Shooting academy finds glory with guns

Bengaluru

With Bengaluru having grown in size and stature, it has become fertile ground for budding sporting talent. Shooting academy Gun For Glory has capitalised on the pool of aspiring athletes in the city and has consistently proven its mettle with young winners like Anushka Pavithra and Naraen Praveen. Its recent success at the Karnataka State Shooting Competition and Championship proved that the academy is doing something right. In grassroots development, much emphasis is placed on building the personality of the athletes.

However, at Gun For Glory, Head Coach Prajakta Hosur explained that the individual nature of the sport demands a different approach. “Understanding the shooters is most important for us. Because our shooting game is a very individual game, a different thing may work for each shooter. So, even though there are team events, we have to work with each individual shooter separately with patience and perseverance. And in our sport, self-control, composure, and poise all matter much more than raw energy.

Control of energy is the most important thing in shooting,” coach Prajakta said. For Divyanshee Tripathy, who won five golds and one bronze at the tournament, the coach’s advice has played a major part in her improvement. “One of the main challenges I faced was probably nervousness, above technique and anything else. I feel like I was really nervous during the match, but I'm happy that I was able to control it. My coach told me about belly breathing and box breathing techniques. She also advised me to talk to people beforehand and to reach the range early. So, I followed her advice,” she said.

The academy’s coaching philosophy revolves around strong technical knowledge, good listening skills, and a deep understanding of the shooters. While the basics are covered by the coaches, ISSF shooter Advika Shriwas also finds that they have created a supportive and comfortable environment. “It's very supportive, and my coach and everyone here are great. I feel I’ve progressed more because of that,” Advika said. The sport has grown in stature over the years and young athletes are increasingly turning towards it, even while maintaining an interest in other sports.

This was the case with ISSF shooter Nidhi Mittal, who won one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes at the tournament. “I like playing basketball and I also like playing team sports because it contrasts with shooting. But shooting has made me much more self-aware about the decisions that I make, and it has also taught me to look at things in a more positive and neutral manner rather than always looking at the negative,” she said. The list of medallists also included 14-year-old A. K. Sivesh Varshaan, who won four silvers and one bronze. He is a talent who started at the academy when he was 10. Such is the pool of talent and competition that Gun For Glory and other shooting academies are working with.