Whanganui High School student Aria Hill has had a rapid rise in the sport of target shooting in just two years.
The 14-year-old, who has competed in indoor target shooting for two years, has completed her first season as an outdoor target shooter.
Her introduction to the sport was spontaneous.
“I went to the Whanganui High School sports day and in the gym there were sign-up sheets for different sports and then I saw target shooting and thought it looked interesting,” Aria said.
She is already at C grade for indoor shooting and is progressing in outdoor shooting, winning the D grade at the Target Shooting New Zealand Outdoor Nationals in February.
Aria was simultaneously on the NZ Women’s Junior Team, made the NZ Open Team and was part of the Randle Team and Dewar Team which are international matches.
The Dewar team was the first New Zealand side to compete since 1994 - the Commonwealth nations, South Africa and the US have competed for the Lord Dewar Cup.
Whanganui's Aria Hill, 14, was the youngest competitor at the Target Shooting New Zealand Outdoor Nationals in February and won the D Grade.
Barracks Target Shooting member and Aria’s mentor, Dave Westcott, said her composure in new scenarios was impressive.
“It is so phenomenal. The progress that she has made since her secondary schools' programme, it has been remarkable,” Westcott said.
The club captain and another mentor, Graeme Simpson, said Aria’s progress from D to C grade in indoor shooting in a year was another indication of her talent.
“If you don’t progress, you’ll stay there so you may stay in C grade for three or four years,” Simpson said.
“I can guarantee if she keeps progressing, she can get through and progress up.”
Aria was the youngest competitor at the eight-day nationals event in Tokoroa.
“I wasn’t going to go because I had school and dance commitments,” she said.
“It was the Wednesday before the weekend when I thought ‘I really should go’, but it was quite last-minute.
“It felt like one big shooting camp, it was quite fun.”
Aria also takes part in ballet, modern and contemporary dance.
She said it could take years to learn outdoor shooting as calculating the wind as well as distance could be challenging.
Simpson said the sport was a real test of patience and precision.
“There is a heck of a lot from the time you lay down to pulling the trigger that you have to get right,” Simpson said.
“Positioning is everything and that is something she has picked up very quickly.”
Target shooting is a sport of precision and patience, something Aria Hill has mastered quickly.
A tailor-made rifle, sponsored by Sport Whanganui, had given Aria an opportunity to progress to the best of her ability.
“The rifle she is using is world class and it was a good decision putting her in the position to use it,” Simpson said.
“There were two who could have been using it but, in the end, we looked at the dedication that she was putting in and, with the support she is getting from her family as well, it was a no-brainer.
“It was a big commitment to get the funding for that but it is there for her to use. We were very fortunate that she came along at the right time.”
Aria plans to attend university when she finishes school so she will have to invest in her own gun and her current gun will be passed on to someone else in the club.
She said she would like other young people to give target shooting a try.
“Not a lot of people know about it but I think that I would definitely recommend it to other young girls,” Aria said.
Her mother, Diana Jackson, said that, as a parent, it was easy to get involved and enjoy the sport.
Aria had her mum’s full support when she told her that target shooting was something she wanted to try.
“I was rapt, I think it is great - we really support the sport,” Jackson said.
“I think it’s a good sport for girls. I think it’s cool she takes off her pointe shoes and picks up a rifle.”
It was not until Jackson attended one of Aria’s shooting practices that she discovered that her grandfather used to shoot for the club and there was a family connection to the sport.
The sport was incredibly safe, despite there being firearms involved, Jackson said.
“There is just so much regulations and safety. As soon as you walk in the door you realise it is pretty safe and there is no nonsense.”
Aria will continue to test her abilities in tournaments and is looking forward to the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championship in Palmerston North in September.
Westcott said Aria must keep competing in as many opens as possible.
“Aria is going around chasing those opens and that makes a huge difference in her ability because every one is different. It is a learning thing which she has taken on quite well,” Westcott said.
“When she went up to Tokoroa, it was just another day at the office.”
