Overview
The start of the drill season always presents an interesting challenge. With returning members primed to knock off the dust and get back to the grind AND brand new recruits who need to learn the basics, the early season can be tricky to deal with.
While it is always helpful to hold pre-season camps to help teach new members the basic skills they’ll need to succeed once the season begins, there is far too much to teach to cover in just a short pre-season camp.
Without a strong strategy going into the first real practices of the season, we run a dual risk:
Focusing so much on the new members that the returning ones don’t maximize their time at practice OR rushing to get the new ones trained at the expense of building strong, fundamental quality from the get-go.
Fortunately, we can use a very simple practice plan to address the needs of BOTH groups. Your returning members will stay engaged while honing into the fine details by way of teaching and your new members will learn in a manner that is both engaging, productive, and (hopefully) enjoyable enough to continue returning to practice despite the high learning curve drill team presents!
The Plan
BEFORE PRACTICE
- Key leaders (i.e. cadet commanders, etc.) MUST identify 2-3 key regulation drill skills to focus on teaching and 1-2 key exhibition drill skills to end practice with.
- Leaders should divide returning members into teaching pairs. Pairs should be chosen strategically for maximum productivity.
- Teaching pairs should be briefed on the key skills to be taught AND the standards the leaders should see when the new members have been taught successfully.
NEED FOR EVERY PRACTICE
- Bluetooth Speaker
- Rifles (If Applicable)
START OF PRACTICE
- Stretch to Drill Team Playlist
- SINGLE Lap Around Parking Lot
DURING PRACTICE
- Divide new members evenly amongst teaching pairs of returning members.
- In these small groups, start with the first key skill and work together to teach the new members. A length of time greater than 10 minutes but likely no more than 25 or so should be given to isolate this first skill.
- As teaching is taking place, key leaders should rotate between the groups monitoring for productivity, checking in on new members and their progress, and helping keep pace for the teaching teams.
- At the conclusion of this specified time, bring EVERYONE together in a mass formation to execute the skill practiced together. Returning members should be interspersed throughout the formation so that new members have a chance to experience what it feels like to execute their newfound skills alongside stronger drillers. Key leaders should monitor for UNDERSTANDING and ATTEMPTS at applying the information given in their short session, and explicitly NOT drill the team towards mastery. This is key. At this kind of practice, we’re looking for understanding, not execution quite yet.
- After this break out once more. Teaching pairs should rotate logically to a different group of new members and the process should be repeated but with the second skill. After the time has elapsed, work in a mass formation once more. Repeat as time allows for additional skills.
- With a limited amount of time remaining in practice, rotate the groups once more and switch to exhibition drill. Ending with exhibition skills, even basic ones, is by far the most engaging way to keep new members coming back for more. The skills you choose don’t have to be crazy or thorough. Learning a basic sequence or spin goes a long, long way to capping off practice feeling productive, energized, and excited to learn more!
AFTER PRACTICE
- MARCH back to JROTC area to simulate moving about at a competition!