Precision shooter Katlyn Sullivan and sporter shooter Bethany Shirley named American Legion Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National champions.
American Legion Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship competitors Katlyn Sullivan and Bethany Shirley held on to their first position spot heading into the finals Saturday morning to be named the precision and sporter champions, respectively. American Legion precision champion Sullivan and sporter champion Shirley stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the firing line alongside the other top seven competitors in their respective class, firing 10 individual shots, for the finals that was held inside the Margot Biermann Athletic Center on the campus of Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich.
Sullivan, of Statesboro, Ga., and Shirley, of Monroe, Ga., will each receive a $5,000 scholarship provided by The American Legion and Sons of The American Legion, along with a trip to The American Legion’s 106th national convention in Tampa, Fla., in August to be honored alongside other American Legion youth champions. Second-place finisher in precision Carley Seabrooke of Alabama and sporter Ashley Carr of Nebraska will each receive a $1,000 scholarship provided by the American Legion Auxiliary. And third-place precision finisher Kelsey Dardas of Colorado and sporter finisher Emma Allen of Georgia will receive a medal.
Sullivan said heading into the finals was stressful as she felt a little off when she first started firing. But thankfully, “I finished strong so I’m happy about that, but it was like, ‘What are you doing?!’ for the first five shots,” she said. “It’s really empowering in a sense of like I did it, I accomplished it. It’s a really fun match.”
To help ease nerves and not get in her head before the match, Sullivan listened to music, focused on herself and received hugs. “I try not to think too far ahead, not to think the past, to stay present in the moment. I’m a person I love getting hugs from my mom and dad before matches because it just helps relax my shoulders, it helps my body and mind calm down for a few seconds. That’s always something I do before I shoot.”
Sullivan began shooting air rifle in eighth grade after having a familiarity with guns and the sport. Her grandfather, a Marine Corps veteran, taught her how to shoot and she used to hunt. “Air rifle seemed like a really fun sport that I already had a little knowledge in, but it was so different that it was refreshing but comforting,” she said. “The fun and the challenge of it is really exciting.”
She also enjoys the community and patriotism the sport provides, especially The American Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports Program.
“It's a very patriotic community in general, but I think this competition really brings it out in that we recognize it day, night, we are surrounded by it and you really get to appreciate all that The American Legion does for youth and for their members.
“The community is great, the challenge is always great,” she added. “I love air rifle because I’ve done it a little bit longer; I love my gun, it’s my baby. I understand my rifle and what my positions do and how to work them, that’s what makes them fun. I have the knowledge to work with it and to get better at it. If I make a mistake, it’s on me, and I know what the mistake is.”
For Bethany Shirley, air rifle has helped with social skills, said her father and coach Hank Shirley.
“In shooting sports there’s a lot of life skills that transfer … dedication, commitment, working through adversity, and if you put the work in you get the results,” he said.
Hank found The American Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports postal match by asking around about different competitions. He then went to the local American Legion Post 64 in Monroe to ask if they would sponsor a team since you need a Legion affiliation to participate. “Because we wanted to participate in the match,” he said. “They said they would be excited to do it. And now, the post wants to host a dinner for us next month.”
Hank had a team of four air rifle shooters to compete in the Legion postal match. Out of the four, Bethany qualified for the second round and national tournament. She hopes to come back as an air rifle precision shooter.
Sullivan competed in the Legion’s national competition twice and encouraged other high school air rifle competitors to do the same.
“It's a really good competition and challenge for a lot of shooters in that you get to experience camaraderie with your competitors and learn so much about yourself and others while challenging yourself in every single match to do your best,” she said. “It’s a really good opportunity to find a really good peer support group that encourages you and supports you in all the matches. Even if you don’t make it your first year, you can always get better and try again next year.”
Results for top eight precision
1. 2,494.9 – Katlyn Sullivan of Georgia, American Legion Post 90
2. 2,487.8 – Carly Seabrooke of Alabama, Triple Nickel Junior Shooters
3. 2,485.4 – Kelsey Dardas of Colorado, Arvada Rifle & Pistol Club
4. 2,484.0 – Jack Ogoreuc of Pennsylvania, Oil City Jr. Rifle Team
5. 2,471.2 – Ainsely McFarland of Montana, Yellowstone Rifle Club
6. 2,470.0 – Devin Wagner of West Virginia, Mason Dixon Junior Rifle Team
7. 2,462.5 – Mackenzie Pruden of Texas, American Legion Post 295
8. 2,455.5 – Danica Gamble of Montana, Yellowstone Rifle Club
1. 2,350.1 – Bethany Shirley of Georgia, Walton County Air Rifle
2. 2,333.5 – Ashley Carr of Nebraska, Guns R Us
3. 2,310.7 – Emma Allen of Georgia, American Legion Post 90
4. 2,285.8 – Connor Rowan of Tennessee, Daniel Boone High School JROTC
5. 2,258.8 – Bryan Morales of New York, American Legion Post 151
6. 2,248.1 – Layla Briggs of Louisiana, Haughton AFJROTC
7. 2,245.9 – Alana Griffiths of Oregon, Lebanon High School
8. 2,244.3 – Kenna Jordan of South Carolina, Walhalla High School
- Shooting