Melissa Zoccoli and Rylie Cherrey
by Adam Leto
Like most other girls their age, Melissa Zoccoli and Rylie Cherrey enjoy going to the movies, shopping, and talking about boys. In many ways, they are just typical teenagers, but for one difference - they’re hunters too.
The girls take part in the SSAA (NSW) Junior Development program, which runs every Saturday at the St Marys Indoor Shooting Centre in western Sydney. Each week, they and other licensed teenagers are taught a range of skills in the classroom and out on the range on topics such as firearm safety, shooting technique and various shooting disciplines and competitions. The instructors regularly take the class on field trips and get them involved in different workshops. Recently, the youngsters were taught the finer points of clay target and black powder shooting. The emphasis is on variety and fun in a safe and well-supervised environment.
“One of the more pleasing aspects of the program is to see young people such as Rylie and Melissa develop, both in terms of their skills and their personalities,” says SSAA NSW Junior Instructor Chris Avent.
“They’ve been involved for a couple of years now and I would say their confidence and maturity has grown considerably since they first started.
“Rylie and Melissa have gone from young teenage girls to blossoming young women. It’s been very encouraging to see.”
Chris said the girls are very goal-driven and like all of the participants in the Junior Development program, are very committed to their sport.
Shooting is certainly more than just a passing hobby for the talented pair too. Indeed, they have recently taken to matching it with the adults in the Open Rifle competitions.
“They’re starting to mix with the adults and it’s good to see the older and younger generations, even though they’re competing against each other, get along so well. I think both parties are enjoying it,” said Chris.
“As the girls are getting older, they’re also acting as role models for some of the younger females that are coming through.”
In 2007, the girls attended the SSAA Tilterweira Youth Camp, a yearly adventure involving 12 teenagers, a group of volunteer supervisors and thousands of acres of dry land situated, quite literally, out the back of Bourke. The SSAA-owned property provides a perfect learning ground for the new hunter and under the watchful eye of experienced property manager George Hackney and camp supervisor John Pond, the youngsters are taught bushcraft skills, mapping, butchering and animal tracking.
“Tilterweira was a great learning experience and we were taught not only about hunting, but orienteering, animals and bush skills,” recalls 15-year-old Rylie from South Penrith.
“I can honestly say that the days I spent at Tilterweira were some of the best of my life. At first, I was a little nervous because I didn’t know what to expect, plus I was going on a week-long camp with people I didn’t know.
“The bus trip up was very quiet, but after our stopover in Dubbo, the next day was not so quiet, as we all got to know each other and realised we were all in the same boat.
“The days were long and hot, but I still enjoyed it,” said Rylie. “On the fourth day, I got my first goat and I was very pleased. I also helped skin the animal, which wasn’t as gross as I thought it would be.”
The Tilterweira Youth Camp, which first kicked off in 2005, has proved a great success and enjoyed more and more responses each year from teenagers keen to get a real sense of bush life. With so much being taught and offered on the camp, it is no surprise that the event has quickly become a highlight on the SSAA NSW calendar.
“It is so important that this next generation have an understanding of rural life and how to take a proactive approach to conservation,” said SSAA NSW Hunting & Conservation Coordinator and Camp Supervisor John Pond.
“We try to offer as much variety as we can and to create a learning environment that is fun, but which also reinforces some important messages.”
For Rylie, who had previously found that other sports such as basketball and taekwondo weren’t to her liking, the 2007 adventure was so exciting that she signed up again to take part in the 2008 camp.
One of the great friendships she forged during her time at Tilterweira was with Melissa and the pair shares a bond which still remains strong.
“Spending a week with Rylie and the boys was great fun,” said Melissa. ”We got to go hunting and try out different firearms at the range. It was an awesome experience and wish we could’ve stayed longer. All of us were very close and it was great to form so many friendships.”
“I would recommend this sport to any young person and it’s a great way to meet many interesting people.”
It was Melissa’s father Tony, another of the camp supervisors, who inspired his daughter to take up the shooting sports. She obtained her minor’s permit at the age of 12 and hasn’t looked back since. She is a regular at the St Marys Indoor Shooting Centre and describes the .270 Winchester and .22 Brno as her preferred firearms. When she’s not out at the range, Melissa and her family enjoy being outdoors and try to get out for a hunt at every opportunity.
“This [sport shooting] is something that my family has been doing for a long time and after watching how much my brother and father enjoyed it, I was keen to follow in their footsteps,” said Melissa.
“It’s fun going out hunting and spending time with my family. I’ll jump at any chance I get to go out and have a shot. It’s different to any sport I’ve ever done.”
Home > Junior shooters > Junior member profiles > Melissa Zoccoli and Rylie Cherrey