Regional cadet biathlon breeding leadership skills with peer program (12 photos)

Roughly 150 cadets from across Ontario competed in the annual regional cadet biathlon over the weekend at the Algoma Rod and Gun Club. 

This year, there’s an additional 40 staff cadets between the ages of 15 and 18 years of age on site in order to run the event as part of the cadets’ peer-youth program. 

For 17-year-old Sudburian Audrey Dumais, who serves the cadets as a chief warrant officer, this year’s regional biathlon is a way to acquire leadership skills through hands-on experience. 

“I’ve been put in charge of all of the staff cadets. My job entails making sure that all the staff cadets on the range know their jobs,” she told SooToday Sunday. 

Dumais was overseeing staff cadets who were tasked with a variety of roles, including recording times, keeping track of participants’ penalty loops and ensuring the course is in good shape. 

She tells SooToday that social skills also play a big part in her leadership role. 

“We have cadets from all over Ontario right now that don’t know each other, or may not be really uncomfortable in these situations. We have coaches yelling behind us, right?” said Dumais. “Being able to come here and to mentor some of my fellow cadets from all across Ontario, and for them to be able to mentor themselves, it’s a huge thing, especially with our age category right now.”

Capt. Roy Harten, a public affairs representative for Regional Cadet Support Unit Central, says the staff cadets running this year’s biathlon are learning leadership skills that they can draw upon as they get older. 

As costs increase for extracurricular activities for youth, Capt. Harten adds, the cadet program is free, thus eliminating socioeconomic barriers for youth. 

“They’re passing on the skills and knowledge that they’ve learned within the program and going through it, and now in turn they’re passing that on to the junior cadets, and being utilized to take part in these activities to help build on these leadership skills,” Capt. Harten told SooToday. “As they go on in life, then they have those skills that they can carry on through challenging situations, whether it’s university, college or a work environment, and give them a good base for going forward.”

And as Lt.-Col. Tom McNeil, deputy commanding officer for Regional Cadet Support Unit Central puts it, the biathlon competitions also serves as a platform for forging bonds amongst cadets from different squadrons and cores from across the province. 

“We try to have cadets make friends have experiences that they can’t get anywhere else, and in part this is what we’re doing with biathlon,” he said. 

Cadets who perform well during the regional biathlon will earn a spot at the national championships in Valcartier, Que. in March.