Cadets with a Passion for Rifles
Sophie Hodge
Wellington College CCF Sophie, 16, shoots .22 and 7.62 calibre rifles in the prone position and loves the multiple challenges the sport throws at her.
‘Not only do you have to have good stamina and concentration, but you also have to master the art of multitasking and preventing yourself from getting distracted,’ she says. ‘For instance, you have to watch the direction, angle and speed of the wind, and change your sights accordingly. It all takes quick thinking.’
Sophie has already made an impressive debut in the target rifle shooting world. In 2019 she made it to the George’s Final at The Imperial Meeting, then in 2020 she competed in the Queen’s Final – the Queen’s Prize is the premier award for the Meeting’s top shot.
Having taken up shooting at 13 years old, Sophie thinks it’s important to experiment, ask questions and do plenty of practise in the early days:
‘You shouldn’t feel intimidated when other people who have been shooting for the same amount of time improve faster than you. It took me about a year to really get to grips with shooting, and that was with consistent training. Everyone else in my year group had improved rapidly, and I was getting disheartened.
Although this was mentally challenging, I just had to push through and not focus on other people. ‘You learn a lot about yourself: shooting highlights your vulnerabilities, but it also helps you work through them and turn weaknesses into strengths.’
Sophie particularly enjoys the social side of the sport and says: ‘You compete with people of all ages which leads to more healthy competition. There have been many occasions where more skilled shooters have offered me advice when something has gone wrong and that creates a brilliant feeling of community.’
Toby Cubitt
Gresham’s School CCF Toby, 18, specialises in small and full-bore target rifle shooting and has been selected for the Great Britain Long Range Squad (the Palma squad) who’ll take part in the 2023 World Championships in South Africa.
‘An initial squad of 50 has been selected and I’m hugely honoured to be one of them,他说。’I’m the youngest in the squad and been given the opportunity to train with some of the best shots in the entire world. I would love to be a member of the final GB Palma team.’
Toby was also selected for the GBU19 rifle team and the British Cadet Rifle Team (Athelings), but respective 2020 tours of South Africa and Canada had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. In the meantime, he continues to compete in as many events as he can, including the National Rifle Association’s annual Imperial Meeting at Bisley.
‘The Imperial Meeting is the best shooting event in the sport’s calendar,’ 他说。. ‘Every year that I go, it gets more and more exciting and I meet new people with the same interest.’
Toby encourages other cadets to give shooting a go and says: ‘It is one of the few sports where males and females compete at the same level.
‘Army Cadets offers a great route into shooting because the support and infrastructure are already in place. Tours I’ve been selected for over the past couple of years have mostly been only available to serving cadets.’
Charlie Crosby
Wellington College CCF Charlie, 16, took up shooting at the age of 11 and competed in his first National Rifle Association Imperial Meeting when he was 15.
‘Against all expectations I made it to the Queen’s Final,’ he says. ‘It turns out I was the youngest finalist in 136 years. I am very proud to have been placed in the top 200 of the Grande Aggregate in both the Imperials I’ve attended.’
Charlie is currently in the Athelings team and, if he shoots well enough this summer, would like to make it onto the GBU19 rifle team.
‘I’d really like to go to a university with a strong shooting team and/or obtain sponsorship to allow me to continue to keep going with the sport once I leave school,’ 他说。. ‘Being selected for the GB Rifle Team is my ultimate goal.’
Pre-pandemic, Charlie was training three times a week and attending a week-long Easter camp each year. He particularly loves long-range shooting and recommends other cadets give it a go.
‘The instant I pull the trigger it feels like the only things that exist are me, the gun and the target.
Those taking up the sport may find they have a natural talent for it and shoot pretty well from the start but, if not, they shouldn’t be put off as practise really does improve your skill.’