My High School Rifle Team

[Aragorn243]

Tonight, was graduation night, seven graduated, six of them with honors of some sort, several with multiple honors. We finished 10-4 this year, which was not our best year record wise, but we actually were section co-champions for the first time since I've been head coach. The sad part about that is, we didn't know it until the season was long over. Our league did away with tie breakers several years ago and neglected to tell the Rifle league about it. So, we went the normal tie breaker route and finished third on the second tiebreaker. All three teams were 1-1 against each other and we had the lowest match average score of the three. We were the team however who created the three-way tie by beating the only team capable of finishing 11-3 in the last match of the season. Having an end of season discussion with my athletic director and mentioned the tie and he said we don't have tie breakers anymore and we were co-champions. So a trophy is coming, a banner is coming, and they were honored twice at graduation tonight, but it still isn't he same as getting the award at our league tournament. We won that two years ago but didn't get photos then either due to it being the Covid nightmare. I've lost out on tie breakers twice before, so this was a nice surprise.

[jonnyc]

Congrats!
I wish we had a rifle team. Pretty rural district (OJR), but still too close to Philly.

[Aragorn243]

You aren't that far from our league if you were interested in pursuing it. We are always looking for more teams. Problem is the latest team is Juniata and they are an hour an a half away for us which isn't horrible as we'd only have to go once but they would have to travel 8 times. Due to locations, their travel time is pretty close to the same for all but one of the schools, E-town.

It is expensive to start up with good rifles $1600-$1800 each and you would need a minimum of about 6 to start. We have two schools in Reading and the rest are scattered around Lancaster County, 8 of us at present. Juniata isn't in the league yet, it's a several year process but they have scrimmaged a few of us and participated in our one tournament.

If we get more schools, we intend to split into two sections, not sure how exactly that will work. The problem is we can only have so many matches and I think we are near max now. But other sports have long playoff schedules and we don't have a playoff so I would think we could add at least one more week to the season. I don't make the rules however.

[jonnyc]

Thanks, but exactly one year from now I'm jumping ship...YAY!!!
We do have an NJROTC air rifle team, but I don't think they do too much. I tried for years to have Gun Safety added to the Health curriculum, but the idea never got to the Board level. Too many anti-gun teachers and admins in the way.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Congratulations to you and the team. I can't think of a more worthy endeavor. Lessons of discipline, patience and firearm safety will abide throughout their lives and almost certainly be passed on to their children and others.