Cadet Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Jordan Walton, 17, from 2963 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in Sechelt, grins and pumps her air rifle before taking aim at the Provincial Marksmanship Championship in Vernon. Jordan is hoping to win an opportunity to attend the National Cadet Marksmanship Championship in Gimli, Man., in May.
“Marksmanship has been a big part of my life. My dad takes me to breakfast and the gun club on Sundays and I’ve spent the past two summers in Connaught, Ont., improving my skills,” Jordan said.
This summer, Jordan will head back to Connaught, this time as a staff cadet with the responsibility of leading and teaching cadets the skills needed to make it to the top in this Olympic sport.
“My coach has always been there for me. He’s given so much to our team, and I feel a lot of responsibility to make sure I give everything I can to the cadets I’ll have. I want to motivate them and give them the right advice, and I’m excited to pass on my knowledge and passion for this sport,” she said.
Jordan is one of five cadets on the Sechelt team and she credits teamwork for both her success in marksmanship and the cadet program.
“It’s difficult to learn the skills and the positions for marksmanship. It’s unnatural, but your team is there for you. They always have your back and can help you learn. If you have a bad shoot, you know your team members will keep the scores up and they can help you get back into the right head space,” Jordan said.
Marksmanship is a family affair for the Waltons. Jordan joined the cadet program because her brother Alex was enjoying it so much; he was part of the National Rifle Team and competed in Bisley, UK.
Jordan is graduating from Chatelech Secondary this year and plans to take a year off before heading to Simon Fraser University.
– Submitted
