Two years ago, the Island Coast High School JRTOC Raiders program only had nine members and could not field a team of 12 to compete. All they could do was practice. That practice paid off. Today the team has 40 members and just won the 2023 State Championship.
“These Raider Cadets are not just athletes, but leaders,” said their Coach, Lt. Col. Mario Johnson. “Young men who learned to make decisions under pressure and duress! They learned to develop teamwork at its highest level. And this championship team epitomized the efficient and effective action of a well-oiled machine.”
The Island Coast Boys Raider team qualified for the State Championship by winning the County Championship in November. 58 schools with more than 80 teams in the Boys, Girls and Mixed categories competed at Hudson High School in Pasco County on December 2nd, for the State Championship.
“The win was amazing and made me feel like the prior five months of rigorous training Paid off,” said Cadet Captain Shawn Williams. “The future looks bright for those to follow.”
The Raiders competition features a 5k run, a cross county rescue where team members carry either a 120-pound stretcher and 30-pound backpacks, the Raider Fitness Challenge, which is an obstacle course, the Raider Team Fitness Test consisting of Kettle bells being relayed of various weights, and the Rope Bridge where they construct bridge to cross by stringing a rope over a 70-85 foot gap and must pull themselves across. They are timed and scored as a team on their performance. Island Coast finished first in three of the events and 2nd in another to claim the state title.
“The overall experience was second to none,” said Cadet Commander Jay Adams. “The years of hard work and dedication to the goal were worth it. I don't know what kind of man I would have turned into without the JROTC program. I'm grateful for the teammates I had and the opportunity to compete. Making friendships and us winning the state championship together was a dream come true.”
Six District high schools qualified and competed in the JROTC State Championship. All placed in the Top 10.
Boys
- Island Coast 1st Place
- Mariner 8th Place
- Cape Coral 10th Place
Girls
- Cypress Lake 7th Place
- Cape Coral 8th Place
- Mariner 9th Place
Mixed
- South Fort Myers 3rd Place
- North Fort Myers 5th Place