DTD Coach Matt Wendling explains the facets of running an effective drill team practice in this video.
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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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
A few weeks ago, we focused on cadet commanders and how they can work to improve in their role. But what about the rest of the team? Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, these guidelines should help you become the best drill team member you can be! Remember – it’s not always about you. It’s about the TEAM!
Even if you’ve been on the team for several years, be the first to volunteer to help. Remember, there is no job too menial and don’t take on the mentality that you’re “above” any particular task. Our best drill team cadets were the ones who actively volunteered to help at every turn. Be a servant leader that others can count on to be there for the team. If you’re brand new, volunteer for everything! Don’t miss an opportunity or corps event. Get involved and make yourself as useful as you can. No matter how much experience you have, everyone respects someone who is always available to lend a hand!
This one goes out to all the returning drill team cadets out there. If you see someone on the team struggling, rather than lord your talent over them or belittle them, be the kind of leader that takes time out of their day to help them. See someone struggling to learn to spin? Volunteer to help them out. Someone confused on certain commands? Work with them. Use what you’ve learned to grow and mentor those around you. Everyone respects someone who is willing to go out of their way to be a resource to the team. All of our Coaches remember that one upperclassman who went out of their way to help them in a time of need. Be that person to someone else.
Rumors and drama are a natural consequence of bringing so many diverse people together so closely for such a long period of time. As such, you can be the first line of defense in stopping drama that might otherwise cripple the team. While everyone needs to vent their feelings once and a while, you can be the one to put a stop to any passive aggressive behavior or rumor starting. The easiest way? Simply refuse to engage in negative conversation about someone else on the team. You could start your reply with something as simple as, “Have you talked to them about this issue?” Imagine a drill team where everyone actively worked to PREVENT drama instead of giving into the temptation to indulge and spread it.
Things aren’t always going to go your way. You’re going to get passed over for jobs you may be qualified for. You’re going to get less than you feel you rate. You’re going to feel overlooked, let down, and under-appreciated. Someone else is going to get credit for your hard work. The biggest lessons in JROTC and on drill team sometimes come from how you respond to these situations. Work hard because it’s the right thing to do for those around you, not to earn recognition or rank. Serve others to earn their respect, not to attain a particular position. Sometimes, things on drill team aren’t fair. But if you can grow a thick skin, accept it for what it is, and continue to be a positive force for good, you will have a MUCH better experience overall!
Talent and experience aren’t the primary qualities of an amazing drill team cadet. The willingness of each cadet to be coached and to take constructive criticism and apply it (see point 4) are the hallmarks of the best drill team cadets. Don’t ever assume you know it all. Take criticism and apply it. Be willing to put aside your personal ego and pride for the betterment of the group. A coachable drill team cadet is one who never needs to be told the same thing twice. They never talk back to anyone. Instead, they wait until the appropriate time to address any grievances privately. Too often, we forget that no amount of talent or ability can replace a good attitude and the team needs a cadet with great attitude before they need one with great talent.
Every year, incoming members join your unit’s ranks. How well you train them will largely determine how successful you will be during the course of the year! While there are many approaches to training cadets trying out drill team for the first time, here are some of the things that have helped us along the way! Check back next week for more drill team information! And feel free to leave a question in the comments below. Our goal is to help you succeed!
You work hard for hours on end. You endure heat, cold, rain, and angry instructors. Your hands hurt. Your knees hurt. You’re tired. You haven’t seen your family since drill season started. And at the end of the road is the ever-looming drill competition. Follow this advice as you head into your next drill competition. In many ways, you set yourself up for success or failure before you even hit the deck!
As soon as you’ve solidified your drill meet schedule with your instructors, you should be banging down the door asking for a copy of the SOP (standard operating procedures) or LOI (letter of instruction). This document contains all relevant information for your unit’s participation. It should outline clearly all drill cards, drill floor sizes, timing specifics, and any additional rules/regulations to follow during the competition. Even if you’ve been to the competition the year prior, you should still review the newest version before heading into competition. Team commanders should read the SOP but so should squad leaders. Squad leaders should brief their squads so it doesn’t hurt for EVERYONE on the team to have read it!
