Team News

AIR RIFLE TEAMS COMPETES IN SAN ANTONIO

Sept 10, Micah Hames, Skye Youngblood and Xan Keel traveled to San Antonio to compete in the Lee High School season opener air rifle match. It was a 3p air rifle match shot at 10 meters. 

Micah came home with the bronze medal in the individual precision match. Congratulation Micah.

The next day the three participated in the Lonestar Para Athletic Development Academy PTO. This match was also a air rifle match but all 60 shots were fired in the standing position. Great job ladies.

August heat draw decent participation at the monthly match.

Our monthly match was held this past Sunday. 12 competitors came out to brave the heat, and let me tell you it was hot! But in true rifle fashion there was no complaining, at least not by the competitors, the spectators might have been a different story. We had 8 3p shooters and 4 prone shooters. Skye Youngblood to tope honors in 3p and Mathew Wybro was the prone stand out. Congratulations to all who braved the heat. We will not have a match in September due to the TSRA State Indoor 3p Championship being held the same weekend. You can find information for that match on our calendar.

Xan Keel travels to West Point for Rifle Camp

Before sun up on August 4, Xan and her dad Ben Keel headed northeast. Loaded down with all of Xan’s rifle equipment, a air rifle and a smallbore rifle they made their way towards West Point, NY home to the West Point Military Academy. Also home to the West Point Army rifle team, who hosted a 3 day rifle camp for junior shooters. During the course of the camp Keel worked on improving her balance in the standing position, and changed up her kneeling position to elevate some back pain. They also worked on the mental aspect of shooting and controlling nerves during a match. Xan said “I noticed an increase in my scores during camp”. That makes it all worth the drive through 11 states to get there. We do list open junior camps on our calendar.

ACYBC host its July monthly match

Sunday July 18 in very hot/humid conditions we hosted 7 shooters for our monthly outdoor 3P/prone match. We had 6 3P and 1 prone shooter who came out and braved the heat. The wind was light which was good for the trajectory of the rounds, but bad on the competitors. But they made it through the 60 shots and left with a smile. Jack Shada won the 3p event and John Garner was the winner of the prone event. Congratulations to both and thank everyone for coming out. See you next month.

Cool Lake Erie winds welcome shooters to CMP Nationals

Opening morning of the 2021 CMP Nationals held at the famed Camp Perry on the shores of Lake Erie brought a brisk cool wind for the 137 competitors who are shooting metric 3 position. It was challenge for the junior shooters who have never experienced this kind of wind. But in true shooter fashion they took the opportunity to learn from their more experienced competitors. As the day went on the groups reduced and the smiles returned. Located on the southwest shore of Lake Erie, shooters deal with many different weather patterns that come off of the lake. Since 1907 Camp Perry has been the home of the National Matches which draws shooters from all over the world to compete in Pistol, Smallbore and Highpower matches during the month of July. Good luck to all those who give the wind their best shot and try to put them all in the x ring.

Thats a wrap for 2021 NRA Nationals

Sunday brought a close to the 2021 NRA Nationals. They shot their last set of metric prone targets this morning, followed by the final awards ceremony. Skye added to already impressive award stack with a few more. Overall I would say she had a pretty dang impressive match. She shot everyday for the past 13 days, dealt with rain delays, wind, going from cloudy to sunny, grouchy older competitors (yes I said it!) The older crowd can be grouchy. As stated before this was the first year at Camp Atterbury and I don’t care how well planned or experienced you are at running matches the first year somewhere will bring challenges. And the older crowd does not like challenges. So for a 14yo young lady to have to deal with all that and then throw in her mother who is listening to competitors who are upset with dropping a X and thinking “we are way out of our league” I asked Skye what she thought about the whole experience “It was a challenge because I had to adapt to an ever changing environment. After 13 days of shooting I realized how tiring this on your body and mind, but it was fun, and I can’t wait to shoot more!!” Skye did WONDERFUL!! Yes competion is at a very high level and yes they are shooting for X’s not 10’s. But we all know that it isn’t always about the score when you are a junior shooter. It’s the experience, exposure and the life lesson they learn along the journey. Once again Congratulations Skye Youngblood on a very good match! We at ACYBC are supper proud. And thank you for representing us so well at the 2021 NRA Nationals. Good luck at Camp Perry this week for CMP Nationals

Shooting really is a Life long Sport

One of the great aspects of the shooting sports is that it truly is a lifelong sport. While matches may give out awards per age division, the overall winner can be of any age. One of the best examples of this takes place at the NRA Nationals, happening now at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Each year, Nationals draws competitors from all over the United States. From Junior shooters looking to gain experience, to experienced shooters who have attended all their life. Pictured are Skye Youngblood of Cat Spring, Tx and Ron Piotrowski of Arizona. Skye is the youngest female shooter this year at 14 and Ron is the oldest at 85. How awesome is that!!!

