Chiswick RFC Team Building 1st July 2006
Bleary eyed, and rather less than spritely, the team building group assembled early on Saturday to enjoy a day in the Surrey countryside. High summer temperatures, and clear skies awaited the group as we headed off to Dorking in the coach.
Upon arrival, combat suits were issued, and water carriers designated. A few optimistic souls scoffed bacon butties, but the shrewder participants realised there was real danger of seeing such a breakfast again. And so it proved as we were coralled and jogged out for a warm up prior to the tyre run. Star jumps and crunchies are not recommended for effective digestion, so the breakfasters were quickly regretting their choice of sustenance.
Our two instructor, Marlow and Calvin led us in to the woods. Whilst the Pickering boys though this was their lucky day, their twisted fantasies proved unfounded. The woods was the location of the tyre race. Split in to two teams, we were assigned a stack of tyres and shown the course, and given rules. What followed was a salient lesson in how not to approach a team task. Much scrabbling and chaotic shouting ultimately achieved the objective, but not before a fair degree of cheating was enacted and the wrath of the instructors incurred. The return leg back over the course proved a better orgainised affair, though the ultimate tally of tyres at the end did not equal those which started. Object lesson 1: never get the front row to do the counting!
A swift jog across hill and dale brought us to the assault course. Some brief instruction, and a short wait for Rob Tillen's chariot to arrive, was followed by a frantic scramble over the course. Elliot Pickering claimed to sustain a hand injury, but there is suspicions those blisters on his palms have been developing since his girlfriend returned to Poland. Will Ullstein found his inner sergeant major and patrolled the sidelines shrieking encouragement and instruction with equal measures.
From the assault course to the log carry. Needing teamwork and communication, a 10 ft log had to be transported around a course against the clock. With both teams now working well as a unit, and communicating well, the log was swiftly transported around the course. Each team acting like a giant millipede as arms and legs combined to great effect.
Finally, a tug of war decided the winner of the morning's challenge. With one team formed of the front
row union, there was only ever going to be one winner. So when the red team of Kelvin and Shane romped
home with the tug of war title, the honours were won.
Following a break for lunch and equipping, the afternoon of paintballing commenced. An opening game involved two teams facing each other and firing pellets at close range. Despite the even starting numbers, Ade Pittman quickly regretting not "taking a bullet" early on as he was last man standing, with 8 guns zeroed on his nether regions. He went down in a hail of paint and squeals, dropped by a colourful firing squad.
Different scenarios and games were then played, each revolving around the capture of a flag, and defence of a base. Notably mention here to Lewis Hammond, who managed to survive these pitched battles. Whether through skill and tenacity, or just hiding behind an oli drum until al the shooting had stopped, we'll never know.
The final game of the day involved a free for all as all the ammunition was used up. A number of players saw the opportunity to perform Rambo style assaults, whilst others saw the opportunity to unleash their arsenal against these foolhardy individuals. The sight of Ben Maguire standing the middle of the forest being pelted by paintballs from all sides is a vision to behold.
The return bus journey saw bruises compared, and tales of battlefield heriocs. Sadly the laughs and smiles turned to tears as England exited the World Cup, but a barbecue and beers on the grass in the summer evening ended a truly enjoyable, if rather exhausting, team building day.
