NMT Student Christine McLemore Heading for Junior Olympics

by Valerie Kimble

SOCORRO, N.M., March 1, 1999 -- One might say Christine McLemore is one of the "big guns" on the New Mexico Tech campus.

The 18-year-old Socorro native has qualified for the Junior Olympics as the top New Mexico female marksman in her class.

Starting March 19, she will begin four days of competition at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., in two events: .22 rifle (three position) and air rifle (standing).

"This is the first year I've ever qualified," said McLemore, who has been aiming for the Junior Olympics for the past three years.

The top male and female junior shooters in the state automatically qualify for the regional competition. "Junior" status is for competitors under the age of 21.

McLemore won the berth in January at a Junior Olympics-sanctioned competition held on the New Mexico Tech campus. She also was the first-place woman at the 1999 Junior Olympic Air
Rifle Match, and the 1997 State Games Woman Athlete of the Year. She placed first in the Whistler Boy Team Trophy Match last summer, which is a National 3-Position Match held at the National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio. McLemore and her teammate, Nathan Tracey, beat out about 50 other teams from around the U.S.A.

McLemore has been shooting competitively for only about five years, but her interest in the sport could almost be considered hereditary. Her parents, James and Virginia McLemore, are avid marksmen and National Rifle Association (NRA) certified shooting instructors; and an older sister, Jennifer, also competed in shooting sports.

The younger McLemore herself is a member of three local gun clubs: She is president of the Socorro 4-H Gun Club and a member of both the New Mexico Tech Gun Club and Socorro Gun Club.

She also has ties to two schools in town: She is taking her final classes at Socorro High School before graduating in May, in addition to carrying a 16-credit hour load at New Mexico Tech. Her college course load includes classes in chemistry, art history, American history and English.

"High school is not as stressful as being in college," McLemore said. "Here at Tech, you really have to take your own initiative. If you fail, it's your own fault; in high school, you can get away with a little more," she added.

McLemore said shooting has helped her hone the discipline she needs as a college student. "One of the things I like best about shooting is the patience you need to develop," she said. "You can have all the right equipment, but it won't mean a thing if you're not concentrating. On any given day, it all depends on you."

McLemore recently shared some of the things she has learned about shooting and gun safety with schoolchildren at Midway Elementary in Lemitar. She gave two presentations to more than 100 children as part of a community service requirement for a "Gold" award for Girl Scouts--similar to the Eagle Scout ranking for Boy Scouts. The presentations included a cartoon video about firearm safety, and a guest appearance by "Eddie Eagle," the mascot for the children's gun safety program sponsored by the NRA.

Shooting sports may also play a part in McLemore's post-graduation plans: "I've thought about going to Murray State in Kentucky, or UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso), which both have rifle teams," McLemore related. "Or I might stay right here at Tech. I don't have a major yet, but I'm thinking about psychology--human behavior interests me."

In the meantime, she is busy preparing for midterm exams and for her first Junior Olympics competition. "I've never been to the Olympic Training Center," McLemore said. "I'm really nervous and excited at the same time!"