

While some students are protesting gun violence, gun ranges around the country are full of teens and young adults practicing shooting skills—and talking about the positive influence of firearms training on their lives.
According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, about 5,000 high schools and universities around the country have shooting teams. The clubs use a variety of firearms—from air rifles that shoot pellets to 9mm pistols that fire bullets. Members invest hundreds of dollars in stiff uniforms and stable, supportive shoes for spending hours standing, kneeling, or lying prone to fire at targets. Some members hope to represent the United States in the Olympics. Some simply love the camaraderie and mental focus required to shoot well.
On a recent weekend, high school and college gun team members gathered in Georgia. They were there to work with JP O’Connor, a coach connected to USA Shooting, the Olympic organization.
Many students attended the event with their parents. The adults had no qualms putting firearms in the hands of kids—many of whom are too young to drive a car or vote. Participants, coaches, and parents say there’s an enormous difference between someone bent on violence and members of a shooting team. O’Connor believes when people are educated about guns “we’re actually safer.” He says shooting clubs focus on safety and teach basic life skills.
Like what? Patience, self-control, and responsibility for starters. Great shooters don’t just load and shoot. They take each movement slowly—including controlling pulse and breathing.
Lydia Odlin grew up in Maine. In the rural parts of the state, hunting is prevalent. But in the southern part, she couldn’t even wear her rifle team’s T-shirt at school. “You just kind of avoided the topic of guns,” she says.
Odlin is now a member of the Georgia Southern University rifle team. There, she says, “You say you’re on a rifle team. . . . It’s, ‘Oh cool. What do you shoot? How far do you shoot?’”
Shooting has helped Odlin in many ways. “You can’t become a quality shooter without becoming a quality person,” she claims. “I’ve never gone out onto a range and not learned something new.”
Kevin Neuendorf, director of marketing communications at USA Shooting, sees a team member’s gun as a piece of equipment “no different than Serena’s tennis racket.” He says shooting brings discipline, opportunity, and success to some non-typical athletes. After all, “not every kid can be successful at basketball or football.”
to Camdyn M
You are funnee;)
Cool
Besides people could use other things on a school campus
I think they should do like
I think they should do like back round checks these days because gangs and bad things are in schools.
I personally think it would be a great idea because people need to defend themselves.
I think this is kind of cool
I think this is kind of cool but it is also not safe if someone wants to shoot in a school the school is giving a free class on how to do it. Also if the person has bad intenshons they cold shoot there instrukter .or the gun could through the student across the room
COOL!!!
This is an awesome article! I would love to be in a gun club.
That's cool but not amazing
That's cool but not amazing
They can'nt really defend
They can'nt really defend themselves other ig because they're not quite old enough to have a gun
Gun are awesome! I have a cow
Gun are awesome! I have a cow elk hunt this month
60th comment
I wonder where the closet one is.
Cool! Also, I do archery, and
Cool! Also, I do archery, and this article reminds me of archery because it's still aiming at a target and stuff. Also, think we can make it to 100 comments? We only need like 39 more!
I shoot BB guns....
I have killed some small game I personally like the glass more than the V line up
cool
this article is pretty cool. i have never shot a gun but i had a chance to. my dad said no though. oh well. aaaaanyway. it would be really cool if this got popular and you could get scholarships for it.
64 Comments!!!!!!!!!
Let's see how many comments we can get!
65th comment
wow. 65 comments
66 comments!
I wonder if we can get to 150 comments?
I took a Hunters Safety Course
I shoot guns all the time. I am probably going hunting this year with my Dad and brother.
My grandpa (we call him Daddy
My grandpa (we call him Daddy Bear :-)) Has a small gun. I don't think it could kill anyone, but he likes to shoot it sometimes at small targets that he set up on a piece of Styrofoam. I also shoot my bow and arrow at their house.
We call our grandpa "Daddy
We call our grandpa "Daddy-Bear" too!!!
Not that he looks like one AT
Not that he looks like one AT ALL, but he chases my little brother around pretending to be one:D
You are funnee;)
You are funnee;)
100!!!!!!!
Are you grateful for my help:D
Hhhuuurrraaaa!!!! 100!!!!
Sorry I didn't help:'( here are some interesting websites.
www.jsm.org
www.superbookkids.org
www.sonlifetv.org
www.shoaffparkbtist.org
www.franses&friends.org
Please?!?!?!
Anybody who is going for 100 can just come to the article, ''Gaming, when is too much, too much?''
DID ANYONE NOTICE???
I KNOW I had put down 100 comments. I just copied and pasted the comment that A'shanique P had put in earlier(you are funnee;)), but the editor must not have like it or something, because they are all deleted!!!
When I put that down, I wasn
When I put that down, I wasn't trying to make fun of her AT ALL!!!!!!! All I was trying to do was make 100 comments.
My dad has a whole bunch of
My dad has a whole bunch of World War 2 guns, and occasionally he shoots them off!! My brother has gone hunting a little with a bow, but not much else.
@ Alyssa S.
That's awesome that you call your grandpa Daddy Bear too! Our grandpa has actually gotten random compliments from strangers on his name when they hear us grandkids call him Daddy Bear :-) We call our grandma Grammy, or Grammy Bear. What about you?
read this!!!
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PERMALINK ON WED, 02/27/2019 - 15:26 | BY
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i did not wright it!!
world teen did
Ok, never mind about the 100
Ok, never mind about the 100 comments thing. I think WORLDteen is right. Sorry!!
UO THIS WAS POSTED NEXT!!
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Please do not use the comments area as a personal chat room or to simply compile the greatest number of postings. The comments function was not designed for that. It is provided as a service for readers to share feedback that is relevant to the news story and pertinent/appropriate for all readers. We appreciate your cooperation in making the comments a safe and relevant feature for the WORLDteen news site.
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i did not wright it!!
WORLDTEEN did!
We just call our grandma
We just call our grandma "grandma" or "Mamaw".
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