The American Legion Post 113 Pole Barn in Baldwinsville is a great place to be on a sunny summer morning, but in the middle of winter, it is ice cold. For the past 30 years, the Baldwinsville Sharpshooters have called this barn their home range as they prepare for another winter season of competitive air rifle shooting.
Pre-COVID, Saturday mornings were a time for the team captain, 16-year-old Ashleigh Rosen, to prepare targets, get equipment set up and ensure each shooter has what they need so the practice runs smoothly.
“I usually show up about an hour before practice starts, to get the heater running and the line setup, so when the athletes arrive, we can get shooting,” said Rosen, who is a junior at Liverpool High School.
Although COVID has canceled their season this year, the team placed first in the American Legion Ontario District last season, and Rosen hopes they can start shooting this summer, outside behind the barn.
Rosen is also a member of the Liverpool Clay Warriors Trap and Skeet Team.
Even with all the COVID regulations and restrictions, the team had a great fall season — the Liverpool Clay Warriors won second place (behind Warsaw High School and just ahead of Indian Lakes Central School) in the New York State High School Clay Target League Conference 1 and her teammate Liam Smith was the fifth place overall athlete in the New York High School League with an 23.0 average. Rosen ended up with a 20.7 average, making her the first place female sharpshooter in both NYS High School Conference 1A and the entire NYS High School League.
“I’m so proud of how well we all shot this season, and I am really excited to see what’s to come next year,” said Rosen.
“Experiencing the wonderful development and the sense of accomplishment our young athletes gain is what makes coaching so special,” said Jim Palumbo, head coach for the Liverpool Clay Warriors Trap and Skeet Team.
Three years ago, Rosen saw a flyer at Liverpool High School for the Liverpool Clay Warriors Trap and Skeet Team.
“I snapped a picture of it on my phone and texted it to my dad. We called Mr. Palumbo (the head coach) and asked him for more information about the club and where they shoot. I didn’t even have a shotgun, but thought I would give it a try,” Rosen recalled.
Ashleigh’s older brother, Spencer, wanted to join as well. Ever since both of them joined the Baldwinsville Sharpshooters, a sibling competitive streak has run wild and would eventually spill over to the Liverpool Clay Warriors.
“If one of the kids shot well, it would really push the other to try and run up the score,” Sharpshooters Head Coach Larry Behling said.
During Ashleigh Rosen’s first year on the trap team, she had to use a loaner shotgun from the head coach.
“I have an old 12-gauge youth model shotgun I use for the smaller kids who are just getting started in the sport. Very reliable firearm, perfect to get the athletes started and successful on the trap field,” Coach Jim Palumbo said.
Rosen found the shotgun a good fit and ended her season with a 13.8 average (out of 25 targets per round). The next season, a few new athletes joined the team, so Rosen wanted to get her own shotgun so she didn’t have to keep borrowing from her coach. Luckily she had a grandfather who is an avid pheasant hunter down in Texas, so Rosen called him up and asked if he had any extra shotguns that he wasn’t using anymore.
“I have an old Browning Citori sitting in my safe that I stopped using because it was just too heavy while walking the fields in Kansas looking for those pheasants. If Ashleigh could get a gunsmith to cut down the stock and get it fitted, I thought it would be a great little gun for her to use,” Grandpa Jim said.
Rosen’s dad called a local gunsmith he knew, Pete Hamann, in Bloomfield, New York. Hamann was able to make the adjustments and fit the gun specifically to Rosen’s 5’4” female frame.
“As soon as I put the gun to my shoulder, it felt amazing. The first time I took it out to the range, I went 5 for 5 and I knew it was going to be a good year,” Rosen said.
Between shooting air rifles with the American Legion Post, shotguns with the Liverpool High School and .22 rifles with the Syracuse Pistol Club, Rosen has plenty of great things to look forward to in the years to come. If you have a young student who is interested in joining any of these teams, please reach out to any of these local organizations for more information. Visit post113.com/youth-shooting-program/ to learn about the Baldwinsville Sharpshooters, call Liverpool High School at 315-453-1500 for information about the Liverpool Clay Warriors Trap and Skeet Team, or visit syracusepistolclub.net.
