OSU Athletics: Not Just Football

Jonathan Krabacher

Jonathan Krabacher.
"My name is Jonathan Krabacher. I am currently a junior at Ohio State majoring in Security and Intelligence and minoring in Forensic Science and Russian. In addition to being a full time student I am also a member of The Ohio State University's Varsity Rifle Team.

For those unfamiliar with collegiate shooting, here is a quick summary. For each competition two rifles are used, small‐bore (.22) and air rifle (.177). Shooters have to shoot from three positions: standing, kneeling and prone. During a competition each shooter is given a set amount of time to shoot twenty (20) shots per position, per rifle.

These competitions can last five to six hours from start to finish. Targets range in distance from 10 meters to 15 meters with a bulls‐eye being about the size of a grain of sand. Taking into account that most rifles weigh anywhere from ten to fifteen pounds and that shooters are required to hold them perfectly steady for the duration of the competition, it is easy to see why this is a varsity sport.

I was born and raised in Irving, Texas (just outside of Dallas). I first started competitive shooting in high school and quickly became captain of the team. After accepting Ohio State as my choice of college, I decided to pursue a collegiate shooting career. Although it can be difficult to juggle academics, athletics and a social life, I have managed so far and am very grateful for the opportunities that Ohio State and the Athletic Department have given me."