Competition was in the air on the evening of September 27. The army cadets of 3045 Corps participated in an indoor shooting competition for a chance to be selected for this year’s biathlon team. Participation was voluntary. This year's biathlon team would consist of 8 cadets. Corps are allowed to have more than one team, but this depends on the total number of enrolled cadets.
Biathlon, also known as “Norwegian Drive-by” by the late great Robin Williams, “is a winter sport that combines cross country skiing and rifle shooting.” It’s one of many activities in the Canadian Cadet Program. The competition took place in the school gym. The cadets weren’t required to ski because there was no snow outside. I could have included a running component, but September 27 was a Wednesday, and I didn’t have access to the gym until evening.
The cadets & I transformed the gym into an air rifle range, using tables, chairs, backstops, mats, spotting scopes, and range flags. Cadets selected their air rifles and were given two practice relays to “zero them in”. I gave the cadets a short break after the practice relays before announcing the start of the competition.
The top five shooters would make the team. Cadets who came in 6th & 7th place would be the backups. Cadets shot three competition target papers: two in the prone position & one standing. A perfect score was 300 points. Five cadets shot at a time. I collected the targets at the end of each relay and placed them inside a large envelope. I would grade them the next day.
The competition lasted 3 hours. The cadets assisted me in putting everything away. I held a short debriefing, thanking them for coming out to the team selection competition. I told them I would announce the results and selected team members over the weekend.
Inuujaq School students & staff observed Orange Shirt Day, also known as National Day For Truth & Reconciliation, on September 29, by wearing orange shirts, observing a Minute of Silence, and taking class photographs in the gym. Orange Shirt Day occurs on September 30, but we observed it the day before because September 30 happened on a Saturday this year.
Orange Shirt Day was created in 2013 to recognize the legacy of Canada’s Residential Schools. The colour orange was chosen based on the personal account(s) of former residential school student Phyllis Jack Webstad. She wore a new orange shirt on her first day at residential school. The shirt, along with other personal clothing, were taken from her and never returned. “The orange shirt […] is a symbol of the forced assimilation of Indigenous children that the residential school system enforced.”
The
army cadets of 3045 Corps also observed Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange
shirts on September 30. We took a group
photo at the end of afternoon sports.
Every
Child Matters.
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