Allan Harding is looking to share his passion for shooting pistols.
The current Canadian national champion for the 10-metre pistol event is hoping to introduce teenagers to target shooting, similarly to how he was introduced to the sport on the Sunshine Coast when he was a teen.
“I didn’t know anything about shooting. I knew there was a gun club in Gibsons and they had a junior rifle program. My older brother dragged me out when I was 17 or 18,” Harding said. Karl Haerthe coached Harding and introduced him to competitions.
About a month ago, Harding turned to Facebook to gauge whether there would be interest from teens for a target sports program at the Sunshine Coast Rod and Gun Club. To date he’s had about 30 inquiries and is now sorting out details with the Rod and Gun Club and hopes to offer the program in mid-October.
“I wondered if there was any interest in target sports. Maybe some local kids would like to follow in my footsteps to learn about target sports and compete,” Harding said.
Harding says it takes more than a steady hand to shoot well.
“It’s a real mental discipline,” he said.
He practises breath control, and uses visualization exercises to perfect his craft and said slight changes in body position and breathing can make a difference in the accuracy of a shot.
“The pistols we shoot these days are perfect. They shoot straight. They are more accurate than any firearms out there,” Harding said, pointing out that if his shot is off the mark, he knows it’s not the pistol’s fault.
“It’s amazing, the tiniest thing, a random thought floating through your head, when you’re trying to focus on the front side of the gun, can throw you off, a millimetre or a fraction of a millimetre.”
Harding practises shooting 10 to 20 hours a week, and also does cardio workouts and core exercises to ensure maximum control of his body during shooting.
As part of the national team, Harding competes in various competitions across the country. Next month he will compete in the Canadian nationals in Calgary and is hoping to once again make the cut for the national team. If successful, he hopes to compete internationally next year including competing at the Pan Am Games, which Harding is eyeing up as his ticket to the Olympics.
“It’s an epic journey,” he said of the path he is hoping to take to the Olympics.
