Only two teams from Washington state will be represented at national air rifle marksmanship competitions this year.
And both are based on the North Olympic Peninsula.
The Port Angeles High School Naval Junior ROTC, led by coach Dave Williamson and retired Marine Corps Maj. Leo Campbell, is heading to USA Shooting’s national rifle championships July 6-13 in Kentucky.
And the Peninsula Junior Rifle Team — a nonprofit club headed by Lew Welch — will compete at the 2005 National Rifle Association’s National Junior Air Gun Championship & Training Summit held July 6-10 in Bloomington, Ill.
Both teams were invited to their respective events after placing first (Naval Junior ROTC) and second (Junior Rifle Team) at the Washington State Junior Olympic Rifle Championship in March.
This will be the third time in three years that the Peninsula Junior Rifle Team will be heading to a national competition.
“There are only two national air rifle matches [every year],” said team coach Welch, who was joined by assistant coach Donna Nelson Friday at his home in Port Angeles.
“Each state may send only one team to each.”
3,000 pounds of pressure
Welch and Nelson showed off some of their instruments — air rifles that cost as much as $1,500.
One of them, when fully loaded, provides 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch for every shot.
“Ninety-percent of shooting is in your head,” said Welch, who organized the rifle team nearly four years ago.
“It involves a great deal of mental discipline, and every one of our kids is on the honor roll at their schools.”
Currently, the Junior Rifle Team has eight junior members, seven of whom are in the eighth grade or below.
For more information about the Peninsula Junior Rifle Team, call Welch at 360-452-6572.
Williams of the Port Angeles High’s NJROTC can be contacted via e-mail at dave_williamson@pasd.wednet.edu.