Aiming high: Marksmanship team heading to Junior Olympics

Sheri Trusty
·4 min read
Shooting is a mental game, and Hailey Singleton said many of the team members are at a point in their shooting technique that preparations outside the range – like exercise and developing self-control – are just as important.
Shooting is a mental game, and Hailey Singleton said many of the team members are at a point in their shooting technique that preparations outside the range – like exercise and developing self-control – are just as important.

GREEN SPRINGS - Once again, the American Legion Post 295 Marksmanship Team out of Green Springs is heading to the Junior Olympics. Six members of the team qualified to compete and will head to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on Friday with hopes of returning to Ohio with medals.

Competing this year are Claudia Muzik, 16, of Green Springs, who will compete in Women’s Air Rifle and Women’s Smallbore; Delilah Muzik, 12, of Green Springs, who will compete in Women’s Air Rifle; Hailey Singleton, 16, of Bellevue, who will compete in Women’s Air Rifle; Deitrick Bergman, 15, of Oak Harbor, who will compete in Men’s Air Rifle and Men’s Smallbore; Braden Michalak, 16, of Canton, Michigan, who will compete in Men’s Air Rifle and Men’s Smallbore; and Blaine Simpson, 17, of Sidney, who will compete in Men’s Air Pistol and Men’s Sport Pistol. Head coach is Matt Muzik, father of Claudia and Delilah.

Team made up of youths from Green Springs, Oak Harbor, Sidney and Michigan

Each year, shooters must win their spot at the Junior Olympics by competing at the Ohio Junior Olympic Rifle and Pistol Qualifier Match. Competitors must shoot a minimum score to qualify for the Junior Olympics. When not enough competitors qualify, the next highest scoring shooters are invited to attend. If spots are still available, a second round of high-score shooters are invited.

Matt said most of his team were able to shoot qualifying scores long before the qualifying match, but competition plays with your mind.

Head Coach Matt Muzik has trained his marksmanship team, which includes his two daughters, to skill levels that qualified them for the Junior Olympics. Here, he stands with, from left, Hailey Singleton, Claudia Muzik and Delilah Muzik.
Head Coach Matt Muzik has trained his marksmanship team, which includes his two daughters, to skill levels that qualified them for the Junior Olympics. Here, he stands with, from left, Hailey Singleton, Claudia Muzik and Delilah Muzik.

“Shooting is such a mental game. Sometimes you can figure it out and get dialed in, and sometimes you’ve got too much in your head,” he said.

His team beat the competition and their own minds at the 2023 Ohio Junior Olympic Rifle and Pistol Qualifier Match. Claudia won gold in Women’s Air Rifle and silver in Women’s Smallbore. Singleton won silver in Women’s Air Rifle. Michalak won gold in Men’s Air Rifle and gold in Men’s Smallbore. Bergman won bronze in Men’s Air Rifle and bronze in Men’s Smallbore. Simpson won silver in Men’s Air Pistol and Men’s Sport Pistol.

As they prepare for competition, the shooters find a balance between maintaining the techniques that helped them earn medals and fine-tuning their skills.

Bergman has medaled before, is working on repetition

Bergman is constantly working to improve his shot, but now that he has medaled, he wants to work on training his body to respond to repetition.

“I’m doing everything the same. Other sports may be different, but with shooting, you want to do the same thing,” he said.

Left to right, Delilah Muzik, Claudia Muzik and Hailey Singleton practice at Gary Anderson CMP in Port Clington for the upcoming Olympics.
Left to right, Delilah Muzik, Claudia Muzik and Hailey Singleton practice at Gary Anderson CMP in Port Clington for the upcoming Olympics.

Through the years, the shooters have continually improved their skills to qualify for the Junior Olympics.

“We’re never done learning. We learn something from every person — a new technique, a different hand position, a different way of looking down the sites. Then we learn to do all that independently,” Claudia said. “But mostly, it’s just practice, and not just regular practice, but practicing at matches.”

Most of the team members practice five days a week in addition to competing at matches.

“It’s about practicing. It’s learning to do it every time and working on muscle memory,” Singleton said. “Now, at this point, it’s also about what you do outside of shooting, like working out and learning to control yourself.”

Self-control is a foundational element of shooting success, and Delilah was able to rein in her nerves during the qualifier match, which was her first pre-Junior Olympic experience.

“I had a rough day in tryouts, but I made it,” she said.

Deitrick Bergman, left, and Hailey Singleton practice at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Port Clinton for the upcoming Junior Olympics.
Deitrick Bergman, left, and Hailey Singleton practice at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Port Clinton for the upcoming Junior Olympics.

The team has been practicing at Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Port Clinton for 10 years, which deeply impacted their success.

“We would not be where we are today if not for this place. Many of the staff are former Division I collegiate athletes, and they give the kids direction, guidance and a passion for the sport,” Matt said. “To have a place like this in our backyard is phenomenal.”

To follow the team’s progress through the Junior Olympics, visit usashooting.org.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Local marksmanship team heading to Junior Olympics