Clarkrange High School’s Coed Fitness Team has been named the National JROTC Fitness Challenge Champions for the second year in a row.
First Sergeant Gilbert Sandoval is the team’s trainer. He said that the team competed in Daytona Beach, Florida against 18 of the best JROTC Coed Fitness Teams from coast to coast, representing each branch of the military.
“There are five events that you have to be able to do,” Sandoval said. “One is a 3k beach run, then you have a half-mile physical team test or obstacle course in the san carrying numerous heavy objects, dragging heavy things, and going over and under things. You also have one minute of pullups for males and a flexed arm hang as long as you can stay over the bar for females.”
Sandoval said that he’s most proud of the perseverance of his cadets. He said that they put in a lot of work to come out on top.
“I mean we trained in the snow and in the rain,” Sandoval said. “We did thousands of pull-ups and thousands of pushups. We trained with 35-pound plate carriers which are vests that have armored plates on the front and on the back. Climbing ropes, doing pullups.”
Sandoval said that the recognition of their hard work feels wonderful. He said that through programs like JROTC, he’s helping kids learn skills that they can carry with them through life.
“And I know that if they can overcome the training to be able to do this, they’ll be able to overcome other obstacles they’ll endure in their lives,” Sandoval said. “It’s all about perseverance and resiliency and to keep going, to keep moving forward.”
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