Sam Adkins didn’t expect to become the Individual 3P Precision Champion at the 2024 CMP National Air Rifle Championship at Camp Perry. Although the 17-year-old from Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, has been shooting since he was young and is skilled enough to earn a spot on the University of Kentucky rifle team, he still didn’t see himself taking the top spot.
“I was very surprised. One teammate commented on the look on my face when I took the last shot,” Adkins said. “I was very nervous, but, with my training with Erin (Gestl), I was confident enough to take good shots.”
Gestl is Adkins’ coach on the Palmyra Junior Rifle Team and he also serves as the CMP State Director for Pennsylvania. He impacted Adkins’ skills by training him with a holistic approach. Adkins started shooting with a BB gun when he was very young and was encouraged to switch to air rifle when he showed strong talent. When he was about 15, he began training with Gestl and other coaches at the Palmyra Sportsmen’s Association.
“They had a lot of resources for juniors – coaching, equipment, practice availability. They have matches almost every week. There were a lot more shooting opportunities with them,” Adkins said. “They were able to support us with funding and chaperones, and they have multiple coaches. All of the coaches have been very supportive and given really good advice, especially Erin.”
Gestl not only worked with Adkins on the range, but he also encouraged him to practice on his own at home. Gestl’s advice on healthy living had a big impact on Adkins’ skills.
“He pushed me to do more physical exercise, to strengthen my core and do cardio workouts,” Adkins said.
The exercise helped Adkins lose weight and become generally more fit, and it helped him lower his heartrate, which impacted his performance during stressful competitions.
“It was a big healthy change for me,” he said.
Adkins focused on improving his 3P precision skills in the months leading up to the National Matches. He worked on his performance on the range and at home.
“I wanted to do well this year, because it’s my last year to compete in this,” he said.
Again, Gestl’s coaching was integral to Adkins’ success.
“The mental exercises Erin taught me were a big help. He taught me mindfulness exercises and progressive relaxation techniques. I did visualization exercises. You imagine yourself taking the shot,” Adkins said.
This fall, Adkins will study electrical engineering at the University of Kentucky, where he will become a member of the university’s rifle team. Although he doesn’t plan to integrate marksmanship into his career, he does anticipate that it will always be a part of his life. For him, the sport is about more than just shooting well. The value of marksmanship is buoyed by the friends you make along the way.
“I’ve really loved and learned to appreciate the connections with people. You go to these big competitions like the National Matches, and you see people that you saw at other competitions, like the Jr. Olympics,” Adkins said. “You see people competing in the same thing all across the country. That’s one of the coolest things about the sport.”
Learn More
Learn more about Three-Position Air Rifle (3PAR) Shooting on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/youth/air/ or find a local marksmanship club at https://thecmp.org/clubs/search-clubs/.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.
