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Successful shooter follows family tradition
Humble High- schooler holds several titles
By KIM MORGAN
Chronicle Correspondent
Humble high-schooler Brittany Hess has returned from a successful regional shooting event in Colorado Springs, Colo., earning a bronze medal and now qualifying for the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Air Rifle Championship on March 8 in Fort Benning, Ga..
Hess, a 17-year-old junior at Humble High School, is captain of the school's Army JRTOC Marksmanship Air Rifle Team.
"I've been shooting for nine years," Hess said.
"My brother, who is four years older than me, I watched him shoot and it made me want to do it.
"My dad let me try when I was 8, and it was the coolest thing I had ever done."
Hess' brother Wesley was captain of the same team she's now captain of in his junior and senior years at Humble High School.
Wesley, 21, is a junior at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
He is a ranked shooter with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
"It's kind of gone through the family," Hess said.
"My dad has been a shooting coach for 26 years."
That would be Walter Hess, who is head coach of Lake Houston 4H Outdoor Explorers. Hess is a member of that club.
Her mother Joyce Hess is the manager.
"Dad shoots," Hess said.
"But mom has never picked up a gun."
Hess holds several titles through her affiliations with the 4H club and JROTC.
These include reigning Texas Junior Olympic Precision Air Rifle Champion for the past two years, 2007 National Rifle Association Junior Indoor Military Scholastic Champion Small Bore, 2007 NRA Precision Position Air Rifle Junior National record holder in Prone, Standing and Kneeling; and 2007 Texas State Rifle Association Indoor Air Rifle and Small Bore Champion.
It's quite a list. Hess is quite taken aback by it all.
"I'm actually very surprised at how good I've gotten over the years," Hess said.
I think it's mainly me maturing, and practicing, and being able to sit there, focusing on the black dot and knowing when to pull the trigger."
Father is proud
Walter said he's extremely proud of her, especially because shooting requires intense concentration and frequent practice.
"Think of it this way," Walter said.
"There's a mark the size of a pencil eraser.
"She stands 33 feet away, and in 40 shots she would never miss the pencil eraser.
"In approximately 25 of those 40 shots, she would hit the dot in the center of the pencil eraser."
That's why Hess is also Army JROTC Western Regional Individual Precision Air Rifle Champion.
"Brittany is also excellent at communication and teaching other players," said Robert Rohm, Humble High School senior army instructor and coach of the air rifle team.
"She is the epitome of a team player.
"She holds several national records, but you'd never know it when she's with the team.
"She's one of the team, and she works with them very, very well."
Hess' goal is to earn a college scholarship for shooting, NCAA ranking, and a spot at the 2012 Olympics.
"I've always wanted to go to the Olympics," Hess said.
"I wanted the 2008, but I didn't make the Junior Olympic team.
"I tried for that last year. But 2012, that's a possibility."