Teams

Our midshipmen are encouraged to participate in at least one extracurricular team during the school year. Whether it be physical fitness or drill related, we make sure midshipmen are bettering their skill and motivating their peers, outside the battalion. We offer a variety of choices with different muster times, so midshipmen can — and often do — assist multiple teams. All the teams are competitive, meaning they will train for seasonal competitions (about one-two per semester) against other schools or non-NROTC teams. Our teams have been largely successful this year and past years; however, the bonding between midshipmen has been most beneficial to our battalion.

Platoon and Squad Drill

In platoon and squad drill, individual movements and the manual of arms are executed by the platoon members while conducted by a designated midshipman. The steps and marching of midshipmen need to be uniform and sharp, in order to uphold a strong formation and perform well. The manual of arms, or a series of steps in handling a M16 rifle, must be precise in form. Drill ditties and counting measures are used to train our midshipmen for inter-school competitions.

The NROTC Platoon Drill Team
The NROTC Squad Drill Team
Color Guard

In color guard, five midshipmen perform a series of rifle movements and marching based on musical interpretation, as usually performed in ceremony or for a special event. Color guard present arms and post the national, Navy, and Marine Corps colors (flags) in order to render honor during the national anthem. The cadence of the midshipmen’s steps must align with the music; thus, calls from the center midshipmen should be timely.

Rifle-Pistol Team

The WGNB has the premier NROTC Rifle/Pistol team of Midshipmen in the US, shooting in competition against other NROTC battalions. They train with .22 caliber bolt-action caliber pistols, .22 caliber bolt-action rifles, .22 caliber AR-15’s, and nine millimeter pistols. Shooting at a variety of targets and in a variety of firing positions, these midshipmen become proficient in handling arms. As of 2022, the Rifle/Pistol team has been training at an High Caliber-indoor range in Champaign.

E-Team

Endurance team (E-team) is designated for midshipmen with superior athleticism, as it is the only team with tryouts. E-team competitions are strenuous multistage races that have featured weighted hikes, team pull-ups, rope-climbing, 9+ mile runs, buddy carries, etc. E-team carries out an extra physical training (PT) day during the week to prepare for such courses.

Intramurals

Intramural Sports, including softball, sand/indoor volleyball, soccer, basketball, flag football, etc., are offered during the sports’ specific seasons. In cooperation with the Activities and Recreation Center, our WGNB sports teams compete against student-formed teams from UIUC. At travel competitions, a sporting event is featured and midshipmen get the opportunity to show their talent!

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