Local 4-H'er Denise Martin Makes her Mark on the National Shooting Sports Scene

Fourteen year old Denise Martin is the daughter of Fred and Grace Martin and an 8th grader at Jenkins Middle School in Chewelah. As an eight-year old member of the Valley 4-H Club, she enrolled in the shooting sports project and began target shooting with a sporter air rifle. This early experience seemed to foster her natural ability for target shooting and she has never looked back from that first experience gained in 4-H.

Denise recently returned from the Junior Olympics in Colorado where she tied for 3rd place Air Rifle, receiving 4th on tie breaker in the 14 years and under division. She also placed 5th in the same division for Smallbore Rifle.

She was the match winner of the Columbia State Match held recently at Sandpoint, ID and scored 2nd in the WA State 4 Position Open Championship and was declared WA State Resident Champion. Denise has won the WA State Open NRA Sectional Air Rifle Match, the WA State Open NRA 3 Position Match, and the WA State Open NRA International 3 Position Competition. She is the WA State NRA Junior Sectional 3 Position Match winner holding a 14 and under National record.

She has earned National records for the NRA in the 14 and under division as an individual and team member. She is currently preparing for the US Nationals to be held at Ft. Benning, GA in late June with a personal goal to improve on her performance at the Junior Olympic Championships.