By Phil Bourjaily

No, that’s not one of the Trapp family singers (that was a pun. Did you see what I did there?), it’s Kassie, a senior from the other high school that shoots at our gun club. She had to make a quick exit from the shoot Saturday to march in the local Maifest parade so she came in costume.

Kassie’s coach asked if it was okay to put her in the first squad with four of our boys so she could get to the parade route on time.

“It’s fine with me,” I said. “Some of these boys might not like it if they lose to a girl in a German dress, though.” Kassie is currently one of the top female shooters in the Iowa DNR league.

One good reason to shoot competitively is to train yourself to deal with pressure and distractions – the kind that come with having your score posted and with the knowledge that people are watching. Learning to shoot with eyes on you, I believe, makes you a better, more focused shot in the field. If you want to turn that pressure up a notch, try shooting while dressed like Heidi.

Kassie joked about her dress before we started, then, with that thought processed and out of the way, she turned her attention to shooting. She stayed calm, deliberate and almost robotic, exactly the way she does when she shoots in jeans and a t-shirt. She put up a 48x50, which is terrific shooting for a girl in the Iowa DNR league, and tied for the top score for the dual shoot.

I got a shooting lesson out of her performance and I hope everyone else there did, too.

Comments (12)

from DSMbirddog wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

What's weird about that? She looks poised and in control. It probably scared the other shooters.

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from ishawooa wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Looks like the kind of girl that any dad would love to have as a daughter. With her scores I consider her to be competitive in any league. What a gal.

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from zuikowarrior wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Well done, Kassie. I don't think Phill really meant to say, "for a girl."

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from philbourjaily wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I did mean "for a girl" only in the sense that boys and girls individual scores are kept seperately in our league(teams are co-ed) and 48x50 is a great score for a girl. The best boys are shooting 50s.

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from hutter wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Looks better than Obomber and his shotgun.

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from RJ Arena wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I think it is great that we have young people shooting, especially with all of the pressure out there to demonize anything to do with firearms.

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from Ontario Honker ... wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I dunno. Her form doesn't look any better than Obama's. Note that her left hand is dang near on the receiver. But, hey, if it works for her, what the heck. Maybe Obama's style works for him too? Just saying ...

What is that she's shooting? Looks like a single shot trap grade? Haven't seen one of those in quite some time. But I don't hang at the ranges either.

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from 99explorer wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

It looks like it was raining too.

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from springerman3 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Excellant pun Phil ! I note her dress is in her school colors which means she could wear it on a regular basis to shoot ! As she is very likely a better trap shooter than anyone who has posted ( including me )! I think the appropriate way to address her is young lady :)
Phil, please tell Kassie it would be an honor to shoot a round of sporting clays with her this summer, my treat !!

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from Ncarl wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Ontario Honker, She looks to be shooting a Browning BT-99. They are single shot trap guns and are incredibly popular amongst beginners.

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from nc30-06 wrote 5 weeks 5 hours ago

She also looks more natural, comfortable, and believable than the picture issued of obama shooting a shotgun.

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from Jerry A. wrote 4 weeks 5 days ago

Kassie is an exceedingly better Trap shooter than I am. Those dresses are called dirndls, by the way.

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from DSMbirddog wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

What's weird about that? She looks poised and in control. It probably scared the other shooters.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ishawooa wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Looks like the kind of girl that any dad would love to have as a daughter. With her scores I consider her to be competitive in any league. What a gal.

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from zuikowarrior wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Well done, Kassie. I don't think Phill really meant to say, "for a girl."

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from philbourjaily wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I did mean "for a girl" only in the sense that boys and girls individual scores are kept seperately in our league(teams are co-ed) and 48x50 is a great score for a girl. The best boys are shooting 50s.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from hutter wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Looks better than Obomber and his shotgun.

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from RJ Arena wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I think it is great that we have young people shooting, especially with all of the pressure out there to demonize anything to do with firearms.

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from Ontario Honker ... wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I dunno. Her form doesn't look any better than Obama's. Note that her left hand is dang near on the receiver. But, hey, if it works for her, what the heck. Maybe Obama's style works for him too? Just saying ...

What is that she's shooting? Looks like a single shot trap grade? Haven't seen one of those in quite some time. But I don't hang at the ranges either.

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from 99explorer wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

It looks like it was raining too.

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from springerman3 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Excellant pun Phil ! I note her dress is in her school colors which means she could wear it on a regular basis to shoot ! As she is very likely a better trap shooter than anyone who has posted ( including me )! I think the appropriate way to address her is young lady :)
Phil, please tell Kassie it would be an honor to shoot a round of sporting clays with her this summer, my treat !!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Ncarl wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Ontario Honker, She looks to be shooting a Browning BT-99. They are single shot trap guns and are incredibly popular amongst beginners.

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from nc30-06 wrote 5 weeks 5 hours ago

She also looks more natural, comfortable, and believable than the picture issued of obama shooting a shotgun.

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from Jerry A. wrote 4 weeks 5 days ago

Kassie is an exceedingly better Trap shooter than I am. Those dresses are called dirndls, by the way.

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.