CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Some team members of the West Oso High School's Marksmanship team are aiming to shoot for the stars— in this case for a better future.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the JROTC Varsity Marksmanship team participated in the Military Order of the World War competition (MOWW). The team placed 2nd out of 7 teams in all of Corpus Christi.
Jerimyah Gonzales is a part of the team and hopes to one day join the US Army. He said that being part of the team has taught him discipline and morals he will carry for the rest of his life.
He started gaining interest since he was in junior high school and has been on the team for three years.
The students learn how to properly use the air guns and all about safety.
“When I first got here, I didn’t;t think I'd be where I am right now, and I've learned about the moral part, like integrity that’s one of the 7 army values and that is to always do what’s right even behind closed doors,“ Gonzales said.
Mariah Vela, the captain of the marksmanship team, said she has learned about resilience.
“I've learned to not give up, like no matter what if you have bad days, or if you struggle just keep pushing, you might not think you could make it to the top but you can," she said.
During the MOWW competition, she recently placed 6th out of 24 in the entire Corpus Christi area scoring 250 points and earning her expert badge, which is the highest out of three badges.
In the competition, the ranks are Expert, Marksman, and Sharpshooters. The entire team placed in the top 10.
But there are some requirements to get on the team.
"They have to take a test, and they have to score 100, they take it until they pass it, and most of it is a lot of safety rules that they have to follow,” Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Vela said.
He added that this team shows the students about discipline, integrity and leadership but it also prepares them for their future.
“With the little pellets that they shoot, it’s not easy so they become real good shooters and when they go into the army it is more easier for them to qualify them to shoot,” Vela said.
West Osos Marksmanship has been around for 19 years, but currently, this team has been shooting together for two years and has a total of five members.
The marksmanship team will be competing in San Antonio on Nov. 6 against other teams from South Texas. They are hoping to make it to nationals.
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