Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Snyder reaps the benefits of hard work

Madie Snyder, Dead Eye Shooters 4-H Club member, attended shooting competitions this summer and returned with several medals.

Madie Snyder is a junior in high school. While she participate in several sports through out the year she tends to really enjoy shooting the best. Her mother, Nicole Snyder, is her coach with Dead Eye Shooters.

"Madie works really hard she practices several times a week trying to get better and better. She's been working really hard and it's showing in what she's brought back from the competitions concerning medals," Nicole Snyder said.

There are several techniques that Madie employs while shooting. One of these techniques is positive self talk.

"I use self talk to get myself in the mindset for shooting. I have to just talk to myself and focus. That helps a lot when shooting at the competitions," Madie said.

Madie explained that while a lot of the other kids at the shooting competitions have to focus and not talk, sometimes hours before the competition, she has no issue with that.

"I can talk and talk. I like to and I don't need to be completely quiet before the competition because I use that focus and self talk once I'm about to shoot. I can also slow my heart rate when I focus so I move less with the gun," Madie said.

Madie's mom confirms her daughter's ability to gain focus and calm during her competitions. It also shows in her awards that she has returned with. However, Madie has quite the competitive spirit and hopes to shoot in bigger and better competitions.

"I want to get a gold overall, but not in a small national, in like a really big competition. That's what I want," Madie said.

"Shooting has enabled Madie to be able to set goals and learn the value of achieving them," Nicole said.

Along with goal achievement, Madie has been able to learn how important it is to develop a work ethic, as well as an ability to focus.

"I'm usually like all over the place, oh what's that, what's that, but shooting it teaches me focus and how to just, pay attention. When I'm shooting I can like, block everything else out," Madie said.

Madie said some of her favorite parts of participating in shooting involve her ability to meet other kids and winning.

"I really like it because when I get there all the other kids are really shy and don't really talk all that much, but I like to break down their shell and get them to open up. By the time I've gotten to them they're joking and just relaxed and out of their shells, I can get people to do that," Madie said.

As a result of attending so many shooting competitions Madie has had to opportunity to make friends with kids from all over the country. She hopes to shoot in college as well, especially since several schools have really wonderful women's shooting teams.

Dead Eye Shooters will start up again as the year draws to a close. Nicole Snyder is in charge of the club and hopes to get interest generated.

"We are really proud of Madie, but she's just one of our Dead Eyes and we'd love to see more get pretty serious about shooting. There's a lot of talent that could be harnessed with some practice," Nicole said.

Clearly Kimball would love to see any of the shooters excel at shooting, since the community is very encouraging to the goals of youths.

"I am really appreciative of everyone in town. They are always supporting me and everyone is really nice about my competitions and always encouraging me and that is nice and makes me feel good," Madie said.

At the 2014 4-H National Shooting Sports Match in Grand Island, Nebraska on June 25 through 28, Madie participated on the Nebraska Air Rifle Team, placed second in Three-Position Air Rifle with a score of 549 out of 600. She placed 4th in Individual Standing with a score of 422 out of 500. Madie also placed 20th out of 70 youths in NRA Silhouettes. Overall she placed Ninth out of 70 youth. The Nebraska Team placed 2nd missing first by .001 of a point, team members were; Madie Snyder, Haylee Schoenrock, Missy Jech and Thomas Henning. At the Daisy National Air Rifle Match in Rogers, Arkansas on July 7 through 9, she placed fourth overall. In Sporter Air Rifle she got second place in Prone age group one. She placed first place in Kneeling age group one. Madie got twenty-fourth in the American Legion Junior Shooting Sports Invitational in Colorado Springs, CO, on July 29 through August 2. One thousand seven hundred kids compete in the first qualifying round during a postal shoot in early 2014.  Forty youths are in each of the Sporter and precision categories qualify to shoot a second round of qualifying targets, of those the top 15 are invited to participate in the national event.   This is one of the most prestigious matches for a sporter air rifle competitor to participate in. Madie attended with her mother and coach Nicole Snyder and placed second overall Sporter Air Rifle, out of four 3x20 courses and finals. She got a final score of 2299.7 points out of a possible 2500 points. She won three out of the 4 3x20 courses, losing by only 9.8 points. Madie made First Place in Prone with 782 points out of 800 and with 48 centers. She got first Place in Kneeling, 764 points out of 800 with 42 centers, setting the American Legion record for the highest Kneeling score achieved at the match.

One of the most prestigious awards Madie received this summer was her Distinguished Shooting Medal. This is a medal earned by competing in national side by side shooting competitions and getting points. Madie received hers at a rather young age, while she was still a Sophomore. It was formally presented to her by a coach she works with out of Beatrice over this past summer.