“In My Own Words” Tara Blackburn Houghtaling

As I pondered what to write, it dawned on me what an amazing sport raiders is. We have a blast at practice and at competitions, we go on campouts and we make life-long friends. We also find ourselves growing as people, becoming an adult. We push ourselves way beyond what we believe to be possible. Raiders have truly been my foundation here at SMA. I do not believe I would have made it through high school without this team’s support. Being a Raider made it all worthwhile.

You have most likely heard the quote, “Pain is temporary, pride is forever”. It is hard to fully understand that quote until you have actually experienced the pain and agony that goes into becoming a Raider, but with a friend at your side and desire in your heart, you learn what this quote is and what being on our team means.

My experiences are my own, and these four years have been the most well spent, fun – filled years I could ever have dreamed of.  I thank all of you Raiders and ALL the Sergeants Major for your love and support to me and our team. I will remember these as the best moments in my high school career.

                                    Tara B-Houghtaling

                                    Raider Commander 2008-09

In his own words… Joey Hurst

SMA Raiders First Place in States!  It’s unbelievable!  I still cannot comprehend what we have done. For the first time in Sarasota Military Academy’s history, the Male Raider Team is #1 and I was a part of it.

We woke up at 6 O’clock in the morning knowing that we could either make it or break it.  We were up for the challenge. We all stretched out and warmed up right before the PT test of push-ups & sit-ups, giving it all we had, followed by the 2 mile run. We held nothing back! Our next event was to carry the litter with two jugs of water, each weighing 40 pounds.  The challenge was to carry the 80 lbs. litter one mile in sugar sand. Then it was on to building a 65’ rope bridge. We broke our personal best time and won first place by one second. What teamwork! As competition continued the temperature grew harsh and the terrain rigorous.  Land navigation split our team into two teams of four. It was Mario, Carl, Jared and I. Running through the palmetto, thick brush and around the trees to find our points. The goal was to return to the finish line with the fastest time. All the way cheering each other on. Last, but not least, the dreaded 3-mile Obstacle course. This put us over a 10 ft. wall, low crawling under wire, through ditches filled with mud and with the heat of the sun beating down on us.  We persevered, pushing ourselves above and beyond our limits. We each gave our personal best, to share with a team of personal bests. Our team gave it all they could and won First Place at States!  The satisfaction of being first is overwhelming and the icing on the cake is receiving rings for bringing home the gold. Go SMA Raiders! Joey Hurst

In her own words… Chantal Guerrero

Winning a State Raider Championship is something that cannot be described. Every practice, every time you wanted to stop, to give up, but you don’t and every Army Physical Fitness Test is worth it now. All the many tough and difficult challenges the sergeant Major put us through was all worth it. I can truly say winning States is a very gratifying experience and something that can never be taken away from you. At the beginning of the year, my expectations of being on the female team were low. I thought I would not be able to do it, but I was wrong. The female team is more like a family than a team, and I could not have asked for a better family. Every one of those girls is amazing, and I would not have formed such great friendships if not for Raiders. So many memories and experiences I can recall that have motivated me to do better, never quit, and give 100 % with everything I do. Every one of the girls has a story. Kylie had the worst blisters and kept pushing through it the whole time, Carrie Swope was sick and had been running fevers all week and never gave up. Sarah had a torn muscle in her leg and still did her best; Sam had a bad ankle and never gave up. Carey Gavilanes never gave up and pushed us on the 3 mile the whole way, Tara had a bad ankle and could still carry the pack forever, and Faith never quit on carrying the pack and kept asking to keep it longer and longer. I have learned so much from every single girl on the team. Raiders is emotional, and not something that can be fully understood unless you’re there. My first year on Raiders holds many memories and valuable lessons that I will keep with me forever…           

In his own words…Justin Gable

Wow… state champions.  Well, it all started with about 90 kids.  90 kids who did not necessarily know what they were getting into, but kids that wanted to try it anyway.  That group of 90 got narrowed down each week until there were only about 35 of the fastest, strongest, or most dedicated kids.  The motivation here was to make the team.  From that group of 35 we got our male team for districts.  We knew what we had to do, and man did we do it.  Practice!  Practice!  Practice! We practiced after school, during lunch, on weekends, and even over Christmas break!  I have to say that the Christmas break practice was not always fun, but it got my run time down a lot. 

