Recruiting can be one of the toughest parts of maintaining a successful drill team. After all, you need new members each you to continue a viable and sustainable legacy. We understand that with the change in our society and culture, drill team is something that appeals to fewer and fewer individuals with each passing year. Drill team doesn’t bring with it the feeling of instant accomplishment that other teams might bring. No matter how physically fit or coordinated you are, you’ll still struggle with drill to some degree. Drill isn’t something that can be learned and perfected quickly – it takes dedication, time, and self-discipline. In short, drill team represents everything we, as a society, try to avoid on a daily basis. But that also means that it’s just THAT much more important to make it appealing to prospective new members. The lessons learned and bonds formed through drill are well worth the effort and sacrifice required!
1. Get Them Early!
The best thing you can do to increase recruiting is to visit your middle schools and perform. The opportunity to show off the “cool factor” of what JROTC does is invaluable. Many of our Coaches were hooked on drill well before they got to high school because of a well-performed demonstration. Make sure that you prepare for these performances, too. Just because the audience isn’t comprised of Drill Sergeants doesn’t mean that your preparation should be any less intense. Most drillers who were recruited in middle school remember the AURA or FEELING of their team as they marched in to perform. They remember the snap and pop or the crisp uniforms. Your first impression should be polished and well-practiced. Many of us will never forget the first time we saw our first drill team perform. Strive to create that memory for your incoming freshmen.
2. Recruit Off the Bench!
If your school is like many we’ve visited, JROTC is typically known as a place for those who don’t fit in elsewhere. However, don’t let this assumption stop you from recruiting top athletic talent. As Coaches, we actively spent time recruiting from the second-string or JV sports teams. Why? These students are in excellent physical shape – maybe just not quite as much as the varsity players. They’re experienced in practice and work ethic. And more than likely, they want a shot to COMPETE and to do more than warm the bench for an entire season. Our pitch was simple: You could play second string on the _____ team all season or you could come to JROTC and be a varsity athlete with the opportunity to travel, compete, and earn your letter. Don’t neglect this resource!
3. Bring a Friend!
The best recruiter for any program is YOU – the cadets! Some of our Coaches only became involved in drill because they had persistent friends who continued to ask them to come participate. Sometimes, a simple request is all someone needs to make the leap and try something new. We like to create environments that allow cadets to bring their friends to practice. You should brief the team on their pitch and then task them with bringing someone to practice who hasn’t been before. When you do this, don’t spend that practice outside at attention for 2 hours straight working on the minutia of Left Face. Do something that is team-orietented, teaches drill concepts, and is ENJOYABLE so those people who come to practice want to come back next time!
4. Bring Them to a Meet!
As MSgt Ken Madden says at our Instructor Seminars, once he’s able to bring a prospective cadet along to a drill meet, he has them hooked for good. Seeing a team prepare and compete is exciting and the feeling of accomplishment is contagious. Of course, this relies on your team working hard to meet their goals, being organized and decisive in their meet execution, and being inclusive in allowing others into the team’s culture. Sometimes, it’s the cadet who was convinced to come along and help take pictures who finds themselves falling in love with what the team does. Sometimes, the cadet who came along simply to help with uniforms and equipment becomes your star regulation driller by the end of the year. We’ve seen it happen and it works. Encourage cadets from the program to come to an early drill meet to see what the team is really about on game day!
5. Get Good!
The best recruiting tool is success. People want to be successful. They want to involve themselves in things that make them successful. They seek out activities and teams known for their success. Every practice is really a recruiting opportunity in that you’re working hard to achieve the goals you’ve set forth. Every moment wasted on in-fighting, he-said-she-said, or laziness is one more reason someone SHOULDN’T want to join your team. Work with urgency and efficiency knowing that the more successful the team is, the more others will gravitate towards it. Top programs around the country must still recruit but it’s much easier when the team is already a shining star in the district. You want to create excellence at every practice and performance so that someday, your reputation will be your recruiting.
We hope this information has been helpful to you! We want to hear what tactics YOU use for recruiting! Post a comment below and follow us on Instagram (@drillteamdynamics) for even more drill content!
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