Climbing walls, running, flipping tires, and crossing ropes are some of the many things that the Etowah Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Raiders do. Their hard work perfecting these tasks has led the Raiders teams, specifically the Mixed 1 team, to go from a losing season to a successful one.
While training may seem difficult, Colonel Stephen Bergey, the team’s coach, calls the training’s intensity ‘from stress to chess,’ meaning the season puts stress on one’s body to strengthen it for their competition strategy. Optional training begins during the summer, which is known as pre-season conditioning. The mandatory season runs from August to the first or second week in November, depending on the national’s date.
“A Raider season starts with strenuous physical activity that is designed to not only get Raiders into shape but [to do so] in a manner that will make them competitive during the season. Very few, however, merge being in shape with the mental awareness required to be successful in any given event of a competition where the margin for error between teams shrinks relative to the early season competitions. We call this ‘from stress to chess,’” Bergey said.
Beginning in September, there is a competition almost every Saturday; however, this past September, Bergey decided to randomly throw together the top 7 males and 5 females, based solely on skill, and ultimately crossed his fingers that they would be a winning team. The team known as Mixed 1, has upheld his expectation, as seen at past competitions, with first place wins at North Paulding and Osborne.
“It has been a rough season, but I would not have it any other way. Put in the effort, and you will have great time, [and] going to nationals and winning is [the] goal,” Leah Schmid, freshman, said.
Since Bergey’s decision, the mixed 1 team has been bringing home the most ever trophies for the Raiders. This year, the team seems to be looking towards a first place placement at both the state and national level. Now, the team’s determination has resulted in the Raider’s much needed and wanted success.
“Although it was far from easy, working as a team and training hard rewarded us with great measures of success throughout our year. I cannot wait to see how we dominate at state and nationals this year,” Jeffery Meadows, senior and Mixed 1 team member, said.
If one is interested in watching the competitions, they can find the competition dates here.