          After all that practice districts came and what may have been new and un-familiar to other teams we were ready for.  The reason for our motivation here was to qualify for states.  We tied for first but had a better PT test score so we took first.  Shortly after the district meet a member of the male team, Josh Payne, went to get x-rays of his wrist that was bothering him.  It turned out that his wrist that went through all those practice and the district meet had been broken for a year and a half.  After hearing the news the first order of business was to find a healthy alternate to take Josh’s place.  Zach Brodil stepped up and after we all brushed up on our first-aid we were ready for states.  Although we have one of the hardest districts, states is much more competitive. Our male team went up against 17 other schools.  Our team was different. We had practiced so much together that we were like a… a team! What a concept!  Our team developed a camaraderie that will easily last through high school, maybe even longer.  Clearly our motivation here was to not let the rest of the team down.  The days leading up to states we knew that we were as ready as we would ever be complete with the constant motivation that “lets do it for Payne who pushed through districts with his broken arm.  He got us to states, now let’s win it.”  We were motivated here to not let Josh’s pain be in vain.  We did push trough the pain of the competition and of trying our best, and we anxiously anticipated if our best was good enough.  The moment came, the voice made its way through the speaker and we could not believe what it said. We had done it! We were state champions! All those weekends of practice paid off and we achieved the ultimate prize!

          What is the motivation in our life?  To do our best.  But why do our best; is it for a trophy that will just collect dust, or maybe for some 15 minutes of fame.  The only motivation that really lasts is to be able to look your teammates in the eyes and acknowledge that you succeeded in using the talents, strengths, and energy that God has given to you, to the best of your ability to help them succeed. 

                                                              --Justin Gable

In his own words…Mike Martino

The entire raider experience was an all out "gut check." I remember sitting in the hallway by the cave discussing the prospects for the male team with CSM Collis. I was on the seventh name when I was cut off by the Sergeant Major, "and you, that makes eight." Here I am a second year raider (having been an alternate just the year before) with a 14:30 two mile, being given command of the most physically and mentally fit team the academy could possibly muster. I stopped him and pointed out that “there are other guys ahead of me on that PT list, and I don't want to hold the team back." In response he said, "We need someone to lead this team. You have two months to get your run time down." That's where it all began. From that moment on, I had seven other guys to look out for. I had to set the example for them. I had to be able to PT with them. I had to know anything and everything about First Aid, Land Navigation, Rope Bridge building and the whole Raider Challenge. If the guys had a question, they would be looking to me for the answer. This responsibility made me a better raider and a better leader. It pushed me to my limits and I was able to improve in every facet. There was no choice, I had to run, I had to work out, I had to study and I had to make the decisions. It was hard work and my team was with me the entire way. We were one tight-knit group and our victories brought us closer. I am proud to have been a member of our championship team and I share a bond with those guys that I will not soon forget. Months of hard work and sacrifice had culminated into that one night when we were named State Champions.  I do not see my personal improvements or my achievements during the meets as the success story, or as the payoff of this endeavor. But I find that the best feeling lies with the fact that my guys did it. They earned it with their blood, sweat and tears. They won it with their superhuman strength. And they did it for each other.

In his own words… Carl Jones

When I first joined the Raider team at SMA in August of 2008, I joined with just myself in mind. I had thought that joining Raiders would keep me active after school and give me a greater incentive to work out and get into better shape. I did not join to go on campouts or earn rank, partly because I didn’t think that I would be good enough to be on varsity, much less on an actual competing team. Basically my thoughts when I first joined Raiders were, ‘why waste my time on all the campouts and rank when the only reason I joined Raiders was for physical activity?’

