“Shooter take your position,” says the official. As each player steps to the line and aims their rifle, the target begins to look smaller as the pressure sinks in. Their hearts are beating faster than a freshman on the first day of school. Their finger pulls the trigger, and then their heart stops.
“Shooting team is part of JROTC and deals with the discipline and safety of firing a weapon,” Sergeant First Class Doug Miller said.
The team is coming off an impressive season last year racking up numerous fifth place finishes and is looking to do even better this year.
“Our team’s goal this year is to improve and of course make it to nationals,” Miller said.
The Shooting team’s competition’s has each shooter take three shots, which will be taken using a Daisy 887 air rifle. They shoot at a 10-meter target from the laying down position or prone position, the kneeling squat position, and the last is the standing shot. A total of 300 points will be awarded per shot depending on the accuracy of the shot. A bulls eye is awarded with 300 points towards the team’s total score. The scoring of the competition is very similar to that of track meets in that the sport is a team sport with each member competing for achievement for themselves as well. If the shooter or the team is good enough, they can make it to the national tournament in Florida.
As with every team problems can erupt, and the shooting team is no exception.
“The team’s biggest weakness is that they don’t have enough time to practice,” Miller said.
The team faces many of the same problems that other sporting teams and organizations face in that many upperclassman work and underclassman don’t have rides to and from practice.
Also the team has to replace over 42 cadets from last year.
“The team’s strengths are that they are very good at the fundamentals of shooting,” Miller said.