London Dunn was told by her doctor she might need to choose another sport because of her vision difficulties. She saw things another way.
Instead of letting this challenge defeat her, she conquered it — and continues to best opponents in rifle competition despite battling vertical heterophoria and convergence insufficiency. She can see 20/20, but her eyes and optic nerve do not always work together correctly when she tracks a target. Farther targets can appear to bounce or move as they cross the sky.
"My eye doctor told me shooting would be extremely difficult for me. I cried, of course, but then I told him as I was walking out of the room, 'Well, doc, you will just have to watch me,'" Dunn, a sophomore at Trinity Christian Academy, said. "I am definitely not the best shooter in the world, but I work hard, and I strive to keep getting better.
"I am proud of the awards, but I think my greatest success has been refusing to let my vision problems make the decision for me."
Her success with a rifle include:
Dunn started shooting in her seventh-grade year in 2024.
"I was drawn to it because it was different and challenging, and I love to dove hunt," she said. "Even better, every target is different, and you have to stay focused, make adjustments, and keep learning.
"I also really love the people in this sport and being part of my TCA Eagle team. They have become like family to me," she said.
Because of her vision issues, Dunn does exercises at home almost every day.
"I follow lines and patterns on the ceiling, and I go outside and practice tracking different objects," she said. "I also travel to practice regularly. My Pilla glasses have helped me tremendously, and I shoot a Syren Elos N2 Elevate, which is made specifically for women. I also use Rhino chokes, which help with recoil and precision."
Dunn regularly competes with YESS (Youth Education in Shooting Sports), SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program) and 4H. She shoots mainly in Texas in vairous competitions, from starting in Intermediate Beginner to JV Ladies.
Some of the local shoots at Defender or Fort Worth Trap and Skeet, rather than an organization, are against shooters of all ages. SCTP Regionals and State are in Waco and San Antonio. Livestock shows are in places, such as Houston and Fort Worth.
"I haven't traveled outside of Texas yet. But I feel that might be coming soon!" she said enthusiastically. I am really excited about every competition, no matter where it is located. I just have to prepare, trust my training, and take it one target at a time."
She also feels national competition could be in the near future, given the success she's had so far.
"I have only been shooting three years and I wanted to really prepare my precision for those events. They are not far in my future though," she said. "I am excited, nervous, and very thankful for any opportunity to compete.
"My goal is obviously to shoot well, but I also want to learn as much as I can from the experience and from the other shooters there,” she said. “My ultimate goal is shooting for the USA team. Some of my training coaches hold Olympic medals and another is currently shooting for the USA Skeet team."
"I love my (TCA) Eagle team!" Dunn said. "We encourage each other, laugh a lot, and push each other to improve.
"Shooting may look like an individual sport when you are standing on the station, but having a team behind you makes a huge difference,” she said. “I shoot alongside some pretty incredible shooters who have been competing much longer than I have, and I learn a lot from them."
She is also optimistic the team's success will continue for years to come.
"Some of our middle school team members are complete up-and-comers in the shooting world, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish," she said. "I am really proud to be part of this team."
Dunn is the first in her family to compete in shooting events, although she does credit them for helping develop her skills in another way.
"My dad and my Papa gave me a love for dove hunting when I was a little girl, back when the gun was bigger than me," she said with a chuckle. "My family has learned a lot about the sport along with me, and they sacrifice a lot of time, travel, and money to help me do it. I could not compete without them."
Dunn said she love to compete in college rifle sports but has not decided on a school yet.
"I am only going into my sophomore year, so I still have time to learn about different schools and programs," she said. "I do have my eye on Tarleton, though. Olympian clay target shooters have come from there."
She said she wants to find a college where she can continue growing as a shooter, get a strong education, and be somewhere that supports her faith and values.
"I am still deciding what I want to study, but I am interested in pursuing equine physical therapy," she said. "Right now, I am focused on becoming the best student, teammate, and shooter I can be."
Dunn said that while she is thankful for every championship, buckle, and scholarship she has earned, she knows she still has a lot to learn. She wants to continue increasing her knowledge, improving her scores, and seeing how far she can go in this sport.
"Most importantly, I know God is the reason I have had these opportunities. He gave me the strength not to quit when I was told this sport might be too difficult for me," she said. "I want to honor Him, represent my family and team well, and hopefully encourage someone else not to let a limitation decide their future."
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LKMears
I've met this young lady and she presents herself well. I do have to correct you in that she doesn't shoot a rifle, she shoots a shotgun. Thanks for the great article and for recognizing kids can do more than the traditional sports.
Thursday, August 13 Report this