RIFLE TEAM and CLUB (Boys and Girls)

Yorktown Rifle Club:

The Rifle Club is dedicated to teaching the basics of rifle marksmanship and safety to interested students who have little or no prior exposure to firearms. The Club holds weekly practices from October through February, on Mondays. All equipment, including rifles, ammunition, and shooting accessories, is provided. The rifles used are single-shot, .177 caliber pellet air rifles. Dues are $15 a year, and will be prorated to $7 if the member starts in January or later.

All students who have not previously taken part in the rifle programs at YHS are expected to start in the Club. Everyone receives instruction on fundamental safety rules and range procedures, and then marksmanship fundamentals, before being allowed to shoot. Club members do not take part in varsity competition. They do participate in qualification programs in which awards are given based on their practice scores, and also may participate in a club championship at the end of the season. The Club serves as the primary source for new Team members.

Parents are encouraged to visit during practices to observe and to talk with the coaches. Eye protection is required for observers; hearing and eye protection are both required for those who are shooting. It is recommended that members purchase their own eye protection so that they will be comfortable with the glasses while shooting. Suitable eye protection is typically available for under $15 at sporting goods stores. Members who wear prescription glasses while shooting do not need additional eye protection.

Yorktown Rifle Team:

The Rifle Team is a varsity sport at Yorktown High School during the winter athletic season. The Team competes in the Potomac High School Rifle League, which is composed of high school teams in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as one combined team for high school students lacking teams at their own schools. Students compete in three-position rifle matches using single-shot, .22 caliber rifles and .177 caliber pellet rifles. The three-position rifle event is similar to the same event that takes place in the Olympic Games. Students shoot from the prone, standing, and kneeling positions. The standard Olympic course of fire is 40 shots per position; at the high school level, only ten shots per position are fired, with a total time limit of 55 minutes. The league names individual and team champions for the season, and also sponsors a championship match for top individuals and teams in the league.