However, my thoughts started to change as I came to enjoy the activities I participated in. I liked the rope bridge building and the running events. I enjoyed being with my friends. I also started to excel in what we practiced too. My run times would decrease every p.t. test, even though my push-ups and sit-ups left much to be desired. Despite my push-ups and sit-ups, I made varsity. That was just my first hurtle though. There were many kids picked for varsity and now I was fighting all of them to get on a competing team. So I thought that if my chances of getting onto varsity were pretty bad, me making a competing team was unthinkable. I strived however, I attended raider practices over Christmas break and I woke up at awful hours of the morning to go to school early and run, or take automated tests on land navigation and first aid. Through this, and much more running and training at home, I became stronger, and faster. I started to enjoy raiders more and more. No longer was it just an incentive to work out, now I was reaching for something higher. I attended all the campouts, and every practice I could make. At one of the campouts they announced the competing teams for districts. I made it. It is an awesome feeling, being on a team that represents your school and yourself. We ended up winning districts. That was incredible. But we weren’t done yet, we still had states left. More intense practices resumed and we were either running, studying, or running some more. The day finally arrived. I remember not feeling nervous until we got off the bus and stepped onto the sugar sand path that we would be running the two mile on the day after and then thought, ‘holy cow, this is it.’ That night we rested, built a fire and thought about tomorrow, which we knew was going to be exciting but also full of a lot of pain and sweat. Well tomorrow came and we dove right in to the p.t. test very early in the morning. After that we were running everywhere, we were running at land nav, at litter carry, and in the three mile. Each event took all of our effort, all of our skill, and all of our abilities. Each one of us played a role, no matter how large or small, to help our team. It was a hard, tough day, but it was a lot of fun. After each event we would talk about what we did right or what we did wrong, we would laugh at our mistakes and then get ready for whatever was next. Our last event was the three mile and after sprinting out that last leg of the run we were incredibly tired, so we relaxed while we waited for the award ceremony. I was very nervous for the awards. We worked too hard; we came too far, not to win. Anything below first was unacceptable and would be very disappointing. Finally we gathered inside the building, all the schools participating sat down to hear who the Raider state champions of Florida were. It seemed like an eternity as the instructors called out the trophies for each individual event. As the trophies were handed out it became clear to the male team that it was going to be very close. We were on the edge of our seats as they got closer and closer to the large state trophies. I’ll never forget the moments just before and after they called our name as the Florida state champions. What a feeling, to try your very best and then be rewarded with a championship, I was very happy. The whole building shook with the cheers of our raider team and the parents of the kids competing. This was it, we made it, and we did it. We came and conquered through pain, blood and sweat. We are SMA Raiders.       

In her own words…Sam Reilly

I struggled awake as the cool air whipped at my face.

“unghhhh…” they moan tossing and turning I slipped from my sleeping bag shivering in the dark and pulled on some layers of clothing over my PFU’S. I bolted from my tent to the warm fire, that’s when it hit me…

This was states.

Excitement burst from my veins like white water! “Wake up! Wake up! It’s states!” I scream, running around like a wild animal. My smile burned my cheeks it grew so wide. The mindless zombies arose from their crypts moaning the early morning grumbles. The light was getting ready to peek but the stars were still clear, I glanced to the sky and picked a star, I pressed them closed and made a wish, this was states.

States, mouth-watering excitement, leg burning sensation and mind zapping powers. Raider competitions are the roughest of the tough, but nothing compares to the grueling danger faced in a state championship competition. Why do we do it? Is it the endorphins? The six-hour adrenalin rush? I think we all can agree that the main reason we do it is for the growling smile on the sergeant major face when we win.

I trudged through sand and blasted some motivating music into my ears, my legs were shaking fear. The first event was the pt test- two-minute pushups, two minute, sit ups and a two mile run. “Come on Sam, states, states, states, fight, fight, fight,” I told myself. Deep breaths flowed from my lungs, the smell of fear floated around. The presence of our team was strong. I knew her team better than a fish knows the school. I pulled out my earphones as we approached the “battle field” where the test would be taken and tossed them to a trusty alternate. Tara was screaming about one thing and Sarah was mumbling about another, Swope was asking mindlessly about nothing and Chantel was listening sweetly, Kylie and Faith were saying their prayers and Carey was stretching her legs. Every girl on the team was completely different in our own special way; it’s what made US so special. It made us a unique family working together for one goal…first place.

The push-ups began and I was first up, I wanted to die. Fire burned in my veins and numbness tingled in my head. Lactic acid screamed in my legs and fatigue was settling in my arms. I wanted to give up and just fall to the ground but a series of screams me on. The team was cheering me on, giving me their strength with everything in their heart. They knew that in just a moment they would be doing the same exact thing. Motivated to push as hard as possible and the time stopped. I stood up and brushed the sand from my shorts. To my right I caught CSM Daly grinning eagerly. To my left I could see CSM Collis from a mile away, smiling ear to ear, hope and strength sparkling his eyes. We had to win, not just for us, but for them. They devoted their lives to our team, now it’s our time to give it back.

