MacArthur High School played host to the Greater San Antonio Shooting Camp. Fifty JROTC and 4H marksmanship enthusiasts attended the camp, which ran from July 9 through 13. The young athletes represented Navy, Air Force, and Army JROTC programs throughout Texas and included students from Houston, Greenville, Lehman and San Antonio.
North East ISD instructors recognized a need for students to practice their craft and sharpen their skills to prepare for the upcoming competition season. In partnership with the District and MacArthur athletic department. JROTC instructors converted two MacArthur gymnasiums into air rifle ranges for the week- long camp. The lead trainer, retired First Sergeant Pete Carrion, who currently coaches Paralympic shooters and represents USA Shooting, assembled a group of highly- experienced instructors, including the state CMP Director Ed Smith.
Instructors separated the athletes into two categories - new and experienced shooters - ensuring that each athlete received the most effective training based on their experience level.
Instructors emphasized the relationship between concepts like mental focus, discipline, and physical endurance, and, competitive shooting.
The week culminated with a sanctioned 3- position match where participants were scored based on their accuracy with a maximum score of 600 points. The top eight shooters in each category then competed in a 10-shot final to determine overall placement.
“The quality of the camp was as good as it gets,” said Smith. "No other school district in Texas would have been able to assemble the equipment and man power to run a camp of this quality.”
Heidi White, the mother of Cadet Anne White said, “The camp was a great compliment to the national CMP camps offered in Anniston, Alabama, and Camp Perry, Ohio.”
