85 teams from across the country competed in the Rifle National Trophy Team Matches. The Matches included some young faces and old rivalries.
For the USMC rifle team, any competition against their peers is serious business. According to William Corley, the Master Sergeant in charge of the team's orders (and who gave his age as "old as my tongue, a little older than my teeth"), "we always like to beat the Army."
Getting on the USMC team is also a difficult endeavor, and only the top shooters in the Marines make it. In fact, each competitor must first win in one of four division championships and then do well at the Marine Corp championships to be selected. Beginning in May, team members participate in day long shooting practices a minimum of five days a week. Corley said, since May, the team has had "maybe six or seven days off."
On the other end of the spectrum, there were a number of junior teams shooting the match, including a team of two girls and four boys from California. The coach of the team, Noma Zinsmaster-Mayo, had driven 2,680 miles from her driveway in Jamestown, California to the "gates of Camp Perry" to take part (the kids flew). Of note, Noma has been shooting in competitions since 1975, well before many other women had entered the sport (look for a feature on her in the September issue). As a coach, she yearly takes at least one junior team to the National Matches. To her, bringing the young shooters "is no problem at all--they're great kids, just great."
Wes Durnall, 16, a member of the California junior team, was attending his second National Match. "I love it. This is the ultimate of all places to shoot…best competition in the world, everything is the toughest here."
A little closer to home, Diana Stankiewicz coaches the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Junior Team. Ohio is a hotbed for junior marksmanship, and through yearly tryouts, the junior team fills its roster. This year, they have 16 members--15 guys and 1 girl. Diana has been shooting since 1989, coaching along with her husband since 1996. "My husband decided he wanted to shoot, and he was leaving me at home, so I decided I'd do it, too." Coaching currently takes up much of her time--she hasn't shot at the National Matches in three years--but she still enjoys coming to "see everybody that I know from all over the country."
Coach William Corley of the USMC Rifle Team giving us the stare…
Then there's Sergeant Anthony Douglas in his rocking chair (we think he's supposed to be spotting)
A California Junior Team member prepares
