Suffolk Wing achieved a notable number of successes, and an impressive haul of silverware. A cache of Gold, Silver and Bronze individual medals was capped by the Class A Boys Team who secured outright victory, winning the 61 Reserve Group Cup, and by the Class D Girls Team who were joint winners, sharing the 61 Group Athletic Cup. Cdt Abigail Simpson, of No 222 (Broadlands) Squadron, beat the Regional record for High Jump by 4cms, with an impressive jump of 1.40 metres. Cdt Simpson said, "I was pleased with my performance today, having recently beaten the Wing record, to now go on to beat the Region record; my training really paid off". Team Manager Sgt ATC Kate Elwell said, " I was pleased with the positive attitude of the cadets today; they worked for each other and achieved some excellent results."
Wing Commander Tony Hipperson, Officer Commanding Norfolk & Suffolk Wing, who was attending his last Inter-Wing Athletics Championship as OC Wing said, "I was absolutely delighted for the cadets; they achieved some tremendous personal and team rewards for their hard work and effort and their commitment and dedication was first class, despite the hot weather".
Norfolk & Suffolk Wing came 4th overall in the championships with a number of cadets from across the Wing selected to represent Central & East Region at the Air Training Corps National Championships at RAF Cosford in June.
Central and Eastern Junior Rugby Tournament
With nature once again trying its worst to disrupt proceedings the Central & East Region Junior Boys Rugby Tournament was held at RAF Brampton on Sunday 28th Feb 2010.
The competition was split in to two groups and the first match which was played in torrential rain saw Norfolk & Suffolk (N&S) play the South & East Midlands, they took the game to the opponents from the off but only managed to score one try before the break. In the second half the lads got it together and the final score was 22-0 to N&S
In the second pool match N & S came up against their old "rivals" Trent wing and in a very hard fought encounter ran out 5 -0 winners Scoring the only try just 2 minutes from the end with Cpl Matthews from 2356 Caister Sqn doing the honours.
The other matches in both groups were just as hard fought and the biggest shock of the day was announced that Warwick & Birmingham failed to make the final with Herts & Bucks beating them to it. W& B had won the trophy more than any other wing over the last 20 years so it was a real shock !
The final was played under a dark gray sky but the rain held off to allow both N & S and Herts & Bucks to play out the best match of the competition. with N & S ahead just at the break 7 -5 The second half saw both sides battering their opponents try line but to no avail until with 3 minutes left Up popped Cpl Matthews again to score for N & S and make it 14-5. Herts & Bucks immediately retaliated by scoring in the corner to make it 14-10 ,Norfolk & Suffolk managed to hold out the remaining couple of minutes and recorded their first win in this competition since 1984. Brilliant effort from the team! .
After a short rest 9 of the side were asked to take part in trials for the regional team with seven of them being successful including Cdt Crisp of 1070 Diss Sqn who before the tournament had never played a competitive game of rugby !!
Sqn Ldr Green the Wing Sports Officer was delighted for the lads saying,"How they battled and never gave up for each other was truly remarkable. They wanted to win this so badly for each other .This was real team work of the highest calibre well done lads".
The cadets joint coaches CI's Chris Barrett and Timmy Wright were almost lost for words. CI Wright a past player for the wing was overwhelmed for the boys and CI Barrett in only his second season was also delighted to have helped the boys achieve their goal.
Kevin Green realises his boyhood ambition
Norfolk & Suffolks Sports Officer Sqn Ldr Kevin Green has been given the chance to realise a boyhood ambition when he take charge of a prestigious Norfolk County Football Assocciation (NCFA) Cup final at the home of Norwich City who are currently flying high in Coca Cola League One. Sqn Ldr Green Will take control Of the Countys Junior Cup final on Tuesday 13th April between Foulsham FC and West Lynn SSC under the floodlights at Carrow Road in Norwich. Sqn Ldr Green said of his appointment, " I have spent many years watching the canaries from the terraces and always wanted to grace the hallowed turf but was never a good enough player to do so ! Now thanks to NCFA I have been given the chance to referee on it. I admit that when i received the appointment letter I shed a little tear of joy .Having been a referee for 26 Years this will be one of my most important fixtures i have had to do. Just to be able to say i have been on the same pitch as such greats as Martin Peters , Ted mc Dougall and Phil Boyer all boyhood heroes will blow me away !!"
Sqn Ldr Green started refereeing whilst serving with the RAF in 1984 and has officiated all over the world including the Falkland Islands,Turkey and Denmark & Ethiopia. His most bizzare match was in Belize when the local RAF detatchment challenged what they thought was the Belize Defence force (Volunteer reserves) to a match only to find that they had called up the entire Belize NATIONAL TEAM to play them. Incidently the RAF won 2-1 !
He would recommend taking up the whistle to anyone, especially youngsters, who have a real opportunity to go all the way to the top of the ref's. Feel free to call him for more information on becoming the man or woman in black !!