Conventional Prone brings Youngblood more trophies

Skye racked up more trophies in the conventional prone match at NRA Nationals. Next up is Metric Prone. Keep it up Skye!

Skye Makes the Randle Team

Each year at NRA Nationals 12 women are selected to shoot a postal match against England. As you can imagine it is a great honor to be selected to represent the USA in the match, and this year at the age of 14 Skye Youngblood was one of the select 12. Congratulations Skye

Youngblood begins to collect awards at the NRA Nationals

Skye Youngblood begins shooting at the NRA National Match

10x Team member Skye Youngblood heads off for a month of shooting

Skye Youngblood and her mother headed out on July 4 on a road trip that will take them through 7 different states where Skye will compete in 2 different National Championships. First up is the 2021 NRA National Smallbore match to be held at Camp Atterbury, IN. Traditionally held at Camp Perry, Ohio dating back to 1907, this will be the first year to be held at Camp Atterbury, IN. NRA National Smallbore firing begins with 2 days of 3×40 metric followed by 2 days of conventional 3×40. Then they begin 7 days of prone shooting. I am sure Skye will sleep on the 4 1/2 hour drive up to Camp Perry, Ohio, home of the new CMP National Matches. The CMP National Match will consist of pretty much the same matches as NRA Nationals, 3p metric and conventional followed by metric and conventional prone. That will will take the Youngbloods to July 28, when they head back to the home state of Texas. I believe is Skye is up to it, they will stop off in Fort Worth and shoot the open Match at Texas Christian University at the end of the month. Good luck Skye from all of the ACYBC team!

4-H Senior Team Competes in State 4-H Indoor Championship

The Senior 4-H team made up of Micah Hames, Xan Keel, Brayton Beam and Lee Michalik competed at the Texas 4-H State Indoor Rifle match held June 4-6 in Victoria Texas. Micah shot a 561-18 to make the finals, where she shot a 91 to hold on to a 4th place finish. The team finished 5th out of the 26 teams in the state. Congratulations to all who competed. We say good by to Senior Lee Michalik as he graduated this year. He will continue his education at Texas A&M in College Station, Tex. Good Luck Lee

Air Rifle Team Competes in The Falls 2021 Rifle Match hosted by Wichita Falls JROTC

The air rifle team consisting of Micah Hames, Skye Youngblood, Nadalli Smith and Brady Svinky recently competed in a 3 position air rifle match. They were able to bring home a wonderful 3rd place trophy. Great job team, that hard work is paying off.

Texas State Rifle Association State Prone Match

Several members of the 10x team competed at the Texas State Rifle Association State Prone match held Memorial Day weekend at the CopperCreek Rifle Range in Marble Falls, Tex. This was the first match outside 4-H for a few of the team. They all did great and learned a lot. A full day of prone shooting in the heat is a long way from shooting a 3×10 4H match indoors. The weather was great with average temps and light wind. Competing in the match were: Xan Keel, Nadalli Smith, Jake Forrester, Skye Youngblood, Brady Svinky, Donnie Smart. The kids even convinced Coach Brian Gardner into shooting with them. Skye Youngblood lead the team with a 3116-135x to win 4th place marksman.

Elizabeth Eckelberg wins District 11 4-H Rifle Scholarship

Each year Texas District 11 Rifle awards a scholarship to a graduating high school senior. The senior must participate in at least 4 county rifle invitationals through the year. Those 4 match scores are taken and averaged for a average score. The senior with the highest average wins the scholarship. Although 2020 was a weird year, we were able to get in 5 matches before COVID shut us down for good. Elizabeth was the winner of this years scholarship. She will continue her education at Texas A&M in College Station, Tx. Congratulations Elizabeth and good luck in your future.

Signing Day!!

After a visit to Ole Miss in the summer, senior shooter Harley Gardner fell in love with the beautiful campus in Oxford, MS. When we got in the car to head home after that visit she said “that feels like home”. Well after some conversations with Head Rifle Coach Valerie Booth and some sleepless nights waiting, Harley received the email she was hoping for. A letter of Intent to shoot for the University of Mississippi on scholarship. On Nov 19, 2014 in front of a packed gym at Bellville High School, she signed that letter. Congratulations Harley

Mueske Signs with Jacksonville State University

Tucked away in the small town of Jacksonville Alabama, sits Jacksonville State University. Maybe even less known is that Jacksonville also has a Rifle team. That team competes in the Ohio Valley Rifle Conference, where they compete in NCAA Rifle matches. They shoot smallbore and air rifle. Brandon Mueske of Brenham, Tx has signed to shoot rifle at Jacksonville State. Because Washington County does not have a 4-H rifle team, Brandon was able to come and shoot with the Austin County 4-H rifle team where he helped them win several matches and a 2nd place finish at the State Match. Congratulations Brandon and good luck