Lindenwood University Athletics

Oct. 21, 2008- For a relatively young team, the Lindenwood shooting team has accomplished a lot in its six years of existence.

In its first year 2002, the shooting team was the runner-up for the National Collegiate title. They've only been the bridesmaid once. Since then they've won the last five National Collegiate Championships. Winning is a practice Interim Head Coach Mike Elam tries to instill in every shooter.

"It's hard to make a championship team better," he said. "But that's what we're going to do."

The shooting team has been beneficial to bringing students to the university. Lindenwood is one of two teams that award scholarships to their shooting team, Texas A&M being the other.

"The [shooting] team gives a large diversity to a small university," Elam said. "We have students from all across the country and international students. This program added more diversity to an already diversified campus."

Other institutions have shooting clubs, but not scholarship based.

"There are other good teams that have very talented shooters," Assistant Coach Jon Shockley said. "Mizzou and Kansas have very competitive teams."

This year is a rebuilding year for the team. They recruited 25 freshmen, the most ever for the program.

Even for a rebuilding year the team has had its share of success. Talia Borg won a world championship in the American skeet 4-10 event. She was the only female shooter to hit all 100 targets.

"Champion of the world is as high as it goes," Elam said.

At the American Skeet U.S. Open, Senior Chris Cook took home top honors as the collegiate champ. Dan Stokes and Ali Chiang both qualified for the Junior Olympic Development Team. Jessica Forbes also earned a collegiate championship and was the top lady shooter of the event.

"We've had a big year so far," Shockley said. "Even for a rebuilding year."

In addition to winning championships, the shooting team also participates in training exercises and exhibitions. In August they taught youth and novice shooters how to improve. Recently in a Fellowship of Christian Athletes youth camp, they taught shooters how to engage targets.

The first few years the shooting team had to go out and recruit shooters, now they come to the team. "We have to turn people away," Elam said.

There's been plenty of interest in Lindenwood shooters. 2008 Olympian Sean McLelland was asked by the Discovery Channel to help make a documentary on shotgun mechanics. Travis Mears, sponsored by Beretta firearms, has done several exhibitions including one for the Washington Redskins.

"It's important to remember that shooting is an individual sport," Shockley said. "We take 50 shooters and make a team, that's hard to do."

Said Elam, "There's no doubt there's a lot of talent on this team and there's no reason we shouldn't continue to win."