U.S. Army Cadet Command
Championships
QUESTION #1 - How Does Our Drill Unit Get Invited to Attend the Army Nationals?
All interested Army JROTC units wishing to apply for entry into the Army Nationals event can do so simply by being nominated to attend by your Brigade (ask your Brigade rep for details). Each Brigade is allocated a limited number of slots for the best teams from each to attend the competition. Other schools wishing to attend may register as a WILDCARD entry. These enties are considered only on a space-available basis. These may be schools that could not compete within their Brigade meet due to a scheduling issue or costs but would like to compete at the Army Nationals. All nominated schools are IMMEDIATELY accepted. All other schools must wait until mid-January to get an idea how many extra spaces will be available.
QUESTION #2 - What Determines Who Gets Accepted Into the Army Nationals?
As stated, Brigades nonminate their best and brightest. Other schools may applay to attend as well to fill the competition field. When the slots are full, the event is closed to new entries. Schools looking to attend should register on-line as soon as they know they can make the trip.
For wildcard entries, SNI takes in information and seeks teams who are looking to contend for an overall title FIRST. This means that schools entering all events needed to capture an overall title within either the Armed or Unarmed Division are given a priority over schools who are entering a few events. Therefore, if you are NOT planning to enter all events, it can be unlikely you will be accepted initially.
Other important criteria looked for include: overall team talent, extenuating circumstances that may have inhibited a top finish through Brigade competition(s), past champions or high finishers at other solid drill competitions, maintaining a solid geographic diversity, and keeping a diversity of team locations (urban, rural, suburban), and a mixture of armed and unarmed teams, and that is the recipe for a great Army Nationals competition field!
The final decision is left up to the U.S. Army Cadet Command as we simply gathe the information and make recommendations - they have the final say on entries.
QUESTION #3 - When Do We Find Out if our School has been Accepted to Attend?
Again, Nominated schools are IN! Immediately following the early December entry entry deadline, all wildcard entered schools will be evaluated and the competition committee for Sports Network International will look at making recomendations through early January. The final competition field should be posted to the Army Nationals website very shortly thereafter.
QUESTION #4 - How is the Date and Location Selected for the Army Nationals every year?
The dates and location for the Army Nationals has been set SOLELY by the USACC. They wanted a first-class venue with a solid, middle-of-the-country geographic location, decent late Spring weather, good air and land travel access, in nearby proximity to talented teams and solid judges. The date was selected to be the last Saturday in March....this will be known as the Army Nationals Saturday! This also gives the best teams from this event sufficient time to then go to Daytona Beach, Florida to compete within the all-service National High School Drill Team Championships the first weekend in May.
QUESTION #5 - Will the Army Championships Move to a Different Location within the U.S. Every Year?
In a word, no plans are in motion to make that happen. Production of an event the size and scope of the Army Nationals will make a move to a different location every year impractical, expensive, and will diminish the overall quality of the meet. While a move is not out-of-the-question in the future, the option of moving the event to a new location every year not something that is currently being discussed .
QUESTION #6 - What Drill Manual will the Schools Compete Under at the Army Nationals?
All events at the Army Nationals are held under the guidelines of Army Field Manual 3-21.5, with the few exceptions and changes made within the Army Nationals SOP.
QUESTION #7 - Do We Have to Enter Every Team Event?
There is no requirement that a team must enter all events within a competition division to attend the Army Nationals. However, with the huge interest from schools looking to capture an overall Eastern or Western Championships title, teams that are looking to enter just an event or two are very rarely accepted. Our first priority in accepting any team for entry is, are they competing for an overall title (a team entering all team events). If they are not, they go to the bottom of the pile of entrants. Therefore, we suggest any team serious about gaining entry look at entering and excelling in every team event within the division you are entering.
QUESTION #8 - Why does the Army Nationals not maintain Solo and/or Dual Exhibition competition?
Primarily, the sole focus of the the Army Nationals drill competitions are to find the finest all-around Army JROTC drill team in both Armed and Unarmed competition. The solo & dual competition is not scored toward the title at virtually any drill meet I have ever seen or heard of. It is presented to give individuals who have practiced, worked hard and excelled a place to showcase their best and brightest in an individual forum after the overall team competition has ended. While this competition may become a part of the event in the future, for now the event will focus on the team competition side of Army JROTC drill.
QUESTION #9 - The "No Crossing Over" Rule -- What Does That Mean?
Cadets may only compete on one TEAM at the Army Nationals. Therefore, while a single cadet may compete in each EVENT within a competition division, he/she may not compete for BOTH Armed and Unarmed teams. Teams found in violation of the this rule can be disqualified from the entire competition. ENSURE YOUR TEAM DOES NOT PLAN TO HAVE CADETS WHO ARE "CROSSING OVER", COMPETING IN TWO DIFFERENT DIVISIONS (i.e. both the Armed and the Unarmed events). The easiest way to understand this is to think of each team you enter as being from a separate school.
QUESTION #10 - What in the World is an "Unarmed" Color Guard?
The "Unarmed Division" of Color Guard DOES NOT mean that these units compete with no weapons! It simply means that the scores they generate count towards the overall team totals generated by their Unarmed Drill Team. The color guard units who enter the event with their Unarmed drill team maintain two rifles/two flags, and execute the same exact sequence as the "Armed" Division color guards do. Don't feel bad for asking -- we get this one a LOT!