As you read the SOP, make a list of questions you have. Perhaps the SOP doesn’t specify when timing in exhibition starts and stops. This can be huge. If it starts at your first organized movement, your time is very different than if timing begins when the team reports in. As you make a list of these questions, compare notes with your squad leaders. Now, take your list of questions to your instructor. They may make the call to the event director and get clarification for you. They might have you make the call and request the answers to the questions as well. This a great opportunity to develop leadership and professional communication skills. Document the answers received and keep them with the SOP.
As you arrive at the competition site, event commanders should immediately go observe their respective drill areas. By doing so, you can determine much valuable information. Is the drill area the same size as was depicted in the SOP? If not, it’s time to politely request a review of the floor size and/or entry and exit points. You can also determine the rank of the judges and properly brief the team. If the meet is multi-service, be sure to look up any rank insignias you don’t recognize. This is also a time to see how the judges are interacting with the teams currently competing. Inspection is much less stressful when you know to expect from the judges. Be sure to be professional and polite but move with a sense of urgency and take in everything you can!
Good teams practice entry through exit. Great teams practice how to move to and from the drill areas so that they’re always prepared and organized in the minds of the judges. The team that commands “Dismissed!” and immediately falls out on the edge of the floor looks far less organized than the team that continues to execute organized marching movements from the time the judges first see them to the time they march away from the area. The time to wipe sweat, talk about what happened, or relax is far away from the drill area. This way, the judging corps only ever sees you locked on. You should spend time at practice simulating marching up to the drill area, falling in, and exiting the drill area so it’s not a surprise on game day!
Many teams take on the philosophy of ramping up practice as the day of the meet draws closer. If you look at any other activity – sports, music, theater, etc. – you would see that the time leading into the competition is actually less stressful than in previous weeks/months. By the time you’re within a week or two of the competition, your focus should switch from getting everything done to cleaning everything up and spending time practicing PERFORMANCE. This means you’re doing more full maintenance runs of each card to ensure that the team is prepared to execute from start to finish. You’re doing your best to simulate performance conditions through visualization. What you AREN’T doing is pushing quite as hard – that time has come and gone. The week leading into the meet is about sustaining and maintaining the level you’ve achieved through your past weeks of hard work.
Hopefully your team is already implementing some of these items! We want to hear from you via our Facebook page, our Instagram (@drillteamdynamics), our our website here! Best of luck this season!
The best drill teams are those who create a family atmosphere whether on the drill deck or off. Here are 5 simple ways to help bond together!
If you’re like most drill teams, you know there are certain groups of friends or certain cliques who just stick together. Start by breaking these down at practice. When you don’t allow anyone the opportunity to group together because you’re sitting together as a team at lunch, for instance, you’re one step closer to bringing EVERYONE together. It won’t be well received at first. But be encouraging, not demeaning. Invite everyone to gather together before and after practice as well as during any down time during the day. Being inclusive and bringing everyone together and closer in proximity is a great way to start!
When we go to train at most schools, we ask a simple question: Do y’all spend time together as a team outside of practice? Most of the time, the answer is, “no.” Start by organizing simple get-togethers. Make sure you invite EVERYONE. This can backfire really quick if you leave anyone out – regardless of whether you like them or not. This is the only time we’d tell you that vegging on movies all day or hanging out at Whataburger can actually make you BETTER at drill! When you get to know each other as people – and not just cadets or drillers – you start to build an appreciation for what everyone brings to the drill deck.
What does your team do that makes it cool or unique? Do you all wear matching team gear? Do you have a handshake? Does each drill team member have some significant pin/bow/ribbon/etc.? Do you have a team chant or motto? As a team, you need something to rally around. You want something to make every member of the team want to continue to be part of the team. Start thinking about things you can do with all members of the team to stand out in your school and in your community.
When everyone feels empowered and part of the team’s goals, everyone gets stronger. Don’t get us wrong – we are NOT saying to “baby” anyone. But creating a culture where everyone understands their individual responsibilities to the team and how their actions contribute to the benefit of the group is very healthy and keeps everyone feeling part of the group!
