My name is Reese Harper, and my journey in shooting sports began at just six years old, holding a pink BB gun on my grandma’s farm. Little did I know shooting would take me so far in life. Now I'm a junior at Sycamore High School as well as an NRA Youth Shooting Sports Ambassador.
The number one question I get asked by parents and kids is, “How did you get involved in shooting sports and competitive shooting?” To this, I almost always say “4-H.” In my opinion, if you're interested in getting into competitive shooting sports, one of the best ways to start is through a 4-H program. That’s exactly what I did. When I was eight years old, I joined my local 4-H club. At the time, I didn’t have much shooting experience, but I knew a little about it. Since that first day I attended the air rifle program at our local sportsman club when I was eight years old, I’ve never looked back.
4-H is great because you don't need to have any experience to join, and all of the equipment is provided. Most of the time, it's new to everyone, so there's no need to feel scared. Parents and kids can feel safe and confident knowing that certified coaches will teach proper safety and marksmanship skills.
When I was 12, I started competing in the Sporter class for air rifle at local matches. I loved competing because it was a time that I was able to show off the improvements I was making in practice. I continued to compete with my club for a few years, improving more and more every time. All of the hard work I was putting in during practice was paying off when I went to compete, which was the most exciting thing to see.
By the time I was 15, I decided to take it a step further and switch over to precision air rifle and smallbore shooting. That’s when I joined the River Valley Sharpshooters. Now, I compete with my all-girl precision rifle team all over the United States. We’ve traveled to matches like the Camp Perry Open, CMP Regionals, and even qualified for CMP Nationals.
Through 4-H, I’ve gained so much more than just shooting experience. I’ve learned responsibility, leadership, and discipline. I’ve also met many great people, like my fellow competitors, but also some great mentors. Overall, the one thing I want to say is that the shooting community has some of the nicest people, everyone wants to help everyone. All the parents, coaches, and even your fellow competitors are rooting for you and just want to see you excel in something you love.
So if you or someone you know is curious about shooting sports, my advice is very simple: Start with 4-H. It’s easy to get into, it’s fun, and it could open many doors for you, just like it did for me.
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