Rifle Team

rifle team squad at st john's military school Small bore and air rifle target shooting is a national and Olympic sport with many accomplished marksman in the central Kansas area. Cadets on the St John's Rifle Team not only have the opportunity to test their skills locally, but also to compete nationally through postal matches hosted by organizations such as the National Rifle Association, the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Postal matches are competitions fired on our home range with the fired targets mailed to the host organization. This allows our students to compete at the national level against many other schools and shooting clubs across the nation.

The rifle team competes in more than twenty-five matches a season that extends from the first of November through the first of April; everything culminates in the Kansas State three-position Championship. Other prestigious competitions in which each team member competes includes the NRA Sectionals, the Junior Olympic Qualifier, and the Kansas State Outdoor and Indoor Championships. In addition, the St John's Rifle Team is a member of the North Central Kansas Gallery League and competes on a weekly basis against teams from the north central Kansas area.

The Mule-Skinner team proudly possesses four NCKGL Championship plaques earned by teams from the 2001-2004 seasons.

The rifle range in the basement of the Steven's Center utilizes twelve firing points and is considered to be a world class facility. This facility received praise from several Olympic hopefuls that include members from the Army's Marksmanship Unit. While competing on the range, one such shooter tied a national record in standing position.

Coach Tony Blair is a competitor himself and has coached the rifle team from 1989-1993, and then again from 1999 to the present day. He is a NRA/CMP certified coach and rifle instructor, President of the North Central Kansas Gallery League, and a Member-At-Large on the Kansas State Rifle Association's Board of Directors.

Joining the rifle team is difficult at St John's. Most cadets, after hearing about the program, want to join but they need to try out for the few open positions each year. Normally, there are only three or four placements available.

The team practices two hours a day on four days a week when they are not actually competing in a match. They practice the self control of holding as perfectly still as they can and controlling their breathing. This is a difficult task even for an adult, requiring much self discipline and dedication.

2009 - 2010 Rifle Team Schedule

Dec 1 Army JROTC Air Rifle Postal Match Home 3:30

Dec 3 NCKGL Match vs. Delphos Home 7:00

Dec 7 Air Rifle Match vs. Leavenworth HS Home 4:00

Dec 10 NRA .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Dec 15 VFW .22 Cal Individual Postal Match Home 3:30

Dec 16 VFW .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Jan 7 NCKGL Match vs. Abilene Home 7:00

Jan 12 NRA .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Jan 14 NCKGL Match vs. Wichita Home 7:00

Jan 16 Small bore Jr. Olympic Qualifier Home 9:00am

Jan 18 American Legion Air Rifle Ind. Postal Home 3:30

Jan 21 NCKGL Match vs. Manhattan Home 7:00

Jan 25 American Legion Air Rifle Team Postal Home 3:30

Jan 26 VFW .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Jan 28 NCKGL Match vs. Delphos Home 7:00

Feb 2 NRA National JROTC Air Rifle Postal Home 3:30

Feb 9 VFW .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Feb 11 NCKGL Match vs. Abilene Home 7:00

Feb 18 NCKGL Match vs. Wichita Home 7:00

Feb 13-14 NRA Junior and Open .22 Cal Sectionals Home 9:00am

Feb 16 NRA Junior 3-position Air Rifle Postal Match Home 3:30

Feb 17 Air Rifle Match vs. Leavenworth HS AWAY 4:00

Feb 23 NRA .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Feb 25 NCKGL Match vs. Manhattan Home 7:00

Mar 2 VFW .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Mar 4 NRA .22 Cal Team Postal Match Home 3:30

Mar 6-7 Kansas State Indoor Prone Championship Home 9:00am

Mar 25-27 Kansas State Indoor 3-pos. Championship Home 9:00am

Apr 15 NCKGL Awards Banquet Longford 7:00

Rifle Team

Rifle Team

2009 - 2010 Rifle Team Schedule

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