The NFHS Raider Team is operated under the JROTC program at North Forsyth High School. Gunny Snook supervises the group as they compete as a military-style physical fitness team. They compete against other JROTC schools in upper body strength and endurance. There is an all-male team, an all-female team and a co-ed team. If they do well, they are able to compete at the state and national level.

On the weekend of Oct. 22, the Raider Team finished the season at the 2016 All-Service Raider Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. Competitors from various states came to compete in various activities. There were 17 schools from four Southeastern states that competed, and the North Forsyth High School team won three out of the nine trophies. “Things got a little wet and muddy,” says Karen Vincent, mother of a North Forsyth High School Raider Team competitor.

There are various levels that the Raider Team may compete at. “Each competition has different events. Most have an obstacle course, including jumping over hurdles, climbing walls and crawling under obstacles,” says James Vincent, sophomore at NFHS. “On one event we had to pull a Humvee across a parking lot,” recalls Vincent. “All these events are timed, and we can be penalized for mistakes we make.”

The Raider Team practices and practices, and it shows in competition. “I can tell you we usually place in the top three,” explains Vincent. Vincent also notes that the co-ed team only had a couple days to practice before the meet in October, and they placed fifth.

Vincent mentions that although he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to get to practice at 6 a.m., the “feeling of being a part of a family and the comradery” is worth it. This goes to show that hard work and dedication is always awarded in the end.