AFJROTC CADETS COMPETED IN EIGHT MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING EVENTS

AFJROTC CADETS COMPETED IN EIGHT MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING EVENTS

by Charleigh Emmert

On Saturday , October 7 , 2023 the Nashua High School North and South Air Force JROTC raider team competed in eight challenging events at Haverhill High School in Massachusetts.

The events consisted of the sandbag relay, physical fitness test, raider duo, rope bridge , tug of war, canoe carry, 4k/gauntlet and trauma victim simulation.

To prepare for the competition the Raider Team cadets stayed after school between two and four days a week. The exercises consisted of running , push ups , sit ups , weight lifting and preparing on how to conquer the rope bridge.

Each event had to have Eight cadets participate and has at least three alternatives even if a cadet didn’t compete they still went to the event to cheer on their teammates.

Cadet Jakob Graudons competed in the raider competition; he was also in charge of the robotics team that was in the sandbag relay where you had to pick up 60 pound sandbags and run across cones. Graudons said, “Even though I competed in one event , the competition was still tough and involved a lot of mental and team work over just physical ability.”

He also explained he wasn’t the most physically gifted athlete but he still remained in a positive mindset and worked hard in every practice.

Most students at Nashua North do not know about the Raider team and cadets from the competition. Even the ones that didn't compete encouraged cadets and other students to give it a try.

“Even if you aren't the most physically talented, the growth and opportunity is worth it,” Graudons said.

A fellow member of the Raider team,Jenna Gallant, was also one of the only cadets in the program who is a cadet captain. She not only has a love for the Raider team but also the JROTC color guard.

Gallant said that one thing that stuck out to her in the competition was the opposing and hosting Raider Team Haverhill instructor noticed they were struggling with rope bridge and offered to come to Nashua and teach the team how to do it.

Later into the competition Gallant said, “I thoroughly enjoyed having that sense of communication and sportsmanship throughout the entire team throughout the day. I felt the team had good communication especially checking up with each other if we were ok to continue”.

The whole competition was surrounded by communication and sportsmanship even if members werent in the event they still ran around the courses to cheer their teammates on.

At the end of the competition the last event they had was the Raider duo where two cadets from each unit do several courses with just one other person. The captain Cadet Lauren Landry and Cadet Alex Rossetti were selected to complete the challenge even though they were in several other events they had their teammates with them to cheer them on to keep going.

Even though NH-20141 didn't win or place at the Raider Competition it was still memorable and rewarding for the cadets that went.