Practice should be fun. That doesn’t mean you aren’t working hard but don’t forget that you do enjoy drill and the people you’re with! This will be most difficult in the middle of the season when tempers are short and patience is low. Sometimes it’s important to take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember to not take yourself so seriously. Work hard, work smart, but don’t lose sight of the fact that drill is (or should be) your “happy place!”
No matter how many hours a day you practice, there still doesn’t every seem to be quite enough time! The best units are those that learn that sometimes, working HARDER means working SMARTER. Use these 5 strategies to maximize your practice time!
Let’s do some math. Your “average” break during drill team practice is 5 minutes, right? “Take 5!” you hear constantly. But after you get everyone back on the floor and drilling again, we’re willing to bet that 5 minutes is more like 8-9 minutes. So let’s call that 10 minutes per break. Now, imagine you’re snapping and popping and really hitting it hard. You take 10 minutes off and it’ll take another 10 minutes to fire back up to that high level. Now, your 5 minute break has cost you 20 minutes. You take 2 breaks per practice because, well, it’s only 5 minutes, right? Now you’ve effectively burned 40 minutes. Let’s say your average practice is 2 hours long. By taking just 2 “5-minute” breaks, you’ve gone from having 2 hours of solid drill time to just barely over an hour. Now, multiply this by, let’s say, 5 days a week. That’s OVER THREE HOURS per week you’ve spent NOT drilling. Now multiply that by a whole season and you’ll have spent a ton of literally 24-hour DAYS just “taking 5.”We operate on a system of “Gush ‘n Go” breaks. You fall out, you run to your water source, you hydrate thoroughly, and you run back into your spot. This process should take no more than 1-2 minutes and should involve active motion 100% of the time. This eliminates down-time AND keeps the team focused.
If you wanted to be the star basketball player, would you only touch a ball during practice? If you wanted to become the first chair player in the band, would you only play your instrument during class? Of course not. You would do everything you could OUTSIDE of practice to come prepared to focus on the team or the band or whatever metaphor you want to choose. For some reason, we treat drill as something we can only do during practice. Now, we aren’t talking about spinning rifles at home. There are plenty of habits you can implement to make sure practice time is team time and not individual time. Set the expectation, for instance, that each cadet perform 25 repetitions of each rifle manual movement found on the drill card each day. If we’re being honest, you’re already coming to the JROTC area and may or may not be doing productive things in that time. Make it a game: get a partner and for the first 5 reps, respectfully correct one another. Then, for the next 20 reps, challenge each other to see who can do them the sharpest and most precise. Walk down the hall with good posture. Sit up straight in class. Flank down the aisles at the grocery store. You must be willing to be a nerd about getting better at drill. When each member is prepared BEFORE practice, you have more time to spend working on things as a team instead of remediating individual skills.
Many teams come to the drill deck and decide on the spot what to work on. When you do this, you have no idea how long it’ll take to meet the goal and you may be wasting valuable time deciding what to do instead of DOING it. Your practices should be scheduled and daily goals should be set in advance. Have a plan for if you accomplish your goals with time to spare. Have a plan if you don’t quite get everything you need done accomplished. Post and communicate the plan. Brief the plan before during and after practice. If you know how your time should be spent, you’ll know if you’re spinning your wheels or really making progress. Begin with the end in mind. By the end of practice, what do you want to see the team able to accomplish? Now structure your goals to reach this goal. Goal-oriented practice is effective practice.
When one of our Coaches says their practice begins at 1530, they mean, “Drill Team, Attention!” at 1530 and NOT show-up-grab-your-stuff-change-your-clothes-use-the-head-take-roll at 1530. Allot a reasonable amount of time before practice, given your school location, to do the following: leave class, put away your things, change into proper clothing, draw rifles, take roll, etc. This way, when practice begins, you know it’ll be actual time on the drill deck. Do everything you need to do BEFORE practice starts. Many teams burn hours a week on roll call and getting ready when the best teams have done all this in advance of the designated start-time. You want to minimize your time prepping and maximize your time DRILLING.
