Marble Turn into the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Range, then wind down the dirt road, past
the pond and two small shacks on either side, to where it opens up into what on one side is a wide, grassy field.
The other side is where Andrews Middle School’s Autumn Fowler finds her peace. Opposite the field is a small pavilion, to the left of that is a line of targets for rifle practice.
It’s where Fowler, along with other members of the Andrews shooting team, were practicing on April 20 for the N.C. Youth Hunter Education Skills State Tournament last Saturday. It’s the combination of being in nature along with the rhythmic release of shots, that puts her at ease.
“I love doing this,” Fowler said. “It’s like how people have a certain place they go to for peace. Whenever I shoot, my mind goes blank of everything, and it’s just peace.”
The team is open to anyone in the Andrew district in grades 6-12, including homeschool students. It’s not affiliated with the school, which makes it a team effort to help pull it off.
Head coach Brandon West, who helps run the team with his wife, Jill, said it costs $14,000-$15,000 to pay for the ammo. The team has sponsors to help pay for costs, but also raffles off guns and ammo to raise additional funds.
West became involved with the team when his son, Dalton, joined in sixth grade. He graduated in 2021, but Brandon and Jill stuck around thanks to the passion of everyone involved.
“The kids want to be here,” Brandon West said. “They want us to be here, and it takes a lot of people to do it.”
West said most of the kids have experience shooting before signing up for the team, but gets a few who haven’t every year. Safety is the biggest priority, and then getting as many repetitions as possible.
Competitions have events in archery, rifle and shotgun, as well as a written hunter skills test. This year at the district tournament, Andrews Middle School Red finished second to automatically qualify for states, while the Andrews High School team finished third and qualified as a wildcard.
It’s all business when they get up on the line to shoot, but they try to have as much fun at competitions when waiting between events, which can last all day.
“We’ll find stuff like random rocks to throw around and play keep away,” Fowler said. “We’ll just play like a game where you put your feet in and if you drop something and you flinch you’re out. Rock-paper scissors, arm wrestling – anything we can think of.”
It’s that camaraderie that keeps people coming back. Everyone involved in the shooting team is invested in the kids. For those like Fowler, that’s allowed her to make friends with people she never thought she would, and also apply the discipline she’s learned as a part of the team to better grades in the classroom.
For Andrews High junior Carley Clark, it’s allowed her to do something she did around her family before joining the team, and now watch the younger members of the team grow. Like Fowler, it’s where she goes to get away from other things going on.
When someone steps up to the line, they’re the only one responsible for their own performance. Only one person is in control, and at peace with what they need to do. Just the way they like it.
“I just kind of loved to shoot,” Clark said. “Some people think that’s kind of weird. But it’s just what I like, and it takes some of my stress off.”