GENERAL INFORMATION on the NATIONALS
The NHSDTC remains the oldest, largest and finest all-service drill & ceremony competition annually assembled in sunny Daytona Beach, Florida. Sponsored for decades by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, "the Grand Nationals" as this legendary event has grown to be

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recognized features school-aged drill & ceremony units of all ability levels and from all of the four service branches. The finest judges brought in specially for this event, along with the premiere, first-class beach front venue, hotels and surroundings, combined with the finest awards and competition mementoes, give the Nationals the type of overall ambiance that simply cannot be replicated anywhere in the world of school-based athletics. The Grand Nationals remain an unparalleled weekend of military excellence. Over 180,000 cadets, instructors and parents have attended the NHSDTC competition for over 35 years. While a few smaller meets have tried to replicate what is presented to your youngsters at the Nationals (often to disappointment when the advanced promises don't meet up with the low-budget reality), there is no experience within JROTC that can match the buzz and excitement that is maintained all weekend at the NHSDTC! Hosted by National event leader Sports Network International, we urge you to think about the benefits your program could gain through ending your year attending the Nationals as a competitor or as a spectator.

Learn more on the: NATIONALS DRILL CAMP It could shape your JROTC career forever

The NHSDTC competition is really many competitions wrapped into one amazing weekend. There is literally something for every school looking to attend! Day one of the event on Friday features the CHALLENGE LEVEL COMPETITION for drill teams who are newer or far less competitive. Also, schools looking to attend with just a color guard do so in the Open Level Color Guard competition HELD IN 2018 AND BEYOND ON SATURDAY of the competition weekend. As the title suggests, color guards of all abilities compete together in this patriotic display of color guard excellence. And if drill is only part of your awesome program, schools are encouraged to look at bringing an ATHLETIC or FITNESS TEAM to the NATIONAL JROTC FITNESS CHALLENGE listed below.

The Masters Level competition for teams with lightweight rifles or armed teams with large coed/female numbers on the floor, as well as all of the finest DEMIL armed and unarmed teams competing together in their own competition divisions beginning Saturday. Literally scores and scores of amazing performances are seen by the thousands of spectators at all levels of competition in all corners of the building during the 2-day Masters Level event! Also held on Day Two of the weekend is the Unarmed Dual Exhibition competition. All solo & dual events during the Nationals maintain competitors from competing schools, as well as independent competitors traveling from everywhere in a "stand alone" fashion giving these event a hugely talented pool of competitors. Lastly on Day Two, the World Drill Championships are held on the main floor of the Nationals. This event generally features post high school, professional drillers competing for prize money in both the solo exhibition arena, as well as the "Special" Category (for groups of 2-4 competitors. Also held just outside the doors of the Ocean Center Arena a few blocks away on the beach is the inaugural National JROTC Fitness Challenge Championships This competition is held during the Nationals weekend. This one-day competition will have schools competing in arduous team tasks to best test their strength, strategy, stamina and overall fitness! We expect to have several schools competing in both the drill part of the Nationals as well as the Fitness competition and the schedules will allow for just that! Check the website for details on how your school can enter this exciting competition.

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The final competition day of the Nationals Weekend event continues the Masters Level competition for all teams on Sunday. The bulk of the competition day is exhibition drill of all shapes and sizes from solo & dual armed events, to squad/element and flight/platoon drill in front of thousands. These events also have "stand alone" entries of cadets who have sometimes traveled thousands of miles to compete against the "best of the best"! When these competitions maintain over 40 entries, pool play is used with the top finishers going head to head in a final medal round event. Day 3 of the Nationals remains. All solo & dual events during the Nationals maintain competitors from competing schools, as well as independent competitors traveling from everywhere in a "stand alone" fashion giving these event a hugely talented pool of competitors. Those looking to learn more details on how they can individually attend these events should go here. That night, the unparalleled Nationals Masters Level Awards Ceremony is held. This extravaganza features the finest trophies available in athletics at any level. It has to be experienced to understand the special nature and glorification of all things military this night maintains.

The Nationals Weekend remains the most famous Junior ROTC military competition weekend in the world. Hundreds of instructors every year make this the focal point of their season. YOU CAN TOO! This all-service competition takes place every year in Daytona Beach, Florida and brings together schools and cadets of all ability levels but all share the passion for military drill. It remains a privilege and a pleasure to be associated with this exciting, uplifting military competition. As these items change, please review the Weekend Schedule to best see what is happening when.

The Daytona Beach Ocean Center Arena and Conference Center provides the perfect backdrop for this National Championships competition. Great judges, oceanfront hotels and warm tropical weather give the Nationals the first-class atmosphere that all of the attendees deserve. Invitations for all schools to attend the Nationals are mailed annually in late September within DrillNATION Magazine. Along with interesting articles, scores, pictures and final standings from the most recently completed National High School Drill Team Championships competition, the magazine contains the Official Invitation for your school to enter this prestigious, world-renowned drill and ceremony spectacular that school year!

Schools looking to GUARANTEE their acceptance into the event can do so by meeting the annual 10 DECEMBER EARLY ACCEPTANCE DEADLINE. All schools who register to attend by this deadline are entered immediately. Those waiting after this date to register may still be accepted but other factors come into play. Having this early deadline allows all motivated ng the Nationals will provide all schools from across the Nation an equal opportunity to be a part of this memorable drill weekend.

Updated details regarding all competition levels at the Nationals, including: Masters Level Competition; Challenge Level Competition; and Open Level Color Guard competition have been posted here. With the inclusion of all three of these exciting competitions, the Nationals have become the home for every drill program wishing to end their drill season doing something all of their hard working cadets will remember for the rest of their lives.

We hope that all JROTC schools have enjoyed the DrillNATION Magazine which mailed in early October to all JROTC units across the globe! Results and general information regarding the Navy Nationals Academic, Athletic and Drill championships, as well as the Army JROTC Drill Classic, and the high-powered, Air Force JROTC only Air Force National JROTC Drill Championships make this publication an informative magazine. All of these great JROTC competitions make our work here at Sports Network International very hectic and also very rewarding! We often receive email messages from cadets who competed here at the Nationals that are now living and working within the private sector or serving their country as officers and enlisted personnel within the many branches of the Armed Forces.

Here's wishing all schools, teams and cadets the best as you prepare for the coming challenges. Remember to always do your best!