What does this mean? Well, a few things. Firstly, no cell phones should be at practice. This doesn’t mean putting them in your pocket. It means ensuring at the start of the season that all parents and/or guardians have the instructor’s number and then collecting phones in a single location before practice. Every time you glance at your phone is a moment you’re losing focus on drill. Besides, you don’t need to worry about Mom needing to get a hold of you because she already has the instructor’s phone number handy to make sure you get any emergency messages, right? It’s hard but lose the phones. Another major distraction is sitting down. Yes, sitting down. We like to say that sitting down is the enemy of getting back up. When you sit, you naturally tune out and lose focus. Avoid it at all costs. Lastly, avoid extended breaks (notice a trend) that allow for conversation to deviate from drill-related and productive discussion. If you notice it happening, immediately move to stop it. Remaining focused means you’ll spend no time RE-focusing the team towards the goal!
We hope this information is a good start! We want to hear from you via our Facebook page, our Instagram account (@drillteamdynamics), and via our website here!
Starting the school year can be stressful! Especially when you’ve recently been named the Cadet Commander for your team. Thankfully, you can manage the stress – and loneliness – of the commander spot starting with these 5 helpful guidelines!
This means communication at ALL levels. You must actively communicate with your instructors, your fellow returning cadets, as well as with your new cadets. Communication builds relationships and relationships are the lifeblood of a drill team. Start by sitting down with your fellow upperclassmen or fellow cadet leaders. As a group, determine your goals for the team and outline what you, as the cadet commander, expect from the team in the coming year. Decide collectively on a set of expectations and then communicate those expectations to the team. When you’ve communicated professionally and actively, you’ll have assistance on the practice deck. The best cadet commanders have built relationships that make their job that much easier when it comes to maintaining work ethic and discipline during the long drill season!
What does this mean? It means treating everyone who comes out for drill team – regardless of experience, age, or class – with dignity and respect. It means treating everyone on the team with firmness, fairness, dignity, and compassion. In our activity, every single member makes a difference. Even if you may have been looked down upon or treated poorly as a freshman, you can break that cycle. There are too many other teams looking to take your unit down collectively for you to spend time putting down your own members. In addition, many teams have come unglued due to poor treatment of freshmen. A knowledgable, confident, strong new member is an asset to the team. One who feels constantly degraded, forced to “earn their keep”, and put through poor treatment will underperform for a longer amount of time. Additionally, this means breaking down existing “cliques” (or groups) within your drill team. Force everyone to sit together and/or mingle whether they want to or not. Invite EVERYONE – not just your friends or those you like – to partake in drill team outings. You don’t have to like the individual but you must extend the invitation to be part of the family. And besides, you might get to know someone better that you might’ve written off otherwise. Inclusivity is a key trait for success.
Create and communicate your daily practice goals and plan well in advance of each practice. Spend a moment briefing the team on your plan prior to practice. Constantly reiterate throughout practice WHY you’re practicing what and how you are. A commander who is organized and comes every day with a plan of action is one who is respected and one who works less hard on maintaining focus. When the goal is clear and communicated, the team can better understand why they’re doing constant repetitions. Work one-on-one with your coach or instructor to help develop your goals and daily plans. We recommend writing and posting the goals for the day in the JROTC area for all drill team cadets to view throughout the day. That way, everyone – most importantly YOU – comes to practice prepared!
Drama, lack of focus, and other issues arise at practices where cadets are not fully engaged 100% of the time from start to finish. You, as the commander, must set a pace and a flow to practice that forces everyone to be moving constantly. Moreover, if you call a command without a piece of feedback, you’ve wasted time and lost engagement. For every single repetition, you MUST have 1) something for the team and/or individuals to sustain and 2) something for the team and/or individuals to improve upon for the next rep. If you notice attention spans wandering, move the team, move their physical position, or change gears to another practice goal. Physical motion stops the mind from wandering – be decisive and constantly active! Commanders who run practice with a sense of urgency and drive avoid downtime that leads to in-fighting and other destructive habits.
