(Featured image is Fontana MCJROTC)
The 2025 National Air Rifle New Shooter and Air Pistol League commenced last week with 80 teams competing across both leagues, including the 2nd largest New Shooter League ever. This was merely the first of ten total weeks in the regular season. Sitting at the top so far, we have McMichael AFJROTC in the New Shooter League and Lafayette Gun Club in the Air Pistol League.
The first two weeks of the league is noted by random scheduling, giving the opportunity to compete against each other to teams who have never met, and to start to place themselves for scheduling in later weeks. Teams will then have the remaining weeks to vie for the top spots across their 8 total matches.
McMichael AFJROTC came out with a strong start in week 1, defeating Lemoore NJROTC. They now sit at the top spot in the first week of the New Shooter League. This team did not participate in last season's New Shooter League, but it seems they will surely be one to watch this season. Their match this week will be against Redmond MCJROTC.
Interestingly, only one team in the current top 10 appeared in the top 10 at the end of 2024's New Shooter League, being Zion Benton NJROTC. They currently sit in 8th place after Week 1.
Beginning the New Shooter League in second place, Fontana MCJROTC defeated Bellevue West AFJROTC in Week 1. This is another team of the trio of teams who did not participate in 2024's season, along with McMichael AFJROTC and Martin Luther King NJROTC, who make up the top 3 spots after Week 1. In Week 2, Fontana will face off against Bob Jones AFJROTC.
With last year's champs NoVA Sharpshooters sitting out Week 1 with a bye, Lafayette Gun Club took the lead after their first week matchup against Seaford NJROTC. Their Week 2 match will be against Grand Rapids Rifle & Pistol Club. Last year's third place team, Palmyra Sportsmen's Association, landed themselves in 2nd place last week. NoVA Sharpshooters will begin their season against Cos Cob Revolver and Rifle Club in this week's match.