After all… this is states.

The sit-ups flew by with a trail of sweat and tears, the first for the day. We were lined up in the sand for the 2-mile run. Every single one of us pacing like horses before a race. The smell of sweat singed my nose like rotten oranges and we all crouched in position…GO! We galloped off searching for the difference between energy and pace. This mass of raiders raced towards that one goal, like a pack of wolves and one rabbit. At first the run wasn’t so bad, people were scattered about the trail cheering us on, but, as time passed the pain started catching up. My legs growled at the sand as it scratched between my toes and teased the muscles in my legs. My breath staggered, it hurt, and it hurt so bad, pain incomprehensible when all you’re trying to do is move your legs again and again. I glanced ahead spotting Tara in the distance, gliding freely over the sand with ease. Distressing me more. I reached the one-mile mark and knew I had to pick up the speed. At that moment all I wanted to do was stop, stop and walk away, be done.

“Come on… no one will notice…” the little devil whispered In the back of my head, fire kicked my legs with each piercing step. I glanced up once more and saw Sarah running ahead, remembering her painful injury. Pssh, this was nothing compared to the pain she was feeling, she was truly hurt and still brought herself out here to fight. I had no room to talk racing against that brut. Suddenly I could her shouts in the distance there was only but half a mile left, once more I had to pick up the speed. I passed about five girls struggling ahead and spotted the next five opening their strides. My turn, I shot ahead. Sprinting as fast as I could, flying past them with freedom. I fell across the finish line; my heart was racing; now that was painful.

The best thing about a raider competition isn’t the competing... It’s the food. I rubbed my stomach, yawned, smiling as the salty bacon, creamy biscuits, and tangy juice pleasantly settled in my stomach. I sat up from the pile of cadets napping in the shade, Joey’s iPod humming in the air. Now that’s what I call breakfast. I lay back down then quickly remembered what was next. The three mile obstacle course... dun dun dun…

“Come on! Let’s go! Pull her up!! Come-on Tara, jump!” we all screamed as we worked as one, pulling Tara over the wall. She toppled over the side and we hastily scampered to the ground. I had volunteered to take to 20 pound backpack first, however that was before we started running. We took off, this thing was much heavier then I remembered. My heels sank into the sand with every step, feeling weak, I had to slow down. Now I was slowing the team down. I began cursing myself, ‘I can’t do this, and I’m too tired! It’s too heavy, I’m too weak,’ I whined as the oxygen escaped fiercely from my mouth, suddenly someone appeared in front of me, ready to pull. I latched on and did all that I could to focus on the team. We made it to the low crawl and pull the pack through the mud. From there Tara took the pack. She picked up the speed while I lingered in back, failing once more. I opened my stride in an attempt to keep up, all the sudden a sharp pain broke in my ankles, a familiar pain that had slowed me in the past. I came to a halt. Unable to lift my boots from the deep sand. Tears dripped from my eyes, why did it have to happen now! The team slowed to a walk, little Swope had fallen behind. Poor girl had been sick all week, we were lucky to have had her at all. We needed her, but now she needed us.  Carey volunteered to carry the pack. We shouted encouragement and the “family” pulled together. We yelled, we screamed, we laughed. We cursed the clear sky and its hot air and scorned the sun as it beat upon our necks with fury. There was a half mile left and we were attached at the hips, we rushed through the low crawl once more and flew across the rope bridge. Before we could breathe we were sprinting across the finish line, one team, one family, and one goal.

