COLORADO SPRINGS - The U. S. Olympic Training Center is the site this week of the Junior Olympic Shooting Competition and I witnessed a lot of impressive air pistol shooting today by a bunch of young folks.

Competitors from all across the country are here, including 16-year-old grandson Kevin Aliff of Newalla, who trains at Miles Hall's H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City. In the first round of competition, Kevin shot a 510 (just a point off his personal best in competition of 511). Six competitors, however, recorded scores in the 550s, the high being 558.

In an earlier round before Kevin shot today, I watched a young man wearing a black T-shirt that had written on the front DAMN STRAIT. I surmised "straight" was spelled that way so it would fit on the front of the shirt. Then, when the scores from that round were posted, I got it: Jesse Strait, the young man wearing the shirt, shot a 553 to place 3rd in his large group. Damn straight, indeed! - Mike McCarville

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