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Gaddis aiming for 4-H Nationals
Has sights set on Junior Olympics
Gaddis 1
Madison Gaddis
Gaddis 2
Maddison Gaddis is competing in the 4-H Nationals in the Small Bore Rifle category.

BY KEITH LIPPOLDT

klippoldt@gbtribune.com


What started out as a hobby in 4H has quickly turned into a skill worthy of competing at the national level. Such is the case for Great Bend High School senior-to-be Madison Gaddis. 

A member of the Busy Buzzards 4-H Club for nine years, Madison got the bug for shooting rifles in her second year as an 8 year old.

Madison qualified for the 4-H National Shooting Sports Championships being held in Grand Island, Neb. from June 25-28 and will represent Kansas as a member of National Team Kansas. She will compete in shooting silhouette targets (cow, pig, chicken, turkey) using her .22 cal. small bore rifle and standing targets from various distances.

Madison earned her spot on Team Kansas for the National Competition by placing in the top-4 at the State Competition held in Topeka last October.

“She’s been shooting air rifle for eight years, and small bore .22 rifle for two years,” her mother, Amanda Gaddis said. “We were in 4-H and the program was available and she said ‘Hey Dad, I think I want to try this.”

Madison and her dad, Skyler Gaddis, have been going to the shooting range two to three times a week to improve her skills. The practice has paid off as she is now, according to mom, a better shot than dad.

With opportunities ahead of her, Madison aims to use her shooting skills to earn a spot on the U.S. Junior Olympics team and to possibly help her pay her way through college.

“She could go to a Division 1 school as a member of its shooting team,” Amanda said. “And if not, she’ll use it for hunting and everything else we do.”

Currently at church camp, Madison will have a little over a week to prepare for Nationals.


 Background

The shooting sports project is comprised of ten different disciplines: Archery,  Air Pistol, Air Rifle, BB Gun, Hunting Skills, Muzzleloading, Shotgun, Small Bore Pistol, Small Bore Rifle and Western Heritage.

The Kansas 4-H Shooting Sports Program is a part of the 4-H Natural Resources Curriculum area. It is intended to utilize 4-H shooting sports as a means for the development of life and social skills in the youth and adults participating in the program. The Kansas 4-H Shooting Sports Program is part of the National 4-H Shooting Sports Program and includes 4-H projects in archery, coordinator, hunting skills, muzzle loading, pistol, rifle, shotgun, and western heritage.