During the three mile obstacle run every motherly instinct is at a rise, something about feeling pain equally makes us mourn for each other, bringing us together as sisters. We began that three-mile as a team and came out a family. We melted on to the picnic tables, barefoot and smelly, raging and moaning. Poor Kylie’s feet were oozing with blisters the size of quarters and it was only the second event. Next we had Rope Bridge…

“Far side ready! Nearside ready! Butterfly ready! Squirrel ready! Mule team ready… Eee Haw… GO!” we scrambled through the ropes, Tara let out a roar as she sprinted across the river. Her roar is so stupid, but Kelly Smith did it so that makes it a tradition, right? “Secure!” she screamed and in harmony we built a rope bridge 60 foot across, we flew across like it was nothing. When we were done, we held hands. “Time!” Carey yelped and the clock stopped at a record-breaking time. Hollers flooded the air, relief; we’d survived yet another battle. The next event was litter carry, 8 girls and one very heavy stretcher, sounds easy right? I think not. We crowded in a circle in front of the start line and said some prayers, the sun was hot and energy was on the low. Suddenly CSM Collis appeared with a proud grin on his face… “RAWR, GROWLL ARGHHHHHH!!!” he yelped, imitating a bear! Laughter filled the air like sugary school children, just the medicine we needed. Now with more confidence we crouched down to the litter, the handle slipped from the sweat beading from my fingertips, the simple weight strained my arms, every girl took a deep breath, this was for the team.

“GO!” we took off running, like sprinters setting the pace. Tara, Sarah, Carey and I. Sure we could go faster, but it was Faith, Kylie, Swope and Chantel that kept it going. However there is something about Faith, when she took hold of the litter, she showed a strength I never knew she had. She fiercely pushed the team with a determination I’d never seen. Now this girl wanted to win. The sun was hot, our clothes were stiff from sweat and I had to pee. This task was so enduring, we were nearing the end, the sprinters in us kicked in, we picked up the pace yelling from the pain. We opened our stride and picked p a gallop like angry lions nearing that darn gazelle and flash! We were done; just like that we could breathe again.

We only had one event left and that was land navigation, we had a little time until then so in the mean time we napped once more munching on green salads and fresh fruit. Then our little nurses came to the rescue with band-aids and cool wet towels we would have died without. Our alternates and the Houghtelings (Tara’s folks) were always there for us.

Last event, land navigation was the last event. Kylie limped across the sand and let out a soft whimper, you know things are bad when Kylie lets out whimper. Lylie Gouriluk looks sweet and pretty, but she is a lion, man what guts she showed. Tara calculated with the compass and directed Faith in a direction while I walked outward to try and find the spot with my best instincts. A half hour passed and we were “lost”, we stumbled aimlessly across the palmetto forest, searching for the hidden point. No joke, I saw a McDonalds Big Mac in a tree and tried to eat it along with the other mirage that popped up.

“Look!” we yelled, cheering at the piece of plastic. We wrote down the letter and headed for the finish line. An adrenalin rush came from nowhere, pushing us closer to the end. Perhaps it was because it was our last event or our bodies had given up on protecting us, but we ran across that finish line with smiles and sighs.

This was states and states were over. We animals, we raiders, we sisters survived.

Back to camp our team moved in one blob, Kylies blisters were gushing with blood and my ankles were so swollen they looked like tennis balls and burned to touch. Every single raider was covered in mud and whimpering for their mommies. That was the intensity that was states. And in all the chaos it was beautiful, one team, one goal and one battle. We bled together. We trained and trained for months and months for this. Our Sergeant Major devoted his life to making us warriors and trust me it wasn’t easy. In fact, I hated it, it hurt and smelled horrible. All of it was worth it for the smile in our Sergeant Majors eyes as we accepted those first place trophies for SMA. We raiders are a family. It wasn’t always pretty, and we fought and cried, again and again. We fell apart and came back together. But isn’t that what makes us a family? Isn’t this what makes us special? We are not some superficial team that looks good. We get dirty and throw mud, literally. We are sisters and blood never dies. “Just wait til’ next year!”

