Sam Adkins didn’t expect to become the Individual Three-Position 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 surprised. One teammate commented on the look on my face when I took the last shot,” Adkins said. “I was 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. He impacted Adkins’ skills by training him with a holistic approach. Adkins started shooting with a BB gun when he was young and was encouraged to switch to air rifle when he displayed talent in the sport. 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 and 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 the coaches have been supportive and given solid 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 heart rate, which impacted his performance during stressful competitions.
“It was a big healthy change for me,” he said.
Adkins focused on improving his Three-Position precision rifle skills. 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 [at Camp Perry],” 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 school’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 Junior Olympics,” Adkins said. “You see people competing in the same thing across the country. That’s one of the coolest things about the sport.”
Learn more about CMP at thecmp.org.
