A hidden gem in Trinity’s sports is the Rifle Team. Often overlooked, they are a team that just keeps winning. Not only has this highly under-rated team has gone to WPIALs numerous times, but they are also humble about it.

The coach of the Rifle Team is Mr. Husk. He has been the coach for 34 years, coaching 13 WPIAL Champion teams, five state teams, and 10 runner-ups. Husk shot rifle all four years he was in high school, with two WPIAL Championships and two runners-up titles himself. 

Under the leadership of this inspirational coach, the captains of the rifle team are Seniors Sierra Allison, Daniel Horne and Jonathan Krocsko. All three seniors have been shooting since their freshman year and have earned being named as captains. The importing quality for captains is that people can look up to them

Freshman Elizabeth Engle said “The most inspirational on the team would be Daniel Horne. I say it would be him because when you are nervous, jittery or can’t get your heart rate down before your shoot he is able to calm you down and give you the confidence in yourself to go and shoot your ten shots. He is also so easy to talk to when you shoot a bad target, and he can always cheer you up with his smiles.”

Horne claimed he joined rifle because, “I love shooting. I have been shooting competition rifle since I was 12 and have loved it since. When I heard there was a team in the high school, I knew I needed to do it.”

Something many people do not know is what exactly rifle is. On rifle team, people shoot 22-caliber target rifles, the same as they use in the Olympics, at paper targets. The total score possible is 100. They use single shot rifles when shooting. When set up, the target is 50 feet away from the shooter. Husk describes the bullseye as “about the size of the hole in a lifesaver.”

The rifle team has been succeeding for quite a while, so the question always asked is: How does the team keep improving?

Horne explained: “I would always sit down with someone after they shot, I’d take a look at their target, and I’d give them ideas on what they can do differently so they can hopefully shoot better.”

Sometimes people think that rifle is only for males; however, that is untrue. Rifle is a co-ed sport.

Husk described, “Rifle is a true co-ed sport. Boys and girls compete side by side. Size doesn’t matter. We have 95-pound girls that shoot better than 200-pound boys. Shooting is about mental toughness and concentration.

This year, the rifle team only lost two matches, which is quite impressive. It is truly remarkable how this team just seems to keep improving, never missing a step. It was a great season for them, and they are all very proud.