On A State Team: What Being A Raider Means To Me

                As a sophomore entering Sarasota Military Academy, I was completely and utterly lost.  I had no idea what I was doing, where I was going, or who I was amongst the hundreds of creased, green uniforms walking about campus.  I wanted to become a part of something larger than myself, which is probably why I joined the Raider team.
                The Raider team was well-known through out the school as being the most difficult extracurricular activity Sarasota Military Academy had to offer.  The people on this team were strong, well-liked, in leadership positions, and most of all, had a connection to their teammates.  These were all things that I wanted to attain!  I immediately joined, frightened and unknowing of what the future had in store for me as a Raider.  I never thought I would get on a state team – I just wanted to be a part of something great and make a difference in my school.
                Everything that my peers had said about Raiders turned out to be true.  It was difficult physically and mentally!  I had never complete a push up in my life, so imagine my surprise as over three months I was able to do over 70 push ups within two minutes!  I had never imagined I could become so strong.  My sit ups didn’t amount to much, and my run time was average, so I never thought I could gain any prestige in the group, but enjoyed how much I was personally gaining.  I learned all about land navigation and first aid, not fully understanding how many incredible life skills I was gaining in the process.
                Not only did I gain strength, but I gained friendships as well.  Immediately after joining the Raider team, I met nearly half of the school, and most everyone in a leadership position was a part of this team.  I learned how to lead by example, organize tasks, follow orders, and most of all, how to be a great friend.  The friendships I made my first year on Raiders have followed me until this very day, and I hope never to lose them either.  I gained a connection to my team, and we became more than a team: we were a family.  I learned communication because I could tell when my team mates were upset, hurt, angry, and was able to talk things out.  We all worked together to become successful as a team by giving up more of ourselves for others, and learning sacrifice and love for our friends.
                After learning and gaining so much by joining the Raider team, the only other thing that would make me happy was to find a spot on the Female Raider team.  At first, I was placed on the mixed team, for which I was thankful, but wanted to “become the best”.  I worked hard, inside and outside, of school and much to my surprise, I was finally able to join the Female Raider team!  For the first time in Sarasota Military Academy history, the Female team not only took first place in both districts and states, but swept the competition and took first place in every single event!
                The rest, as they say, is history.  I have been on the Female Raider team for three years now, and each year I have honed in my skills as a communicator, leader, teammate, and friend.  I have worked my way up through the ranks to become a grey beret, and have enjoyed leading and learning from so many different individuals.  Being on the Raider team has meant overcoming obstacles, defeating difficulties, and solving situations strategically.  I will never forget my experience as a Raider, and will continue to remember it as I move onto college and a future job career.  The memories I carry with me from camp-outs, practices, and competitions have been the highest point in my high school career, and I can’t imagine my life without being a part of something as fantastic as the Raider team.

In his own words…Keith Misja

To be on the Sarasota Military Academy Male Raider Team for the state competition was an honor to say the least.  The experience was like nothing else.  We couldn’t have asked for a closer ending score for the district and state meets.  Tying manatee twice and winning by the pt scored shows that our dedication in the many practices in the mornings, over Christmas break, after school and on the weekend paid off.  My teammates pretty much became like brothers.  We shared the good the bad and the ugly together.  We did everything for the guy beside us.  Looking back, I can’t believe we pulled it off. We made history by being the first Raider Male Team from SMA to win states.  To be a part of this was certainly an amazing experience.

            Ever since my first day on Raiders as a freshman, I admired those who competed at districts and states.  I wanted to be one of them.  After three years of hard work, it finally happened.  States was the hardest Raider challenge in which I have ever competed. I don’t think I will ever have an experience like that again.  I can’t wait for next year!

In her own words…..Carrie Swope

Being on the team this year meant so much to me. Especially after feeling it almost slip through my fingers. I cried so hard the week of States because I thought that I wouldn't be able to compete. And I did so much emotional preparation before coming in to talk to Sergeant Major Collis about putting an alternate in. If it hadn't been for Mason Mcgowen, Andrew Guinart, Justin Gable, and Jared Kelderman, I wouldn't have come back to the cave with a firm belief in myself, that I could do it. Those boys were my inspiration. I owe them so much, because I know that I would have deeply regretted not competing. Being on the team and winning the state title was the only consistent goal I have had all year. I can only remember wanting one thing more than I wanted this. But in reflection, this is so much more. I will have this my whole life.

    I am so proud to call the varsity girls my team mates. They were the best team I could have asked for this year. Tara Blackburn was a great comfort to me at districts, I was exhausted and overwhelmed and felt like I couldn't do it anymore. Carey Gavilanes helped me through all my boy troubles, always reassuring me that "boys are stupid and I don't need them anywise". Sarah Johnson is an amazing person and I look up to her so much for her strength and will power. Faith Folts and Kylie Gouriluk, you can't have one with out the other. They are the clumsiest people I've ever met but always get back up again with a big smile on their faces. I have been in Sam Reilly’s group this entire Raider season.  She has gobs of energy and she never ceases to astonish me. And last of all Chantal Guerrero, the only freshman on the team this year . She not only kept up, she beat the older kids. I've always been behind her on the 2 mile run, she is my inspiration to keep going, and keep going faster.

