“I was very surprised. One teammate commented on the look on my face when I took the last shot,” Adkins said. “I was very nervous, but, with my training with Erin (Gestl), I was confident enough to take good shots.”

Gestl is Adkins’ coach on the Palmyra Junior Rifle Team and he also serves as the CMP State Director for Pennsylvania. He impacted Adkins’ skills by training him with a holistic approach. Adkins started shooting with a BB gun when he was very young and was encouraged to switch to air rifle when he showed strong talent. When he was about 15, he began training with Gestl and other coaches at the Palmyra Sportsmen’s Association. 

Adkins focused on improving his 3P precision skills in the months leading up to the National Matches. He worked on his performance on the range and at home. 

“I wanted to do well this year, because it’s my last year to compete in this,” he said. 

Again, Gestl’s coaching was integral to Adkins’ success. 

“The mental exercises Erin taught me were a big help. He taught me mindfulness exercises and progressive relaxation techniques. I did visualization exercises. You imagine yourself taking the shot,” Adkins said. 

This fall, Adkins will study electrical engineering at the University of Kentucky, where he will become a member of the university’s rifle team. Although he doesn’t plan to integrate marksmanship into his career, he does anticipate that it will always be a part of his life. For him, the sport is about more than just shooting well. The value of marksmanship is buoyed by the friends you make along the way. 

“I’ve really loved and learned to appreciate the connections with people. You go to these big competitions like the National Matches, and you see people that you saw at other competitions, like the Jr. Olympics,” Adkins said. “You see people competing in the same thing all across the country. That’s one of the coolest things about the sport.”