Recent Shooting Academy Successes

Sshooting has had a very successful year with the launch of the Academy with several shooters performing well in open competition and at representational level, both for British Schools and for GB and Welsh Juniors. The success at open competitions is particularly pleasing where some pupils have competed for the first time.

During the year, Year 12 students, Nia Squirrell and Ryan Williams, alongside Year 10 pupil James Slater and Richard Lay in Year 9. Richard Lay represented Wales in the British Schools Postal match. Nia Squirrell, Ryan Williams alongside Year 11 pupil, Richard Belcher and Samantha Williams in Year 10, have all represented Shropshire Juniors in a National postal league which finished this term.

In addition, a group of pupils attended the recent Appleton and Bromyard Open shoots with good results. At Appleton, Samantha Williams gained First place in the 100 yards competition and finished second overall in her class. Richard Lay and Hannah Miles gained third places in their Class competitions.

At Bromyard in May, Ryan Williams won the junior event, with Richard Lay second and Nia Bethan Squirrell third. Richard Lay won his class (C) with Nia coming third. Nia Squirrell and Scott Davies won the Pairs competition for Class C.

Returning to Bromyard more recently and in atrocious conditions, James Slater came third in his class and won the junior prize. The same weekend, Ryan Williams and Nia Squirrell competed in the British Championships at Bisley in Surrey.

The School has also enjoyed strong representation in British Juniors events, with Richard Belcher travelling to Dortmund with the GB Juniors, to compete. He will also be travelling to Denmark with the team next month. Ryan Williams and Richard Lay have also travelled recently to Luxembourg to represent the Welsh Juniors in competition.  Ryan was placed fourth and Richard fifth in Prone and  third in Wales

During the forthcoming summer holidays, a team of 20 pupils will be travelling down to Bisley  for  the National Championships in August. Tom Rylands,  Academy Coach, commented, �It has been a tremendous first year for the Ellesmere College Shooting Academy and it will be the biggest number of pupils from the School travelling to Bisley for the forthcoming national competitions.�

Not to be out done the Academy Coach , Tom Rylands, has been selected to represent Great Britain at the World Long Range Championships in Australia in October. This will be his third World Championships and follows on from success last year where he was top score with a new record in the Australia Match at Bisley, the next biggest international match after the world championships.

Photographs:

Top to Bottom: Ryan Williams (Coaches� Award)
Samantha Williams Winner of Croydon Cup, Hillier High Gun Score and Handicap & Appleton Trophies
Woodard House Winners Richard Lay, Ryan Williams & James Slater
Nia Squirrell, Ryan Williams & Samantha Williams
Richard Lay, Nia Squirrell, Ryan Williams & James Slater
Richard Lay & Samantha Williams � Appleton Winners

5th July 2011  Back to News