    Sitting in the cafeteria at Camp Tanah Keeta waiting for them to announce the first place winners for the females, surprisingly wasn't the most anticipating moment of my life. I knew we would win. We did amazing. In each and every category. There was no way we couldn't win. I was more nervous for the boys. I wanted our boys to win just as badly as I wanted our girls to win. And I knew that our boys wanted it too. When they called out that SMA boys had placed first, I was instantly filled with such joy and relief I thought I would explode. I didn't explode but I did scream extremely loud. That awards ceremony was one of the happiest times of my life so far. I will always keep with me the memory of the Manatee girls congratulating us. And seeing the boys cry. And knowing that we had done it. It was amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

    I know I was only supposed to do a paragraph, but it was so much more special than just one.

                                                                                                                        -Carrie Swope

In his own words…Zack Brodil

It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winning is winning. This was our year and we took advantage of it. After coming so close to winning last year I wasn’t going to stop. I was going to give every ounce of energy I had, I was not going to let my teammates down. Winning this state meet was my goal all year, since last year even. I cannot begin to explain how it felt after three years to finally win it all, to be the top of the game. It is an unreal feeling. But the real feeling comes from the connections and bonds that we made as teammates before and during the competition to achieve the goal that we all strived for. All year we lived the words, “winners do the things routinely that losers don’t want to do”. And it all came down to who wanted it more and we came up on top in the end. Raiders do lead the way!

In his own words…Jared Kelderman

When I first joined the Raider team my freshman year it was so I could hang out with Mason McGowan. I also joined because I wanted to get buff and fast. Getting a rank in raiders meant nothing to me. But after a few weeks of training, I realized I like to do this. It became more than just a work out; it became a workout with purpose. I began to really try to get rank when I made the male team as an alternate. Although I didn’t compete, I practiced with them and inherited knowledge that you can’t learn in a class. I was taught techniques and skills beyond belief. I accomplished things I thought I could never do. I was an ok runner; however I failed in pushups and sit ups. Making the alternate team was a surprise to me. Becoming a bigger, faster person was a challenge like no other. Over the summer I worked hard to become stronger and spent every day at the gym. That helped me be stronger as well as faster. Running is a hard skill to acquire and I finally got up to speed. My motivation to run was Josh Payne; he beats me at everything, so he helped me become faster. The 2008 – 2009 raider years was the best. We trained hard and studied even harder. But unlike regular school work, this was fun. We made lots of sacrifices. We woke up at 5:00 A.M to get to school to run and to do our book learning. It paid off, I made the male competing team. It was the most exciting day in my life.  I was later removed for missing a campout, you see, on Raiders there are consequences.  Good as well as bad, just like life. I sucked it up, did not quit and earned my spot back. The district raider meet was very challenging. Everyone plays a role and everyone helps in their own way, we were victorious, what a great day for us all. The fight wasn’t over yet, we began to train for the state competition. With our sergeant majors pushing us we became smarter. We were all excited about the state meet. We started the competition against the other teams and the SUGAR SAND! My worst nightmare!  But we overcame and we were victorious with a state championship in both the male and the female category.  My team won because of the leadership Mike Martino brought to the team. And because Joey Hurst is so fast. Justin Gable may be small, but he is also so strong. Mario Ferucci is just good at everything. Keith Misja is smart, really smart. Carl Jones never quit and made us laugh a lot. Zack Brodil is Mister PT and really knows how to navigate. This experience was life changing and unforgettable. I will remember it for the rest of my life. And these guys are the best team anyone could wish for.

In her own words….. Carey Gavilanes

What does this Raider team mean to me? That question seems almost impossible to answer. I’ve been on the team for all 4 years and I can honestly say it was one of the best and most rewarding experiences of life. I learned how to become a leader, not through JROTC, but through Raiders. My first 3 years on the team, the female leaders were Kelly Smith and Kayla Wiles. They were so motivationg and inspirational. I looked up to them so much and just about idolized them. Well, this year Tara, Sarah and I took their places on the team. I didn’t think I would be able to motivate the team the way they did but as time went on, I did a good job and realized how much I learned over the past 3 years on Raiders.

