Lynn English drill team preparing for championship

LYNN – The Lynn English High School Marine Corps JROTC is gearing up for another national championship run later this month, working on new routines they hope will wow the competition in Florida.The team of more than 40 students will fly to Daytona Beach, Fla. April 29 and compete against more than 400,000 cadets from 145 high schools across the country in the National High School Drill Competition from May 1-4.Hoping to improve on a 12th place girls finish and 13th place boy’s finish last year, the JROTC drill team is perfecting new routines that focus on a higher degree of difficulty and showmanship, which are two of the attributes that judges look for.”We have a whole new team and a new group of routines. The guys are focusing on more spinning and the girls are working on marching. We’re trying to add a little bit more showmanship,” said Sgt. Major Ken Oswald. “They have a real positive attitude because they have been competing and they know they can do well because they are finishing first in all of their competitions.”The LEHS drill team is one of the most renown in the country, winning the National Championship in both genders in 2006 and commanding respect from programs in every state.Their success has resulted in invitations to regional competitions in several states, including a recent trip to Pennsylvania.The trip will be an informative one for JROTC members who hope to continue their military career after high school, as the trip home will feature a stop at the Paris Island, S.C. military base.With much of the program’s success contingent on community support, Oswald said he is grateful for the community’s efforts in helping his team succeed and hopes to bring home another title to add to the team’s long list of accomplishments.”I have to thank everyone in the city for supporting us,” he said. “They have been very supportive in getting us down there (to Florida) and helping us to continue to participate in this national competition.”