The Name Cadets
It is not a coincidence that the program is called the Cadets. Teams usually call themselves a name they fancy, but the name Cadets was a vision. A cadet is a trainee to become an officer/gentleman, often a person who is a junior trainee.
The term comes from the term cadet for younger sons of a noble family. The word is recorded in English since 1634, originally for a young son, identical to the French, which is derived from the gascon Occitan (spoken in Gascony in southwest France) capdet captain, chief, in turn from the Late Latin capitellum, the diminutive of Latin caput head (hence also chief). Younger sons from Gascon families apparently were commonly sent to the French court to serve as officers; as a rule non-heir from the European nobility sought careers in the military or the clergy.
As an adjective, cadet is used to signify a junior branch of a family. Thus, the Orleans line was a cadet branch of the Bourbon family. For the status as such, the noun cadency exists, as in the heraldic term mark of cadency for a feature, which distinguishes a cadet son's coat of arms from the father's, which is passed on unaltered only to the (usually firstborn) heir. Military has been the traditional career choice of the nobility throughout the centuries, and it has been customary that the firstborn son has inherited the title, lands and possessions, while the younger sons of a noble family went to military, often to be trained as officers. In short, the Cadet has a noble responsibility to his family, team, and society.
Our symbols
The Logo
It is not a coincidence that our logo is an academic cap. Teams make logo’s that represents them, not what they stand for. Logo’s come with team helmets, ours you have to earn.
The C Cap
Worldwide, the cap is recognized as a symbol of academic standards and achievements. The cap symbolizes the importance and emphasis we put on education. We make it an issue that the Cadets focus on their education and demand that all Cadets walk away with no less than the Danish 9 grade exam or some type of basic education in one form or another.
Earning the logos for the helmet: The Decal
The left side of the helmet decal is earned by passing the 9th grade exam in the Danish Folkeskole.
The right side of the helmet decal is earned by the Cadet having participated in 3 social valued credits, such as, donating Blood; fundraising for Red Barnet, Dansk Røde Kors, Dansk Flygtningehjælp, Unicef, and the homeless; volunteering at a Community center; visiting nursing homes; or passing first aid exams.
The Uniform
It is not a coincidence that our uniforms are camouflage. Teams usually pick colours they think are cool, we didn’t. Ours bear a true symbolic representation of our goals. The Cadets uniform is beyond any doubt the most unique in the form of symbolic representation of our vision than any other team uniform in the world.
Colors of our uniforms
Camouflage is the chosen color pattern. It represents all the hidden emotional factors that our youngsters deal with. In short, the uniform helps a Cadet to blend with his comrades without being judged on any base of race, religion, gender, or orientation.
Numbering of the uniforms
No uniform carries the 1 digit. Cadet represents the #1. The Cadet learns to reflect on individualism, identity, personal development, personal achievement, personal success, accountability and willingness to sacrifice – At the end of the day you are responsible for you, you are the One, and you cannot blame anyone for your failures or shortcomings.
The team aspect brings to light that, even though we are individuals, it requires a team or group effort for one to evolve amongst ones peers. If your peers were not there, you would be no One.
The symbol of the insert line
The black insert symbolizes the cut or separation you make in life, by breaking with the past and moving on. One of the hardest decisions is when a youngster has to make changes in his life whether it be moving to a new neighborhood, changing schools or making new friends.
Helmets, shoes, and socks
The helmets, shoes, and socks are black, indicating that we return to where we started: no matter what end you choose the outcome is the same (black), from birth to death or from head to toe, what you do during your life is what will bring light and meaning to the limited time you have.