Clarke Central High School JROTC Raiders climb the wall outside the CCHS JROTC building on Sept. 25, 2021. The CCHS JROTC male Raider team steadily placed second during regular-season meets, with the exception of one third, which helped them to earn a spot at the Georgia State Championships. “With this team, the main thing I want to show everybody, (is that) just because we consistently place second in the regular season doesn’t mean we can’t place 1st at state.” CCHS Male Raider Team co-captain Keoki Parker, a senior, said. Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
The CCHS JROTC male Raider team will compete at the Georgia State Championships at Georgia Military College on Nov. 14
The Clarke Central High School JROTC male Raider team will compete at Georgia Military College for the Georgia State Championships, hosted by the Georgia Association of JROTC, on Nov. 14 at 8 a.m.
The competition will consist of five events: 5K Team Run, Raider Fitness Challenge 2.0, Cross Country Rescue, Rope Bridge and Tire Flip. Although the Georgia State Championships will host the same amount of events as regular season competitions, the championships differ due to distinctions in size.
“(Normally), we (deal) with a handful of schools, no more than 10. At state, you’re gonna have hundreds of schools,” CCHS JROTC Senior Army Instructor First Sergeant Antione Clark said. “The (main) challenge (will) be the (variable) competitiveness of (opposing) teams (as) we don’t know what their strengths or weaknesses are.”
“We have the heart, we have the people, and we’re gonna go out there and do our best. We’ll see where we get.”
— George Adams,
Male Raiders Team co-captain
To qualify for the championships, Raiders teams from high schools across the state of Georgia must place consistently well during regular-season competitions, which is the case for the CCHS JROTC male Raider team. For CCHS Male Raider Team co-captain Keoki Parker, a senior, this opportunity is a result of dedication and hard work.
“The guys on (the) Male Raider Team show that they want it,” Parker said. “Every day we’re putting in the work, (even when people) might not be looking. I hope (this work materializes) in the championships (and) we win first.”
This expansion in participants and prominence not only increases the competition compared to regular-season meets; According to Sergeant First Class Rachel Cruz, it comes with stricter rules and regulations placed upon competing Raiders.
“(Officials monitoring the) state competition sent the (standard operation procedure), the (operations order), they’ve got diagrams on what they’re allowed to wear, (its) a lot,” Cruz said. “(It’s important) to read (them) because it tells you what things can disqualify you.”
Throughout the season, male Raiders have attended summer conditioning in July, afterschool practices from 3:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. and various competitions across northeast Georgia. This being his final year as part of Raiders, Male Raiders Team co-captain Georgia Adams, a senior, hopes that the team’s hard work and dedication will push them over the finish line.
“I have high hopes,” Adams said. “I think we’re gonna do well. We have the heart, we have the people, and we’re gonna go out there and do our best. We’ll see where we get.”
