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WHEN A GROUP OF MAINE MARI- TIME ACADEMY (MMA) STUDENTS approached Campus Safety Officer Ken- neth VanSpronsen to help them start a marksmanship club, it was an easy yes. "We have to pass that desire for shoot- ing sports onto the next generation, or it's going to be a lost tradition," he said. "That's what makes me happy—to know that I'm helping that next generation come in and bringing new individuals into the sport." In 2021, the Maine Maritime A cad - e my M a r k s m a n s h i p C l u b w a s st a r t e d with VanSpronsen—who has had a long- standing passion for shooting sports—as i t s v o l u n t e e r c o a c h a n d a d v i s o r. T h e club began as a 10-meter precision air rifle program that taught Olympic-style precision shooting, and last year, was given approval by the college to expand into trap. For student athletes, it has become a place where they can compete, learn about marksmanship and gun safety, and spend time with others who shared their interest in shooting sports. "Trap and sporting clays were a whole new world for me," said Valentin Serban, a founding member of the club. "I didn't r e a l l y k n ow w h a t I wa s d o i n g a t fi r st , but with practice and g etting my own over-under shotgun, I was able to g et proficient in the sport." The club had its inaugural trap sea- son in Fall 2023 with seven participants. This spring, the team grew to 13. As word about the club spreads around campus, VanSpronsen expects it to grow even more. MARKSMANSHIP IN MAINE Maine Maritime Academy is located in Cas- tine, Maine—a coastal town with a history that dates back to the 1700s. A public four- year college, MMA offers diverse academic 36 PULLUSA MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024 THE FIELD C OL L EGE SP O T L IGH T CONTINUING TRADITION THE MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY MARKSMANSHIP CLUB IS MAKING WAVES by EMILY SIZEN E N R O L L M E N T S I Z E O F T E A M L O CAT I O N 950 13 Castine, Maine mainemaritime.edu W hat I like most about the team is that we are open to anyone joining no matter the skill level. There are always people around who are more than willing to jump in and help you learn the sport and improve." — A N D R E W W E AV E R