Load. Take aim. Fire.

For many, shooting can be summarized into this mechanical, three-fold process. But for the Ateneo Rifle Pistol Team (ARPT) captains, there are several critical steps missing.

“Passion for the sport. Patience. Hard work. Concentration. Heart,” says Aldric Tolentino (IV BS Psy), ARPT’s head captain. He, together with co-captains Dervin Tan (IV BS MAC), Allan Azurin (IV AB MEco), Edouard Camacho (IV AB Psy), Ruth Ricardo (III AB MEco), and Yan Fang Zhu (II AB MEco) all share the same views on what it takes to hit the mark on both the physical and mental factors of shooting.

Leaders by example

“Shooting is 5% physical and 95% mental,” Aldric says. He first took stance during his sophomore year and found his niche within the confines of the shooting range.

“[Shooting] became addicting. Scheduling and prioritizing became problems,” he says in a mix of English and Filipino. “At one point, I lost my mojo. [and] I was really disappointed in myself.”

But he managed to improve, and his passion for the sport grew. “There’s peace of mind in shooting. I’m really fulfilled when I teach this sport. I’ve gained so much from it and I want to pass it on.”

At a rank lower than Aldric’s but with the same amount of skill, vice-captain Dervin Tan’s life-changing shift from mere student to varsity shooter happened when he passed by a sign advertising ARPT. With no experience prior to joining the team, he struggled to adjust to the pressing weight of the rifle.

Now, his future goals have expanded, deciding to pursue shooting professionally along with his goal to become an entrepreneur. This year’s Thailand-based Universiade (Olympics for university students) was a “source of inspiration for me to continue to do better,” he says. Inspired by veteran shooters, he decided to brave the limits of his dreams in pursuit of genuine self-fulfillment.

“Shooting has been a constant wonder for me. Every shot was a little bliss of miracle that happened every so often. Not everything is easy,” he says. “But at the end of the day, through sweat, and fatigue and willpower spent, you know, like many others out there, that you have done the impossible.”

Star shooters

Women’s Air Pistol Captain Ruth Ricardo admits that she didn’t plan to be a shooter. But she found being part of a non-mainstream sport appealing, and has acquired much recognition as since.

A competitive crack shooter, Ruth is multi-awarded in various national shooting competitions, such as contests sponsored by the Philippine Marines, the Philippine National Shooters Association, and the Smart/PLDT Youth Championships. She considers her 369/400 mark in the Spring Cooking Oil Youth Shooting Championships as her best finish.

For Ruth, shooting never gets enough attention especially in the women’s division, thus, her drive for going on. “Men dominate the national team. That’s why coach is pushing me to be part of the Nationals and land in the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games.”

Fellow shooting prodigy Allan Azurin says that his initial encounter with ARPT during his freshman year was accidental. Though he just stumbled into the sport, he proved that his skills were at par with those of more seasoned shooters.

In his second year, Allan became Most Valuable Player, a recognition that came with its own share of sacrifices. “I was [alienated] from my block because I spent more time in the range,” he says. “At nagsawa talaga ako (And I became really bored).”

As his passion for the sport waned, his competitors continued to improve, unrivaled in the range. Soon enough, he took notice of this and turned his weakness into a challenge.

After his promotion to men’s pistol captain, Allan vowed to make a comeback. He competed in the Spring Cooking Oil Youth Championship and brought home five silver, four bronze and three gold medals. “I became more competitive with shooting and academics. It takes heart and love of the sport to win the gold.”

Team dynamics

Meanwhile, Women’s Rifle Captain Yan Fang Zhu sees her being a shooter as an alter-ego. “I’m a funny person outside the range but once I get hold of the gun, I can be dead serious.”

Yan is a shooter swayed by interest of the sport. The road was never easy, she says. “Nung una medyo mabigat yung baril but soon, I got used to it.”

Undeterred by the difficulties she encountered, she started joining contests and posted decent finishes recently while getting a lot of support from the shooting family. ARPT, for her, is a real family.

Just a year after being recruited in the sport, Yan took the helm of the women’s rifle team. Living up a leadership role early came as a quick surprise, but she was up for the task. “Being a captain certainly adds pressure on my part because now I have a bigger responsibility not just on myself but also on my other teammates.”

Like Yan, Men’s Rifle Captain Edouard “EZ” Camacho also found a second home the range. This bowling enthusiast’s road to rifle captain was bright, having been constantly recognized by their coach Danny Flores.

But a handful of hurdles surfaced. “In my third year, I was put on probation because some of my grades in second year were low.” Instead of taking that snag to excellence as a warning sign to quit, EZ took it as a personal challenge and defined the line between academics and varsity duties.

“[I] wouldn’t trade this for anything else. My life in college formed with this sport [and] the team,” he says. “Shooting is an exhilarating experience. You develop control over your mind and body through the unification of the team. It’s a form of release. You find yourself.”