Loud shots fill the empty space in the range. The feelings of team spirit and friendship fills the back of the room. This is a normal practice for the Emmaus High School Rifle team. The team is aiming to reclaim former glory from the 2021-22 season, where they ran away with the state championship.
Junior Zach Brenner has been a part of the rifle community since the seventh grade with his club team, which he still competes. He participates in both local and out of state tournaments where he keeps his goal simple.
“[I hope to] clear every match with a 100-10x,” Brenner said.
Brenner is seeking the best score possible at every match to help boost himself and the team. He is excited for the season and is ready to take on his opponents.
Senior Rowan Kratz, also look to improve by practicing daily and to show up at every match ready to compete.
“I want to expand on my skills. I haven’t been the best shooter over the years,” Kratz said. “I’ve already had what I consider to be a fair bit of natural skill, but it still hasn’t done enough to keep me at the top, or where I want to be. So I definitely want to put a lot more work in.”
Team chemistry is a vital component to the success of both the individual and group performances in rifle. Senior Shannon Yard makes it a point to complement team members on a consistent basis.
“We’re basically a big friend group in the back of the range,” Yard said.
Head coach Mike Shuler has been making an impact by pushing them to be their best so they can shoot at their best.
“He knows when to keep it light. We can joke around,” Kratz said. “But he also helps us when we have issues. When to get us back in line if we goof off too much, and how to get ready to compete.”
The team looks to compete and display their skills this season, while also return ing to some of the highs in past years. With Coach Schuler, the team believes they can reach their goals and leave a lasting impact on the sport as a whole.
“One thing I want to do before I leave is I want to make sure that our younger shooters are ready and able to carry the team for the upcoming years when we won’t be here,” Kratz said. “I want to leave an impact.”
Coach Schuler hopes to leave a lasting impression on the members past high school and into their lives.
“I want them to know you can do anything if you keep working,” Schuler said. “Those kind of skills you’re building, other than how do I get down and pull [the] trigger, how do I keep working with something that’s hard.”