As the commander, you MUST be the most energetic cadet on the deck every day, at all times. Your energy level is always reflected in the team’s which means if you’re at a 10, they’re likely at a 7-8. However, if you show up to practice at 5, you can bet they’ll be hanging around 2-3. You WILL be tired. You WILL be frustrated. You WILL have other attentions outside of drill. You WILL get upset. You WILL be agitated. But you must exude energy and positivity 100% of the time you’re in front of the team. Even if you don’t feel it, fake it until you make it. It’s hard to be a Debbie Downer around someone who is upbeat and positive. Your energy level must be through the roof to achieve the best results. You can show this in your body language, your words, and your actions. Get excited. Change positions – constantly. Run from place to place. Motivate. You are the commander and you’re no longer allowed to be tired, bored, hurting, or apathetic. You must be a ball of energy from start to finish. You can sleep at home!
We at Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. want to wish you the a great drill season! Remember, we are here as a resource via our website, our Facebook page, and our Instagram (@drillteamdynamics)!
Originally published Glendale Parade Store‘s Bugler newsletter. To sign up for email updates from Glendale Parade Store via The Bugler, CLICK HERE!
At the end of the day, nothing replaces time spent marching on the drill deck. Most highly successful units practice 5-6 days a week putting in hours comparable to a part-time job. While this might not be an immediate reality for many developing programs, creating a multi-year plan to add practice time to your unit’s schedule will have successful results when implemented properly. Some units offer Drill Team as an elective for participating students utilizing PE/Dance State Standards. Other units split practice between morning and afternoon sessions. If you’re serious about improvement, finding time to practice is a must!
The best drill team units know that effective practice means eliminating down-time. By maintaining constant engagement at all times – driven by clearly communicated daily goals – the drama, the in-fighting, and the horse-play are all minimized simply because there is no time for it when the goal is clear. The cadet commander and coach should collaborate in advance of each practice to determine the physical practice goals for that day. Then, post those goals on the office or armory door for all members to see throughout the day. When practice begins, restate those goals and work hard towards them! This seems like a no-brainer but many teams often simply go outside and run through their routines stopping occasionally to fix mistakes. A goal-driven team is a more successful one!
Top drill team units leave NOTHING to chance. They pack extra EVERYTHING and they certainly don’t rely upon cadets to show up in their uniforms. The fact of the matter is that cadets exercise personal responsibility setting up their uniforms each week for class. For the competitive drill team, uniform preparation is a science with teams of cadets assigned to each individual rank, accoutrement, and award to ensure that every uniform is the same from cadet to cadet. Shoes are shined well in advance and double-checked for consistency. Uniforms are fit and tailored and many units have a separate “Inspection-Only” uniform maintained to perfection and stored at the unit. In the weeks leading up to a major competition, championship teams spend as much time preparing as they do practicing because they know the difference it makes!
Top instructors know that an LOI or SOP is a document meant to be read and dissected. Anyone who tells you there isn’t strategy in even something as “mundane” as Regulation Drill isn’t being truthful; as coaches, we obsess over the minor details. Does the competition not mandate a specific entry/exit point? We ask ourselves, “How can we do things differently – yet correctly – to stand out in the field?” When it comes to exhibition drill, the most innovative routines are always a collaboration between instructor and cadets. Be confident in your vision: even if you don’t know how to spin a rifle or slap yourself silly, you probably have some creative ideas that your cadets can bring to life on the floor with their skills!
Competitive JROTC drill is an ever-evolving field driven to new heights each year by the excellence on display at the nation’s top competitions. What worked even 5 years ago might be woefully outdated today. The best drill team coaches are always willing to adapt to this ever-changing field and apply what is successful for the benefit of the cadets in their charge. The phrases, “We’ve always done it this way.” or “I like it like this.” are the enemies of success when those methods consistently fail to deliver results. The BEST thing you can do for your cadets is be aware of the changing trends in competitive drill to maximize their efforts!
This is the first article in a series. Watch for the second in the series later in the spring.
Matthew Wendling is a former AFJROTC cadet and two-time World Champion driller turned professional drill team coach. As a middle school English teacher, Wendling contributed to multiple championship drill team units where his efforts as an assistant coach culminated in back-to-back National Championship titles in both 2013 and 2014. After leaving the classroom to serve Glendale Parade Store as a Regional Representative, Wendling continues to work as a consultant to multiple championship middle school and high school drill team programs. He is a founding member of the Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. drill team training organization. If you would like to reach Matt, you can contact him at matthew@glendale.com.
