MMA Rifle Team Gears Up for Winter Competition

MMA’s rifle team enters the winter season with a strong mix of returning talent and new shooters, according to Coach CPT Joseph Balvanz, USA (Ret). He said his primary goal is “to further develop our existing members and to build the bench with fresh talent.”

The team will be led by cadet Captain William Larson, with Duane Thompson, John Trippe, Thomas Fitzsimmons, Robert Shepard, Tru Jones, and Bret Sietsema returning as veterans. Cadets Thompson and Shepard anchor the lineup because of their appreciation of the sport, the work they put in, and the consistency of their learning style, says Balvanz.

While competitive performance remains important, Balvanz said he hopes cadets walk away with lessons that extend beyond athletics. “I hope they grow as members of the team and develop skills that will last for years,” he said. “Perhaps chief among them are learning to be your greatest under pressure and always being accountable to your teammates.”

Balvanz described the team culture as both established and energized. “We are blessed to have some great veteran firers and reinvigorated by a strong cast of new shooters,” he said. He added that the program emphasizes a family-style approach and incorporates lessons “that extend beyond the walls of the range and hopefully, to better prepare them for life beyond MMA.”

Learn more about the MMA rifle team.