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When Becky Daly returns to Joliet West High School as a sophomore this fall, she’ll be taking more than geometry, literature and history classes.
Along with her regular curriculum, the 15-year-old Shorewood resident will compete on the school’s new rifle team and participate in the school’s ROTC program.
To get a head start on the competition, Daly took a basic rifle course offered through Second Amendment Foundation for Education & Research (SAFER) USA, a Yorkville-based organization dedicated to gun safety and sportsmanship. The class was held July 20-21.
Daly admits she didn’t know a lot about guns when she signed up for the class, but she was ready to learn.
“I like to shoot,” Daly said. “It’s relaxing and gets my mind off of other things.”
Daly was one of six students in the 14-hour class, held at the Howell Shooting Club in Yorkville.
Along with Daly, the class included teenage brothers John and Andrew Chionem of Aurora, and Chicagoans Jon McDonald and Henry Rush.
The class presents National Rifle Association approved information and training. Students earn NRA certification for specific firearms after the successful completion of the course.
On July 20, students discussed basic firearm safety, firearm parts and operation, ammunition, shooting fundamentals, and how to select, clean and store a firearm.
The next day, they practiced the principles learned in the classroom on the gun club’s shooting range.
Following commands from instructor Phil Koroghlanian, students fired five .22-caliber rounds at targets set up 50 yards away.
“I did pretty good,” said John Chione, 13, from Aurora.
John smiled proudly as he examined his target. His five shots were clustered within a 3-inch circle below and to the right of the target’s center.
Nearby, instructor Susan Shott encouraged Chione, commenting on the close grouping of the shots.
“It’s good that the shots are clustered like that,” Shott said. “It shows that you’re able to repeat your shooting accuracy. That’s more important than hitting a bulls-eye every time.”
While some class members worked to improve their accuracy, some took the class just because they enjoy the sport.
Chicago’s John McDonald said he became interested in shooting while he was a student at Western Illinois University in Macomb.
“I went to the shooting range after studying for finals,” McDonald said. “It was a great way to focus on something other than school.”
Later that afternoon, McDonald and his classmates continued field practice, firing at targets 100 yards away. To earn certification in the class, each student must group five shots within a 1-1/4-inch circle.
Classes are geared to each student’s skill level and training is designed to ensure that every student earns his or her certification, Shott said.
“Everyone has different skill levels and abilities,” she said. “We work with each student to address their particular needs.”
SAFER USA offers pistol, rifle and shotgun safety classes as well as classes in home firearms safety and personal protection, said David Lombardo, the group’s founder and president.
The club began offering classes in October 2006 and schedules about three classes every month throughout the year.
Lombardo said the response to the club’s offerings has been gratifying. Many people who take courses pursue instructor certification and now teach classes at the shooting range.
“We’re an all-volunteer group so it’s encouraging to see people come back and teach others,” he said.
Classes are scheduled throughout August, September and October. For more information, contact SAFER USA at 815-744-5487 or visit their Web site.
