By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Warren County team triumphs at National JROTC Fitness Challenge
jrotc 2.jpg
Amy Turner photo JROTC Cadets compete in the all-service JROTC National Fitness Championship on May 2 in Daytona, Fla. The event included a 3k run along the beach, a physical team test, pull ups or the flexed arm hang, standing double jump and the weighted ball throw.
jrotc 1.jpg

The Warren County High School fitness team from McMinnville, Tenn., won first place in the Mixed Division of the 2025 National JROTC Fitness Challenge Championship held May 3, making them the mixed national champions among JROTC fitness teams. Their exceptional speed, endurance, and teamwork earned them the top spot over 43 other teams in the division.

The prestigious event featured more than 70 teams from Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps JROTC programs representing high schools across the country.

Col. Matthew Tipton, the Director of Air Force JROTC, presented the trophy to the team at an awards ceremony held at the Ocean Center.

The competition featured all-male, all-female, and mixed teams competing in five events:

• 3K Beach Run: Cadets sprinted along the sandy shoreline while carrying a 10-foot PVC pipe—a true test of endurance and strength.

• Physical Team Test: Teams maneuvered through a zigzagging obstacle course, crawling under barriers and carrying and pulling equipment. The course demanded agility, coordination, and mental fortitude.

• Pull-Up/Bar Hang Event: Cadets showcased their upper body strength by performing pull-ups or enduring a bar hang for time.

• Seated Ball Throw: Precision and power were essential in this event. Cadets hurled weighted balls from a seated position, aiming for maximum distance.

• Standing Long Jump: Explosive leg power was on display as cadets leaped forward in the standing long jump event.

Retired 1st Sgt. Tim Howard, the team’s coach and instructor in the school’s JROTC program, is moving on to his second retirement after 19 years as an Army JROTC instructor.

“These kids earned a national championship at the Raider Nationals and now at Fitness Nationals. Hopefully that’s enough for them to get a good taste of top-level success for them to carry on for the next guy who replaces me,” Howard said.