Johnson ROTC Rifle Team qualifies for nationals

The "Lady Bird" Johnson High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) Air Rifle Team (Precision) has qualified to shoot in the 2012 Army JROTC Air Rifle National Championships in Anniston, Alabama Feb. 9 - 11. This great achievement came after the Johnson team placed third in the Brigade level division.  Only four teams among 311 schools within the 5th JROTC Brigade earned this opportunity.

"We've been working for this opportunity for three years and finally our hard work is rewarded," says Cadet First Lieutenant Melissa Haley.

Joining Haley on Johnson’s Precision team are Cadet Captain Brady Evans, Team Captain Cadet First Sergeant Mirella Torres and Cadet Sergeant Major Duncan Pawloski.

"I am extremely proud of our cadets," says team coach LTC (Retired) Alan W. Maitland. "Our cadets are continuing the tradition in the North East Independent School District in having a nationally ranked air rifle team."

The Three-Position Air Rifle Marksmanship is one of the most popular and fastest growing form of shooting sports competition for our youth. There are two equipment classes of shooting in this sport. The Precision Air Rifle class is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of specialized target rifles and equipment. The second class of shooting is the Sporter Air Rifle class and is designed for new competitors or those who desire to compete with a minimum of equipment and expense. Until this school year, the Johnson JROTC was the only NEISD school to offer both classes of air rifle marksmanship to cadets.

"Air rifle marksmanship is a very safe sport that is extremely effective in teaching our cadets life skills that enhance their performances in schoolwork as well as in home and job-related activities," says Maitland. "I have seen my air rifle team cadets develop in a number of areas to include better concentration, self control, self discipline, and increased responsibility."

"Air rifle shooting is definitely a sport that I never tire of," said Cadet Torres. "I am extremely excited about competing at the national level."

The 2012 Army JROTC National Championship is sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and United States Army Cadet Command. This competition gives JROTC units and individuals who earned the right to represent their JROTC Brigades an opportunity to meet the challenges of a major air rifle shoulder-to-shoulder competition with the very best JROTC air rifle marksmen from around the world. The Army JROTC Championship is also the qualifying competition for the 2012 All Services National JROTC Championship that will take place in March 2012.

"Most people do not know that Air Rifle Marksmanship is an Olympic sport," says Maitland. "NEISD has been very fortunate to have had many JROTC cadets receive college scholarships for Air Rifle Marksmanship and educational assistance thru the Senior ROTC programs."

Article courtesy of www.neisd.net.