I’ve grown so attached to my team mates, especially this year. Tara, sarah, Sam, Faith, Kylie, and cutie pies Carrie and Chantal. Those six girls have made my year. Each of them brought something great and different to our team and I can honestly say I love them all and will always remember them.

There there’s CSM Mike. He put so much into this team, it still amazes me. Throught the years I’ve grown attached to that old man. He feels almost like a father to me. I’ll never forget all of his ‘words of wisdom’….. “If you’re gunu be dumb, ya gotta be tough”… .”Life is like a corndog”…..”Everyday in Africa...”

Words can’t express how much I will miss Raiders next year. It just doesn’t feel right thinking that this was my last year on Raiders.

I am so immensly grateful to my six teammates and CSM Mike for everything. I wish the best of luck to both the femal and male teams next year. My teammates (and CSM Mike) will forever be in my heart.

                                                                                                                                                                -Carey Gavilanes

In his own words….Mario Ferrucci

The greatest thing about being a state champion is that it is for life.  The memories that I have from this experience will be with me for the rest of my life.  The feeling of camaraderie between the team members and the lessons learned will exist beyond Raiders and make all of our lives that much better. States itself was such an accomplishment and was so fulfilling.  It still is. . . Just knowing that the months, years really, of training did not go to waste and that we managed to pull through by displaying a quantity of teamwork that I have never seen in my life.  The satisfaction when they announced SMA Males as the State Champions was so great that there is no possible way to put it in words. I give a great deal of credit to Mike Martino, for although we are all members of the team, he led us with spirit and courage while supporting us and giving us reinforcement.  I will not go as far as to say he is perfect, because nobody is, but he made the right choices and was a huge part in molding us together as a team.  I could not ask for a better leader.

 In her own words…Faith Folts

 I rolled over at 6 o'clock on a Saturday morning in a tent, freezing cold. While that may not seem any fun to most people, it is what I live for. Raider's is a way of life, a chance to better yourself. That is why twenty-six of us were in West Palm Beach at the State JROTC Raider Challenge. The last six weeks of intense training, campouts, lunch practices, and morning running had all been worth it. All the pain that we felt before, during, and after was justified.  The injuries we bore, and the tears we cried out of sheer exhaustion and pain had finally come to fruition. The avalanche of feelings after winning was indescribable. I felt joy that our hard work had paid off, but I also felt incredibly sad and empty now that it was all over. Raiders had been my life, all I had dreamed about for months. Actually since states last year. A Raiders challenge is an interesting thing, I alternately hate and love it. I have never been more exhausted or in more pain than when I am competing in a Raider challenge. So why continue? Honestly, it is because I am addicted to the commitment and to the team effort. I live for that. It is the greatest sense of accomplishment that you will ever experience. Raiders provide you with a chance to really work together and do things that few other teenagers would ever think of doing. Raiders will always be a worthwhile venture for me. I grew to really know my teammates and to value their company. We did not always get along, sometimes we argued. But we were united in our purpose:  win. That is what Raider's is all about. Not necessarily all about winning, although that is a definite perk. It is about becoming the best you can be, mentally, physically and emotionally. It is about helping others too, and urging them on when they feel that they can no longer go on. That is why I am addicted to it- I do love my teammates, the intense training and the trophies. Even more than that, though, I love the chance to better myself, and to play a part of bettering someone else's life too.

 In her own words…Kylie Gouriluk

How could one put into the words of just a short paragraph the amazing experience of being on the 1st place Raider Team?! A year ago I never would have thought that I could be part of the extraordinary female raider team, but I was wrong. I found myself encompassed in an unforgettable and life changing experience. To be perfectly honest, at the beginning of the school year I had little hopes of making our tremendous raider team, full of drive and motivation.

Yet again, I was proven wrong. My friends helped me incredibly, and I found myself doing things I never would have been able to do on my own. For example, when we were competing at states and on the last stretch of the 1 Mile Litter Carry, I was in so much pain and wanted so badly to slow down, but the other females on the team, especially the seniors, motivated me to keep going and sprint it out until we reached the finish line. I felt as though I gained such a close bond with the other members of the team that I couldn't have obtained anywhere else. From this championship winning experience, I take away lasting friendships, a greater appreciation for athleticism, and memories that will last a lifetime. Woot to Raiders!!!