West Seattle youth sports: Totems mark shooting success

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We often hear from youth sports groups including soccer, softball, baseball, football, swimmers, skaters … but until a tip from Larry two nights ago, we hadn’t heard from or about the West Seattle Totems. They are a very successful youth-sports group in our area – with a waiting list, we’re told. The Totems’ sport is riflery; they practice at the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club‘s Roger Dahl Shooting Range underneath West Seattle Stadium. We were invited to visit the Totems’ celebration last night of recent successes in statewide and other competition – note the medals and trophies – and took a group photo; speaking of photography, West Seattle photographer Machel Spence was there too – turns out she’s a Totem mom and helped round up information, including the fact that several of the team members will compete in the Air Rifle Nationals this year, and that West Seattle Totems shooters have achieved three national records!

Machel Spence May 17, 2012 (10:01 pm)

So darn awesome! Congrats everyone!

Aman May 17, 2012 (10:30 pm)

Competitive shooting is HARD. Congratulations Totems!

K.B. May 17, 2012 (10:41 pm)

Wow, such outstanding achievements! Good luck at nationals!

kg May 18, 2012 (1:55 am)

Congrats!

NorDel May 18, 2012 (7:02 am)

We have been looking for an archery club, but after 4H shut down I couldn’t find any other groups. Is that range used only for riflery?
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Awesome job!! Congrats and good luck at nationals!

Machel Spence May 18, 2012 (7:30 am)

Yes NorDel, it’s just used for riflery. There are a few archery clubs though but not in West Seattle.
http://www.nextsteparchery.com/
http://www.thenockpoint.com/
I have spoken to a lot of parents about 4H and other ranges being shut down due to lack of funding or lack of interest in these sports. It’s disappointing because I see them as an art and it really allows kids to become more focused and disciplined.

krista May 18, 2012 (7:39 am)

Hooray for my buddy Kelli Moseley!

Joe Matter May 18, 2012 (10:06 pm)

Just thought to add a few specifics of what these kids are doing. The sport they are involved in is Olympic Smallbore and Air Rifle. Smallbore rifle is a specialized .22 target rifle. The air rifle is a .177 pellet shot using compressed air.

This sport is also a NCAA sport, where men and women compete equally against each other. One of a few rare sports that allow this. Up until 1980, the men and women competed as equals at the Olympics as well.

One of the truly unique aspects of the Totems is the number of girls that are competing. In a sport where the majority of participants are boys, the Totems are half boys and half girls.

The National Records broken by the Totems this year were for Women’s 4 Position Smallbore Team Score, Women’s 3 Postion Smallbore Team Score and Intermediate Junior (ages 15-17) Team Score. The previous Women’s 4 Position record had stood for 43 years.