The New Jersey Team, from left to right: John Gemmill, Logan Ball, Heather Dempsey, Norm Glitz, Rick Mingeram, Jim Aglione, Kevin Ball, John Gunn III, Ray Schmitt, Faisal Yamin, Jean Verrier, Kenny Lund, Mark Jenkins, Paul Adamowski, Allan Kutyla. Not pictured: Joel Furman.  more photos

First, the overall picture. This was the 100th year of the National Matches and the weather was excellent! There was no rain and, although there was some wind, it was much less than last year. Not surprisingly, scores were higher this year than they were last year. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Brian Zins won last year with a score of 2611 (out of 2700) and won again this year (his fifth National Championship) with a score of 2665, very close to the record for Camp Perry (Don Hamilton’s 2668, fired in 1969). The competition among the women was very close. Judy Tant from Michigan was this year’s winner with a score of 2577. On her heels were Delores Williams and Kimberly Hobart (winner for the past three years) with 2575 and New Jersey’s Kathy Chatterton with 2570. There were a total of 741 competitors in the NRA championships, down very slightly from 765 in 2001 and 752 in 2002.

The championships are conducted over three days with competitors using a different type of pistol each day (.22 caliber, any “centerfire” pistol, and .45 caliber). Each day, each shooter completes four individual matches (Slow Fire, National Match Course, Timed Fire, and Rapid Fire) comprising a “900,” the maximum possible score, with that pistol. At the conclusion of each day’s individual matches, team matches are fired where each member fires the National Match Course (ten shots, each, of slow fire, timed fire, and rapid fire, for a possible total of 300 points). This year was the third year of the Harry Reeves Memorial Revolver Match, separate from the national pistol championships, fired with any centerfire revolver over the National Match Course.

New Jersey shooters held their own in the Reeves match. Allan Kutyla of Montvale, Richard Baughman of Ringwood, and Junior Kenneth Lund of Green Brook all earned Harry Reeves T-shirts by placing in the top 100. Nice shooting, guys!

In the individual matches, awards are given to the top ten percent of the shooters within a particular classification and category. It is a major accomplishment to place in that top ten percent at Camp Perry. One of our juniors, John Gunn III, of Runnemede, completing in the Marksman Class, earned awards in six matches, more than any other team member. Masters Kevin Ball, of Englishtown, and John Gemmill, of Cliffwood Beach, also did well, earning five and four awards, respectively. In the Sharpshooter Class, Kevin’s son, Logan, won two awards and Kenneth Lund won one. In the Expert Class, Mark Jenkins, of Hopatcong, won two awards and Paul Adamowski, of Marmora, won one.

In the team matches, we fielded three teams. The Master team was comprised of Jim Aglione of Teaneck, Kevin Ball, Captain Allan Kutyla, Rick Mingeram of Ringwood, and Faisal Yamin of Sayreville and came in seventh out of 11 teams in the State Association category. The Expert team was comprised of Paul Adamowski, Mark Jenkins, Captain Jean Verrier of Lavallette, and Ray Schmitt of Wayne, and came in 19th out of the 23 teams. Paul was routinely the high scorer for the team. The Juniors, consisting of Logan Ball of Englishtown, Heather Dempsey of Oak Ridge, John Gunn III of Runnemede, and Kenny Lund of Green Brook, competed in the Sharpshooter Class and came in 13th out of the 15 teams entered.

Service Pistol competition is also conducted at Camp Perry under the rules of the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Only “service pistols” are allowed. There are two individual matches (the President’s Match and the National Trophy Individual [or “Leg”] Match) and a Service Pistol Team Match. In the team matches, our primary focus this year was on competing in the team match with a junior team. Last year, the high junior team won with a score of 496 out of 1200, meaning that the shooters averaged 124 out of 300. Although New Jersey had never entered a junior team in service pistol competition, we thought New Jersey shooters could do better than that. We already had three juniors who were active bullseye competitors - Logan Ball, John Gunn III, and Kenny Lund, even though Logan was the only one who had experience with service pistol. We had to find one more shooter to make up the four person team and were lucky to find Heather Dempsey of Oak Ridge. Although she had never shot bullseye before, she knew how to shoot a pistol, so she was a natural for the team. Of this group, Logan was the only one who had been to Camp Perry as a competitor, so the team had their work cut out for them. The Juniors selected Logan as their Team Captain. John Gemmill served as team coach.

The Juniors came up “aces.” They fired a score of 807 in the Service Pistol Team Match and was the High Junior team! John was high shooter on the team with a 249 and also earned individual honors as High Junior in the National Trophy Individual Match with a score of 243. Congratulations on to all of the juniors for their excellent shooting! More on the Juniors at Camp Perry.

Unfortunately, Heather will turn 20 fairly soon and no longer be eligible to shoot as a Junior. We’re looking for replacements!

Our “adult” Service Pistol team also shot well, firing a score of 1029, good for 17^th place overall and sixth out of the 15 state teams. Allan Kutyla was Team Captain and the other firing members were Joel Furman of Teaneck (high scorer on team), Rick Mingeram of Ringwood, and "new shooter" Norm Glitz of Hamilton Square. Non-firing members were Jean Verrier of Lavallette and Paul Adamowski. 

Kevin Ball earned a bronze "Custer" medal in the Leg Match with an excellent score of 267.

One of the highlights of the CMP Awards Ceremony occurred when Allan Kutyla and Norm Glitz were called to the stage to be presented with their recently-earned Distinguished Pistol Shot badges! 

Although they did not shoot on the State Team, many other New Jersey shooters did well. High Master Dave Lange of Glen Rock won awards in six matches including second overall in the Centerfire Timed Fire Match with a score of 200-15X. Master Kathy Chatterton of Glen Rock won numerous awards both as a “top ten percenter” as well as High Woman, including High Woman in the .45 aggregate with a score of 862-29X. Expert Nick Abrishamian of Hackettstown won awards in seven matches. Sharpshooters William Hofmann of Little Falls and Fred Renz of Union won awards in three matches and one match, respectively. Marksman Kevin van de Velde of Hamilton did extremely well, winning awards in seven matches, good enough to earn seventh place in the Civilian Marksman Class, earning him a place on the NRA/USA Civilian Marksmanship Team!

Congratulations to all of the winners and a special “Thank You” to the team captains!