With the expansion of professional development opportunities and on-site training workshops offered by companies such as Drill-Team Dynamics Inc., there are many ways to stay current. Many districts will accept professional development hours for attending events like Drill-Team Dynamics’ Instructor Seminars where instructors are taught best-practices by other instructors who have spent years developing their own programs.
You can learn more about Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. Instructor Seminars and sign up today by visiting Drill-Dynamics.com. Registration is $350 for the first instructor and each subsequent instructor receives a $50 discount on this fee. With your registration, any number of cadets are eligible to attend this 2-day training for only $25 per cadet. Their separate training is designed to supplement yours!
Glendale outfits honor guards, color guards, and drill units. Visit our site for the best in parade and drill equipment and for uniform accessories at http://www.ParadeStore.com.
Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. is a proud partner of Glendale Parade Store.
Are you ready to take your drill team unit to the next level? Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. Instructor Seminars are your gateway to the world of competitive drill!
10) It’s the MOST AFFORDABLE, BEST professional development you’ll find anywhere!
EXCLUSIVE registration discounts are available for a LIMITED TIME ONLY! Register by 31 May 2016 and use promo code EARLYBIRD to receive 10% off your total registration fees! There is no better offering out there and we understand that fundraising is an extremely important aspect of your program! Now is the time to take advantage of these savings!
9) You’ll learn the “secrets” of CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION!
“Secrets” is in quotes because we believe there are none! We will share with you everything we’ve learned about successfully preparing a drill team unit towards competition in an open, candid format that encourages questions and dialog! We PROMISE you will walk away with more tools for your toolbox!
8) You’ll be surrounded by others just like YOU!
You have questions – so do your peers! Our seminars are designed to bring together instructors to share their experiences so that ALL attendees grow together! Our goal is to bring instructors together to learn and grow!
7) We cover EACH PHASE of drill!
You’ll experience training in Regulation, Inspection, Color Guard, and Exhibition. From strategies in Inspection to the creation of Exhibition routines, you’ll learn what goes into each phase of competition. We leave no stone unturned in an effort to best prepare your cadets for success!
6) Training is both conceptual and HANDS ON!
That’s right. We want you to walk away with a deeper appreciation for what your cadets do on the drill deck! So you’ll learn the physical teaching techniques that cause top units to snap and pop with power and precision. Who knows…You might just walk away being able to spin a rifle! One thing is for sure: you will understand how to best communicate and teach drill movements to this generation of cadets!
5) You’re building a NETWORK!
Not only are we always here to assist you from the time you leave the Seminar, but you’ll have made contacts with many area instructors and will be ready to share resources towards a better, more competitive drill circuit! What’s more, attending gives you access to a full range of Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. on-site training services!
4) Two Words: PROFESSIONAL. DEVELOPMENT.
Many districts accept the 16 hours of professional development credit offered towards your accumulation of continued education hours! You could spend that time in another death-by-Power Point lecture or you could be learning about the most FUN and REWARDING aspect of your job: coaching and mentoring cadets towards successful futures!
3) Anyone of ANY experience level will benefit!
Whether you’re entering your first school year as a JROTC instructor or you’ve been doing this for 20 years, the Seminar will benefit you and your cadets! Drill is constantly evolving and we stay on the cutting edge for a reason: to better prepare programs to succeed.
2) Seminars are taught by a select group of CURRENT AND FORMER JROTC INSTRUCTORS!
Not only will you learn from our own highly skilled corps of trainers, instruction will primarily be delivered by individuals with a strong history of building and sustaining successful JROTC programs. This isn’t learning delivered second-hand from civilians: this is knowledge straight from the source!
1) CADETS CAN ATTEND, TOO!
Instructor Seminars are meant to be collaborative! Just like in any successful drill unit, the understanding between instructor and cadets can make or break a program! While the instructors are engaged, cadets will learn from our staff of Coaches in a learning lab SECOND TO NONE! Bring your commanders, your leaders, your upperclassmen! You’ll start the school year on the same page!
So what are you waiting for? Learn more and sign up TODAY!