Being chosen as an Olympian for the United States is considered one of the highest honors an athlete can receive. Blake Stanley, a junior, was selected as one of the Junior Olympic athletes in air rifle this February and is set to compete in the National Junior Olympic Championship in April. This is only the start of a prestigious Olympic career for the young shooter; joining him will be more than 300 athletes from various sports at the Junior Olympics. This event brings together some of the world’s top young talent, all hoping to prove themselves on one of youth sport’s biggest stages.
Coach and President of Mason Dixon Junior Rifle Club, David Wisman, comments, “The selection criteria for juniors to qualify for the National Junior Olympics is tough. They only accept the best for each age bracket. To qualify for that match, Blake has shown that he is capable of competing with the best in the Nation. Even better is knowing Blake is having success like this at his age.”
While many are just starting their athletic careers, the competition has historically served as a stepping stone to find success in not only Olympic areas but also collegiate athletics and national teams. Stanley has been shooting since a young age and in the last five years started to find his way in the competitive rifle scene.
Stanley comments, “It is a very big honor. It is something I have been working toward since I started rifle almost five years ago. They only take the top athletes from every state, and then the surrounding countries that are in the Olympic committee, so it is an extremely big honor.”
Through rigorous training, constant practice and rising through the ranks, Stanley has reached one of his main goals for his rifle career. What was once a fun hobby became the promising athletic career seen today, bringing with it college opportunities and valuable skills that he will carry with him for the rest of his life.
“It takes a large amount of training and isn’t something you can just pick up. For the last three and a half years, I’ve gone to WVU every Tuesday and Thursday for special training and I do at-home training on my off days, so it takes up a big part of my schedule. If you ask any of my friends, I’m rarely available,” Stanley states.
The main competition for rifle takes place April 8-14, 2026, in Alabama, and if Stanley places, he will advance to the World Cup in Germany in June. This achievement shows how hard work and precise dedication can result in success.
Wisman contributes, “Lastly, Blake has been a tremendous asset to Mason Dixon Junior Rifle Club. He is a great person with a fun personality, contributing to the overall team dynamic positively. He is extremely coachable. He can receive criticism as easily as he receives praise. For me, that is a good indicator of how far he can go in this sport.”
Make sure to cheer on a fellow Hiller and wish Stanley the best of luck as he prepares for this once-in-a-lifetime competition.
