After struggling with the experience of virtual competitions HP is excited to resume normal competition. photo by Dustin Bailey
In a competitive environment, JROTC’s Honor Platoon Learns to Adapt to Covid-19 Changes.
During the past few years, the experience of being on Thomas Jefferson High School’s JROTC’s Honor Platoon team has been dubious at best due to COVID-19. One of the challenges the team heavily faced last year was competing during a virtual season. Their performances have been outstanding, despite a few setbacks. The attempt of recruiting new members has been especially hard with the return of in-person learning.
Last year, the team faced many challenges that affected their presentation, aspects of their competitions, and the team itself overall. Due to these newfound challenges, the girls and the coaches have found that it has taken a toll on them. The team is finding it difficult to recruit new girls from the underclassmen. They have to recruit new members in order to ensure a smooth transition of the team after the upcoming graduation of senior co-captains.
Major Dennis Campbell describes the team as being, “formatted into a competition like configuration. We really focus on competitions.” This is highly important to notice, due to the team competing in states including: Florida, Texas, Virginia, and as of this year possibly California.
Campbell revisits the coronavirus experience with the team and virtual competition as bittersweet. “We had a really good team the year before, we already qualified for Nationals and we were set. Last year, we had a really strong team. We were invited back to Army Nationals, but unfortunately the district didn’t allow us to travel, so it was particularly hard for us because we travel all over the country, and that was just something we could not do.” As a team that is made to compete, it was very unfortunate for Campbell, Chief Charles Gaines, and Sergeant Scott Johns, to expect a competitive season and be denied the opportunity to participate in one.
Since 2019, the team has changed drastically due to COVID-19. Concerns surrounding competitions have been reduced as they are far and wide spread regionally and nationally. The team still has the opportunity to travel, however, most of the team’s energy and size has gone down exponentially. They are incredibly grateful for the seniors who stuck around during the online season. Senior Zoey Portillo described the team as a family that she was able to bond with immediately. Having the seniors stay and help out with the team last year was incredibly valuable to the new girls and coaches.
This year, however, is different from previous years. Now in-person competitions are back, getting approval from Denver Public Schools has never been harder. The team still has high expectations and hopes to get to at least one out of state competition this year. Campbell and the girls express their concerns pertaining to COVID-19 restrictions and the competition season, nevertheless, as the season is progressing there are fewer concerns.
The girls are extremely excited for the upcoming season, “I feel like it would be just an amazing experience, I love that we are all bonding,” expressed Sophomore Raine Treacy. The team is adjusting quite well to new Coronavirus protocols and being together once again in an in-person environment. There are quite a few new members that are anxious for the new season to come. The captains are extremely proud of the new girls and returning members who stuck by the team during continuous rough patches they have experienced throughout the past three years.
Over the next season the team hopes for the opportunity to compete and travel. Since everything is progressing well right now the team believes that competing and traveling again can be seen in the near future. Since competing is the sole purpose of the team it is crucial that team members work their hardest and do as much as possible, in order to finally compete after not doing so over the span of three years.
