A&M-Victoria student takes third at regional clay target competition
It was a cold, windy weekend in San Antonio when Braxton Rokyta competed in the ACUI Lower Midwest Regional Championship. But despite the poor conditions, the Texas A&M University-Victoria freshman earned three medals.
Rokyta of Victoria was one of two students from A&M-Victoria who competed in the Lower Midwest Regional Championship on Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. When the competition was done, Rokyta won third place in American Skeet, second in American Trap and earned third place High Over All. Rokyta, and his teammate, Alanna DeLeon, represented the A&M-Victoria Trap & Skeet Shooting Club.
“I am very proud of the performance from our team,” said Danny White, interim associate provost of curriculum & student success and faculty advisor for the club. “I’m glad that I get to watch these students continue the sport that they love, and I’m glad that I get to help make that happen. They have already generated buzz about A&M-Victoria, and I expect others to come down to the university and try to join the team. I’m working on a pipeline that will make us a powerhouse for the next decade. We had a good start. Both our team members are also on the Dean’s List for the fall semester and will be recognized at Nationals as outstanding student athletes. Again, I couldn’t be more proud of how they represent themselves, the team and the university.”
During the competition, the windchill was down to 17 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wind was reaching up to 30 miles per hour. Despite that, the students enjoyed pushing themselves and competing against teams from Texas and other states, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, Arkansas, and South Dakota.
“I love the thrill of competing,” Rokyta said. “It was a tough day, but we still did pretty well. I’m looking forward to doing even better when we go to nationals in March. One of my fellow 4-H competitors and a great friend won this competition. We’re always going back and forth on who’s going to win the next one. So now I’m determined to give it my all in Nationals.”
To prepare for competitions, Rokyta and DeLeon practice multiple times per week. They also participate in local competitions to sharpen their skills for the big meets.
“I learn something new every day,” DeLeon said. “It’s about discipline and drive, but it’s also a way to get to know other people who love the sport. We’re all going through a process of self-improvement while doing what we love.”
As Rokyta prepares for the nationals, he is leaning into not just his own skills but also helping his teammates grow and have fun in the midst of the competition.
“We have an amazing community here in Victoria, especially through the Victoria Skeet & Trap Club and the Victoria 4H Shotgun Club,” Rokyta said. “They support us as we practice, and they share so much knowledge with us. I like to do the same with my squadmates. If someone’s having a bad day, we go out to the range and just spend some time doing something we enjoy. It’s more than a competition. It’s a way to connect with each other.”
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.