Children aged 12 to 18 lined the halls of the Athletic Department at Fanshawe last week with their 177 air rifles in hand, as the College held the annual National Cadet Marksmanship Championship.

Instructor, Captain Ellis Landale from Windsor, who was enlisted in the army for 39 years, now trains the next generation of young fighters where he continues to be amazed by the advantages gained by this program and encourages young people to take advantage of such opportunities for their future.

“We shake our heads as to why they wouldn't try the opportunity to shoot,” said Landale.

Rifling within the cadet program is an equal opportunity sport. When comparing male verses female shooters, it is found to be in equal standing, as males grow up playing with guns and tend to develop habits that need to be unlearned. Most females, however, are taught correctly from the beginning without being previously subjected to gun use giving both sexes equal opportunity to succeed.

With 120 Land, Sea and Air cadets from all over Canada enrolled in the shooting competition, each student is given his or her own complete uniform and air rifle owned by Her Majesty for the duration of their time within the program.


Occupying Fanshawe's two gyms over their seven-day training, they organized a total of 48 targets separated in half in order to allow for different shooting methods. Most of the cadets participated on the “Prone” field, where they shot at millimeter targets laying flat on their stomachs.

The instructors, which include range officers, range safety staff, ear defense staff, team coaches and other uniformed administrative personal, analyze targets in order to determine accuracy, and the top 18 shooters receive the chance to compete in England later in the year.

Cadets from coast-to-coast-to-coast train all year for the competition and only the best are given the opportunity to travel to the national championship. This year London's own Fanshawe College was chosen to host this event, where all 120 cadets stayed in residence on campus experiencing the London-life first hand.

“London has a Military presence and close to a good airport,” said Landale, as to why the competition was at the College.

Those requiring transportation services had access to the London International Airport or Toronto's Pearson Airport, which accommodates to those flying in from the further distances, such as one student from Whitehorse, 4056.1kms away.

Many of the young cadets were impressed by their surroundings after leaving home where they were overwhelmed by the size of London, the warmth in temperature, as well as the lack of snow that Whitehorse cadets are so use to on a regular basis.

As their training came to an end, cadets took at day trip to Toronto on Thursday, May 10 to take in a Blue Jays game and see the landmark sites Toronto has to offer, such as the C.N. Tower and the Hockey Hall of Fame, followed by a ceremony that took place here at the college on Friday evening.

Capt. Landale is proud to complete yet another year, training young enthusiastic males and females and looks forward to next year taking place in British Columbia.

“The Military has given me an awful lot of experiences… I can't see why a lot more people don't go into it.”

For more information you can visit their website at www.cadets.ca.