For his age, there aren't too many people better at shooting than Wilbraham & Monson Academy's Dan Wesson.
Dan, who led WMA Riflery to an undefeated season, will compete among the best shooters in the country at the National Junior Olympic Championships in the air rifle category April 7 - 8 at Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dan's score of 554 (out of 600) at the Connecticut Junior Olympics in January at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy qualified him for the national event, which will draw approximately 130 junior shooters to the competition.
"I don't get excited that easily, but once it settled in and realized I qualified for the US Junior Olympics, I was really happy," said Dan, who won the 15 - 17 age group at Connecticut. "My whole family was happy for me. They're the reason why I'm going."
The win and qualifying score were particularly satisfying to Dan, who "didn't have a great day" at the same event a year ago. Along with having better physical skills, he said his focus has also improved from a year ago.
Like most shooters, for Dan, target shooting is mostly mental.
"I try not to think ahead and focus on the moment," he explained. "I focus on each shot. If I have a bad shot I try to forget about it and focus on the next one and do the best I can.
"I like shooting because of the hard work and mental game it takes to be a success. A lot of people think you go and shoot guns, but it's far from it. It's mostly mental. You have to control your frustration. If you have a bad shot, you have to focus and tell yourself not to take a shot if it's not good. There are a lot of mechanics that go into it. There are a lot of variables that go into getting a good score."
Dan racked up good scores all season for WMA, leading the Titans to the regular season and championship titles.
"This shows that all the hard work Dan has put in this past fall with his Riflery exemption, and during this past season, is paying off," WMA Coach Bill Passy said. "Dan's strive for perfection is non-ending. Every time he shoots he expects it to be the day he shoots a perfect score. I expect him to reach that goal some day."