You never know who you inspire. For a young Karsyn Ross, it was Texas shooter Kailyn O’Brien. “I first got involved with marksmanship when I went with my brother to a local 4H shoot and saw this girl shooting with a bunch of boys and beating them. I was about nine at the time and I thought she was the coolest girl ever.” Deciding she could do the same, Karsyn signed up for the shotgun club the next day.
Under Kailyn’s mentorship, Karsyn began competing and won a high overall 4H belt buckle in 2014. It was this award that “completely hooked” her. Now 18 years old, Karsyn has established herself on the International Skeet scene and seeks to inspire more young females to do the same.
Karsyn first made the National Junior team at the age of 13, winning the U15 division in Colorado Springs. She has remained a repeat member of the National Women’s Junior Team alongside fellow Rising Shooting Star Fayth Layne, competing in Peru, Germany, Italy, and South Korea. Though she hasn’t yet claimed any international titles, she has a number of other wins under her belt. She has earned over 100 4H shotgun awards and most recently placed third in the 2025 Junior Women’s Spring Skeet Selection. This performance also landed Ross her first spot on the National Women’s Skeet Team, opening up a whole new level of competition.
Shooting alongside talented juniors like Fayth is Karsyn’s favorite thing about the sport. She enjoys “watching everyone grow and mature in the sport as competitors and people.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is Karsyn’s calling card: “a big, dangly, loud, James Avery charm bracelet.” She’s never taken it off her whole life and people have begun to recognize “the girl who shoots in the bracelet.” Accompanying her on her adventures is a stuffed monkey she clips to her shooting vest, a Beretta DT11 Black shotgun, and RE Ranger shooting glasses.
Karsyn is currently a biomed student at Tarleton State University and a member of their shotgun team. She is incredibly active in extracurriculars, taking part in the ASL club, neuroscience club and student government association. To round out her experiences, she runs social media for the Tarleton admission offices.
