Cooperative Living May 2021 - 12

SpotLight | by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
'Shoots Like a Girl'
Meet 18-year-old Mattison Russell, 12-time
world champion clay target shooter
it, " she explains. Russell
was 12 years old.
During the next five
years, she would hone her
new craft into an amazing
feat of skill and precision,
racking up 12 world titles
" shooting like a girl " at
competitions in Virginia and
North Carolina. Wins there led her
to a spot on the stage at the world
championship competition held
in San Antonio, Texas, where she
competed in a field of more than
1,000 participants, including adults
It wasn't long before Russel
name for herself within the maleRussell
emembers show
ffor her first 4-H target pract
F
or Mattison Russell, it's an
adrenaline-pumping thrill like
none other.
Her hair is neatly pulled back into a
ponytail as she slides on her protective
eyewear and places her ear plugs. She
is laser-focused, lifting her Berretta
DT-10 shotgun from her side up to her
shoulder and placing her cheek firmly
against its stock.
Suddenly, airborne blaze-orange
clay discs, also known as pigeons, only
a few inches wide, appear in the air
about 16 yards in front of her. They are
launched at varying speeds, elevations,
angles
angles and trajectories.
and
trajectories
Russell furrows her brow and then
pulls the trigger. A clay disc explodes
into tiny pieces.
At the end of the shoot, the
perfectionist in Russell is quelled. But
only for the moment. Despite having 12
world titles under her belt, the drive to
do better never fades for this determined
teenager from Baskerville, Va.
" There are two things in this world
that I love: perfection and instant
gratification. If I shoot a 99 out of 100,
the fire within me spurs me on harder to
get out there again and do even better, "
she says. " This sport challenges me. "
10 | Cooperative Living | May 2021
Mattison Russell
encourages
young females
to pursue the
sport of clay
target shooting.
Though young, Russell, is no
stranger to challenge. At the age of 9,
she dislocated her knee cap while
playing soccer. After two
reconstructive surgeries with three
screws placed into her knee, doctors
told her that contact sports were no
longerlonger safe. It was devastating news
he
od
most importantly
love of the
outdoors.doors.
BButut a chance encounter one
chance encounter one
day between her mother and Lindsey
W rren,
Warren, a local 4-H coach and
mer
arles,
in the
between her mother and Lindsey
local 4-H coach and
former roommate of Russell's father,
Charles, would forever change things.
oommate of Russell's father,
would forever change things.
come on by and try my hand at
clay target shooting to see if I llikediked
uck
me
on by and try my hand at
it. So I went and tried it - and I loved
target shooting to see if
went and tried it
and
loved
co-opliving.com
" My " My mom had mentioned to
hunt. He told her to have me
mom had mentioned to
him casualcasuallyly in the Walmart that
I duck hunt. He told her to have me
almar that
present. But it didn' deter
beginning it was, 'Oh, look,
Russell remembers showing up
or her first 4-H target practice, and
realizing she was the only fe
ealizing she was the only female
present. But it didn't deter her; it made
her even mor determined
her even more determined.. " In the
b
nterested in clay target shooting.
That' so cute.' But then as
iin my skill level, the animos
being beat by a female so, ev
eginning it was, 'Oh, look, a girl is
iinterested in clay target sho
That's so cute.' But then as I progressed
to build. Men don take it
n my skill level, the animosity started
eing beat by a female so, even to this
to build. Men don''t take it very well
b
safe. It was devastating news
youngster, who had competitive
running through her veins,
to the youngster, who had competitive
blood running through her veins,
and, most importantly, a love of the
day, there is a lot of negativity that
comes at me for being a female
competing in this sport. "
Still, she strongly encourages
young females to pursue the sport.
" It's actually very empowering to
women. So, I do love it when I see
young girls get out there and shoot.
When people say 'you shoot like a
girl,' it is usually meant as derogatory,
implying that women are inferior.
I want it to be taken as a compliment.
I really want that change to take
place. I want it to be motivating for
someone to 'be like a girl.' Not weak,
but powerful instead, " she says.
dominated sport.
1,000 participants, including adults.
I
t wasn't long before Russell created
a name for herself within th
PHOTOS COURTESY RUSSELL FAMILY
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living May 2021

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