ADA, Mich. – It’s not the most conventional sport, but competitive shooting offers many of the same values and benefits of any other youth activity. And in Ada, there’s a team that specializes in fun and fostering good safety habits.
The Kent County Conservation League Orange Crushers competes in statewide competitions, regional meets, and even the national tournament. The group is always open to new members of any age.
“It means the world to me,” said head coach David Held. “There are few things I enjoy more than teaching kids how to shoot and seeing them be safe and successful with it.”
For many on the team, it’s an opportunity, too.
“I think the opportunities that exist for the kids get overlooked,” said Held. “There’s scholarships that are available to them. There’s colleges that are looking for shooters to be on their teams.”
“One of the biggest things I love about shooting is, it’s a mind game,” said Evan DeWard, a member of the Orange Crushers. He’s heading to Cornerstone University next year to study aviation.
“It’s not much physical activity as much as it is analyzing everything,” added DeWard, “and that’s all shooting is. It’s just a ton of analyzing.”
For more information on the team, click here.
