Over the years Troy YHEC has earned quite a few medals and titles in shooting sports, and that continued this summer from state competitions all the way through to nationals.

At the Pennsylvania state shoot the junior team won seven individual medals, and six teams medals, while the senior team took home 10 individual medals along with six team medals.

Both squads came away with team first place titles.

Highlighting the junior team was Aiden Olinger, who took first overall, while teammate Adam Ganiel was second. On the senior team Alex Wilcox was first, while Dutch Abma took third.

At the Maryland state shoot the two teams took home first again with Olinger claiming his second overall gold, with Abma taking the top spot for the senior team.

At the National Shoot in Bentonville Arkansas the senior team took second with six team medals and seven individual medals. Wilcox took home an overall bronze.

Olinger would place second for the junior team while they had seven individual medals.

For Olinger carrying on that legacy means a lot, especially as a team.

"Winning as an individual is cool, but when you win as a team you get to celebrate with your team on your accomplishments of placing in the events," he said. "Going to all these events is like going to a sports event that you'v prepared for a lot, and you have to have the mindset of doing your best."

Olinger has a routine before each shoot to mentally focus himself.

"Usually, on the way to the shoot the hotel or campground is 15-25 minutes away from the range, so I put my earbuds in and look out the window," he said. "Going to these events is like going to a sports even that you've prepared for a lot, and you have to have the mindset of doing your best."

For Olinger the success at the validates the hard work he put in during the journey.

"It gets overwhelming," he said. "Like at our state event where we shoot against all the kids in the state of Pennsylvania, but other shoots you celebrate and move on. Winning second at Nationals is the coolest thing I've ever accomplished, and my goal was to place top three at Nationals this year."

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