There’s a cold winter ahead, but that won’t stop the JROTC Raiders team because the 21-22 Raider season is underway!

Although most people have heard about Raiders (or at least recognize their iconic yellow hoodies), many people outside of JROTC don’t know what Raiders actually is.

Raiders is a competitive JROTC cadet team that focuses on physical endurance and conditioning all embedded in teamwork and perseverance. Everyone on the Raiders team must work together in competition in order for the team to reach its full potential. Competitions include one rope, a cross-county rescue, obstacle course, and physical training test.

Raider team captain senior Olivia Kullen emphasizes the need for teamwork and determination: “I believe the team we have this year is going to do great things as long as we stay motivated and work together.”

The season officially started September 22 with practice before school at 6 a.m. These practices continued every Wednesday until Zero Day.

Zero Day was November 13 at 4:30 a.m., and it is the official test in deciding who makes the team.

Zero Day started with stations. Those wanting to try out for the team would have to join with a small group and go though four physically demanding stations: sprints with the litter, sit-ups with a log, push-ups, and six inches with flutter kicks.

After stations cadets with rifles ran two miles to Two Mile Run Park. Once they got to the park cadets jumped into the waterfall and then ran the two miles back to the school (but this time without rifles).

Once cadets returned to the school, they finished Zero Day with a mud crawl, running up the hill but stopping frequently to do sit-ups as well as push-ups in the creek.

This year, for the first time ever, all 15 cadets who managed to complete Zero Day made the Raiders team. The five who did not make the team are being offered a second chance, which is also the first time this has happened.

Due to some cadets not being able to participate in the first Zero Day November 13, any cadet who failed to complete it could participate in the second Zero Day held December 3 after school.

Now that both Zero Days have wrapped up the team will begin competition training and give everything they have towards the team.

“Since the team starts so early in the year and goes so late in the year, everyone will be closely bonded together by the end of the season. [The team] will work through all types of weather and under all sorts of circumstances, but this will bond the team together and teamwork is truly what is key,” said SGM Weaver.

The Raiders team is preparing for their Raiders competition April 9 at Albert Gallatin High School in Uniontown.