The 204 Babine Sea Cadets competed at the Provincial Seamanship Competition in Victoria last month, placing third overall in B.C.
“We were really proud of the team,” captain Mindy Stroet said.
“They did an awesome job. We are hoping to build on this year and hopefully win it next year.”
Cadets competed in a number of events that included semaphore, knots, hitches and bends, whipping and splicing and seamanship trivia.
The Smithers Cadets also won the Team Spirit Award at the competition.
There were teams from all over the province at the event and a number of northwestern cadets from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba that travelled to Victoria to compete in a separate northwest region.
“We just wanted them to get the experience of being at provincials and to try their hardest,” Stroet said. “And they absolutely did that.
“Smithers was definitely known down there.
“They represented the community and the corps very well.”
Travis Verbeek helped the team qualify for provincials back in November, but was unable to compete because he turned 19 just days before the competition. He accompanied the team as a volunteer.
The Smithers Cadets qualified for the competition after they defeated teams from around the northwest in their zone competition.
Up next, the program will perform its annual inspection on May 28th at BVCS where cadets will display what they’ve learned over the past year for a reviewing officer.
Team members: David Clougher, Dylan Cramer, Hayden Bereck, Steve Dieleman, Nathaniel Smith, Gabe Spencer, Matt Steventon, Brandon Tanner and Sean Turney.
The coaches were captain Mindy Stroet and civilian instructor Rhonda Lewis.