QUESTION #11 - Why Are Trophy Placements Not Posted at the Event or at Least Posted on the Iinternet Throughout the Day of the Event?
Posting scores during the day makes the final trophy presentation that evening as boring as watching paint dry! If this meet were conducted as a "commuter meet", where all schools were nearby drive-in schools, compete and then drive home that afternoon/evening, as a courtesy to these teams, posting scores helps them get an early start back home.
Since almost every school will remain in town Saturday night and are required to attend the awards ceremony that evening, not providing the results in advance makes the Awards Ceremony very exciting. In fact, several individuals who initially complained about not having the scores posted contacted us afterwards and stated the cadets had a much better time at the ceremony. Since the Army Nationals event is FOR THE CADETS, this was welcome information.
QUESTION #12 - Where do you Buy the Gorgeous Trophies that are Presented at the Army Nationals?
Sports Network International constructs by hand all of the trophies that are presented all of our drill competitions. The component parts are bought from one of several trophy part suppliers here in the United States, cut or otherwise modeled into the correct size and shape, and then assembled. Complete construction for all of the trophies to include the plates that are a part of each trophy takes between 2-3 weeks. These trophies are among the most impressive available anywhere in yourh sports today. Thanks for asking, but to get one you have to win at the Army Nationals!
QUESTION #13 - When Does the Invitation and other Important Event Rules and Regulations become Finalized and How Can we Get a Copy?
The rules generally change little from year to year and are posted on the website very shortly after the invites are posted in September. The event SOP is posted in September as well. The entire School Folder is posted on-line generally in very early December to allow all schools that are accepted into the competition the ability to download and begin the completion of the paperwork process necessary to attend the event. These papers are found on the official Army Nationals Paperwork HQ.
QUESTION #14 - What is the Team Package Plan and Do I Have to Use It?
All cadets eligible to compete within the Army Nationals competition must attend through the Team Package Plan. This plan is optional for instructors and other adult team followers.
This plan is designed to ensure all cadets win or lose receive a first-class drill competition in a first-class facility. Each cadet will also receive treasured event mementos to remember their experience at the Army Nationals all at a very affordable cost.
The Team Package Plan Includes:
- Specially-minted Army Nationals bronze medallion on a chest ribbon
- Specially-designed Army Nationals t-shirt for all paying participants, ordered to size
- 8" X 10" color team photograph with custom event logo
The price of the Team Package Plan, as well as the low event registration cost, is kept very low due to the vast support of the United States Army Cadet Command. With a School Registration Fee of just $100, and a Team Package Cost of just $10 per cadet, the Army Nationals remains one of the finest bargains in the world of competitive drill.
QUESTION #15 - What About Parents, Chaperones, Instructors, etc. - Are They Required to Attend Through the Team Package Plan?
For the Army Nationals competition, only competing cadets are required to attend the event and stay through the Team Package Plan - this rule in non-changeable. Many other team followers including bus drivers, school administrators, JROTC instructors, parents and other team followers often elect to stay through the Team Package Plan so they may receive the same items the cadets receive, but it is not required.
QUESTION #16 - We Want to Get a Ballpark Cost for the Trip -- What Should We Consider?
There are several factors that any school should consider when trying to estimate a cost to attend the Nationals. Several of the most important things to consider are: Transportation, Food, Lodging, and the Team Package Costs.
Transportation: Teams traveling from any great distance must decide whether they will drive or fly. Teams that fly to the Army Nationals must make arrangements for local transportation not only to and from the airport, but to an from the competition site. Along with the cost factor, this is why most teams bus to the Army Nationals.
Food: Meals are plentiful, varied and reasonably priced. Both venues have literally HUNDREDS of family dinner chains, fast-food places, as well as cafeterias and all-you-can-eat restaurants. Most teams have found that you can comfortably feed your cadets for $12 per day, per person.
Lodging: Billets are plentiful and varied, and are best explained on our Billeting home pages generally found on the event main page.
Team Package Plan: The price of the Team Package Plan is simple to figure - $10 per cadet. It is a real bargain and is heavily subsidized by the United States Army Cadet Command to make the event very affordable for those wishing to be a part of the event.
QUESTION #17 - Does Our Team Have to Arrive in Town on Friday Night. Can't We Just Show Up and Compete on Saturday sometime?
You may arrive in town any time you wish. Hotel listings are on the website to assist teams looking to make overnight reservations with reasonable rates. The competition start times will be preposted in advance on the website so that any school may plan their arrival. While it may be tough to compete straight off of a long bus ride, when you arrive is your concern only as there will be no "Commander's Call" or other official meeting to attend and plan around.
However, all schools on arrival Saturday morning will check in at the event Registration Desk. At this time, any last-minute information will be presented, as well as all of the school's shirts, medallions and team photo paperwork. The event will maintain a closing Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening following the competition that will be required attendance for all attending schools. Please check your Team Folder for exact times and locations.
QUESTION #18 - We Still Have Questions -- What Should We Do?
If your question relates to the Army Nationals competition in any way, your best bet is to contact Sports Network International at 386/274-1919 or email - Sports Network International
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