Paige Patton

Senior Duncan Mcbride aiming with her double barrel shotgun.

Her eyes scan the clear blue sky, in search of her small disc target. While her body fights the beating sun, sweat slides down her face and around her glasses. Senior Duncan McBride lets out a slow, steady breath before pulling the trigger, as she squeezes the handle against the side of her hip. The sky is now filled with targets and echoes of gunshots, but suddenly, everything becomes silent again.

McBride settles into her lawn chair after completing her round of shooting, successfully hitting all 25 flying disks that are the size of a teacup saucer. As a senior, McBride seeks to stand out to colleges not only through her academic success, but also in her hobby: shooting.

“I don’t like to talk about my sport a lot because people perceive it as uncharacteristic of me, so I just try to avoid people questioning me for something that I enjoy despite if it’s something ‘out of my nature’,” McBride said.

After only two years of competing and practicing, McBride has completed 15 tournaments around the U.S including Ohio and Kansas. McBride shot over 6,000 rounds on her over and under shotgun, Tristar TT15, this past year.

“The competitions are really long because you have to get there 45 minutes before your flight is up, which is with your squad. Everyone in your squad has a similar skill level as you, and you compete as a team trying to individually but as a whole, do well. A team has five to six people, and I compete on a co-ed team,” McBride said.

Every week, McBride is found practicing at J-Hinges Shooting Range with her coach and father, gearing for another competition and improving her skills. Additionally, McBride has recently been introduced to a new style and event in shooting called skeet.

“I have had some challenges with doing skeet shooting, because unlike trap-shooting, I have no idea where the clay birds are flying from whereas trap-shooting is where the clay birds fly out from the same place from your position,” McBride said. “The key to skeet is understanding the trajectory of the clay bird and trying to stay consistent in your shooting and technique once you get the hang of it.”

McBride continues a family tradition, but remains to explore her own opportunities in this sport. Her skill has not only given her success in competitions, but also for the opportunities for scholarships and college benefits.

“It hurts a lot because in the beginning the gun kicks you and you can develop a lot of bruises. I had a big bruise on my hip for the longest time because I would use it to help hold the gun. Also your arms become really sore,” McBride said.

In order to prepare for a competition, McBride has to train her body to memorize the motions of the gun and lift weights to build strength.

“Just practicing the motion of holding my gun and aiming as if I were shooting helps tremendously. Shooting requires a lot of upper arm strength because the gun itself isn’t very light, and any shake or tremble in my hand or arm risks my ability to hit the target. Not only that, but the level of comfort also is important in order to do well and avoid hurting or straining my body,” McBride said.

Although there are many benefits from being a sharpshooter, McBride has feared the criticism from her peers and their ignorance towards her hobby.

“My peers, especially at school, have misconceptions about shooting and guns. I fear they think I enjoy killing and shooting things because I own a gun. But in reality, shooting is the safest sport in America for your body because although there are basic safety risks to shooting a gun, you aren’t beating up your body. It doesn’t have any physical contact.”

McBride plans on shooting after she graduates high school, encourages her friends and family to also get involved.

“I want my friends to know guns are not ’country’ or barbaric, and that you have to have a lot of skill and certification,” McBride said. “My teammates are a mix of people who like to hunt, and don’t even hunt at all, like me. Shooting is a skill that is perfected through muscle memory, arm strength, and focus, not madness.”