Sierra Newlove
Special to the News
Flight Sgt. Connor Scott, 17, of Sidney competed in the Marksmanship Nationals at CFB Esquimalt in Victoria May 5 to 9. Connor placed 11th overall in the prone shoot, and seventh overall in the standing shoot. He was the only B.C. competitor to qualify for the finals shoot and he placed seventh overall in Canada.
Scott is with 676 Kittyhawk Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Sidney, where he has been on the marksmanship team for five years. The 676 marksmanship team placed fourth overall at the Provincial Competition in Vernon. Scott qualified as one of just 10 individual competitors for the national championship. More than 100 cadets representing every province and two territories across Canada attended the National Cadet Marksmanship Championship.
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Scott joined the Cadet Program in 2014 and picked up an air rifle the very next day.
“My older brother was in marksmanship so he encouraged me to try it and I loved it” says Scott. The marksmanship program has instilled Scott and others like him with self-discipline and strong teamwork skills. It is a mental and physical sport that is accessible to anyone.
The competition was not just about winning for Scott, he wanted to achieve his personal goals and give it his best shot. A big inspiration for Scott has been his range coach, Lt. Doug Tellier. Tellier has been a marksmanship coach at 676 squadron for more than 15 years. “Lt. Tellier is a huge encouragement through both the challenges and successes of the team, and he has always been there for me,” Scott says.
The National Cadet Marksmanship Championship is the highest level of competition in a sport that teaches safety, focus and stress-calming techniques, as well as teamwork and leadership. More than 125 cadets competed in the championship and everyone came away with new friends from across the country.