The Haughton High School Bucs in Blue marksmanship team is an example of how if you aim high, you hit high. 

The air rifle team has achieved new heights, having earned three first-place wins in Louisiana and a second-place finish in a Texas competition. They placed first in the Air Force Division and were State Champion Runner-Up Overall in the Air Rifle State Championship. The team is also the American Legion Louisiana State Champions.

Their Air Force Nationals accomplishments have qualified them for the All-Service JROTC Championships in Camp Perry, Ohio.

Team Coach Col. Tony Zucco admitted that this season has been the most successful in the school’s history. He credits the team’s dedication and preparation, noting that he arrives early at the school’s range to motivate the team and give them more opportunities to practice. 

“At first there was one person, then it was two, then three and so on until the whole team is here. They wanted it, I didn’t tell them they had to do it,” he said.

He credits the school’s electronic range, saying that shooting paper targets takes more time to set up, examine the targets, and reset. Now, they are shooting four or five times per week. Zucco said this is allowing the team to keep pace with competitors. 

“The results bear out that their hard work and extra time has paid off,” he said.

On an individual level, senior and team captain Layla Briggs earned 1st place among 120 competitors and was crowned State Champion at the Air Rifle State Championship and is the overall state champion of the American Legion. She will now move on to the Legion National Qualifier.

Briggs’ success is all the more remarkable considering she had never shot at all before she joined the Bucs in Blue team, having only shot now for a total of three years. However, she said she doesn’t spend a lot of time looking back on her success. 

“I know that I have a talent for this, but I don’t think about it or let it get to my head. The support of my team has helped me achieve a lot of what I’ve achieved this season,” Briggs said.

She explained that routine is important for the team, with her and her fellow members starting by setting up their equipment, getting in a circle to relax with stretches, and talking to each other to get “in a zone (to compete).” 

As she and the team prepare for their national competitions, she says they’re keeping a priority on staying loose. 

“We don’t really have anything to lose,” Briggs said. “So if we just try our best and do what we know we can do with the time we have there, then it’ll be a good experience for everybody.”

This competitive challenge drew Zucco to coach the team. He says the sport benefits the team by teaching responsibility and dedication while building confidence.

“A lot of people think shooting is just about destroying things and it’s not. There’s a lot of discipline, focus, attention to detail, and problem-solving required,” said Zucco. “Those skills are going to help these kids in their lives after they leave here.”

He noted that the team is comprised of scholar athletes with them not only being dedicated to their studies, but other school extracurriculars. 

“I’m really proud of them because it’s not easy with all the other activities they do,” Zucco said. “They’ve put a lot of hard work into making this season happen and they’ve met all their goals so far this year.”

He highlighted their overall improvement with each competition. While marksmanship is very much an individual sport, Zucco pointed out that they are ranked as a team which means someone must step up when another teammate has a bad day. 

“So much of this sport is (mental) and a lot of times you get into your head and start worrying about your score instead of just keeping on doing what you’re doing. That’s when they can rely on each other and learn about calm and withstanding pressure,” he said.