The Story of Becky

This is Becky. She goes to Fairbury Junior-Senior High School but this junior is much more than she appears. She is a girl of many talents. She enjoys to draw, write, and of course to shop. But for her, there is nothing better than the feeling of a warm twelve gauge shotgun in her hands.

In a crowded room you may not notice Becky since she is usually not one to talk, mostly, because she’s listening to everyone else. But if you get her talking about something she is passionate about her voice will be strong and loud, her eyes will hold a passionate spark, and she won’t back down from an argument when it comes down to her passion.

This is about a girl who would rather watch action films than romantic films. This is a girl who would rather face her fears than just be afraid. This is a girl who would rather shoot something to see it explode than wear dresses and do her makeup. This is a girl who prefers the smell of gunpowder over the smell of flowers.

Who is Becky? Becky is a girl who likes to play what is considered “a man’s game” called trap shooting. This sport, it is much different than any other sport. There are teams, but mostly you are considered individuals, hoping to break more targets than the next guy, or rare girl. Trap shooting is not an easy sport for anyone. The targets are round, clay targets that are referred to as birds. The point is to break as many as you can. The machine that throws the targets unpredictably, is called the house.

But the reason this sport is so difficult is because of these two factors: the weather and the shooter.

Weather. Where is the wind going? Will the bird go high or will it fall fast? How cold is it? How warm is it? Are you going to get hot shooting or do you need to put more layers on?

The shooter. The mind is a powerful thing, and if the shooter becomes upset that they’ve missed some of their targets, it is likely that they will continue to miss. When this happens it is referred to as ‘losing it’ because the shooter has lost concentration. So, the next question is how did Becky get into such a sport? She was literally born into it. When she was a baby she would go to meets when her brother shot, then she went when her sister shot, and then it was her turn. Like everyone who has been in this sport, she’s had her good days and her bad days.

“Tears swelled in my eyes as I came to my family with a lowered head and slumped shoulders. My heart was burning with disappointment while the rest of me was icy cold. My brother gave me a hug then put his arm around my shoulders. I wanted to make my family proud because my siblings had come to see me shoot. My brother merely smiled and said, ‘Becky, don’t be so hard on yourself. This weather makes it very difficult. I don’t think I could have shot much better.’ My disappointment was gone instantly, because I knew he was right, and I felt better knowing he would have had a hard time since he is the best shot I know. “

Becky has many talents and is unique. She has a love for drawing. A love for writing. A love for her family. A love for shopping. But most of all, a love for trap shooting.