Aislin was so keen to shoot clays she started as soon as she turned 12, trying simulated field at Bairnsdale Field and Game Club in Victoria before turning to American Skeet. She started as a right-handed shooter but struggled until her father, Dave Jones, read an article on eye dominance. Dave contacted renowned coach, accomplished Olympian and former Australian Shooter columnist Russell Mark, seeking advice for his right-handed, left-eye dominant daughter.
Russell recommended that since Aislin was so young, Dave should immediately encourage her to shoot with the gun mounted to her left shoulder to take full advantage of her eyes. Aislin now says she doesn’t even remember shooting right-handed as she only ever tried it a handful of times and, while becoming adept as a lefty did take time, it was no more than any other beginner.
She told me: “I consider myself very fortunate that Olympian and Commonwealth gold medallist Lauryn Mark was keen to coach a young female, left-handed shooter as Lauryn herself is a lefty. Working with her was fundamental in my nurturing and development to the point I made my Olympic debut at just 16.”
She started in shotgun with a secondhand 20-gauge with an oil-bent stock to give a left-handed cast. With Lauryn as her coach, advice and equipment suggestions flowed and soon Aislin was using a 12-gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon with left-hand cast and, in her own words: “A huge chunk of wood cut off the back and an adjustable put in as I was going to be growing.”
Aislin, a Beretta-sponsored athlete, says even now being left-handed definitely narrows the options with regard to stock blanks for a custom one to be cut. With her early guns she’d fit a piece of foam over the right-hand opening top levers, as they were a little harsh on her young thumb. Yet she continues to use a right-hand lever gun, though has grown and adapted so much she no longer notices it. When I asked if she’d prefer a left-handed option she didn’t think it necessary any more.
Aislin’s essentials
1: Establish eye-dominance straight away. A good coach, stock-maker or sports optometrist will be able to assist in this most important aspect of shooting.
2: Find a gun that fits. One with either neutral (straight), left-handed cast or adjustable stock (or at least an adjustable comb) will let you align your eye over the barrels and down the sights. Consider a gun with a left-hand opening top lever to enhance dexterity and ease of opening and minimise potential wrist or thumb strain.
3: Seek coaching. A left-handed coach is ideal as they can teach from the same point of view and advise on certain nuances. However, a good coach who can visualise and understand left-hand adjustments can be just as valuable.
Other lefty considerations
- Lead will be different for left and right-handed shooters when approaching the same target, due to stance and head position. Be mindful that when a right-handed shooter advises the lead is, for example, six clay lengths in front of a target, for a lefty it may be more if the target is going right-to-left or less if it’s going the other way.
- Targets going right-to-left can be more difficult for left-handed shooters, as the gun may be pulled away from the face as you swing. Practice keeping your head on the stock.
- Targets coming from the right can take a little longer to see clearly, so gun-hold and eye-hold position will be out a little further than for targets from the left.
- A bonus for lefty American Skeet shooters is they’re less likely to be disturbed by shooters progressing to the next firing position or distracted by the referee standing to their right.
- In DTL, ISSF Trap and Five-Stand, shooters who’ve completed their shot and are unloading, ditching empty cartridges and progressing to their right, may be seen in the left-hander’s peripheral vision. Wearing blinkers on your shooting glasses can remedy this. Try not to think about distractions and instead acknowledge, accept, reset and move on.
- In DTL, if you get to choose the people in your squad you may opt for a shooter to the left of you who’s also left-handed, or at least someone who’ll consider not moving about too much and throw shells in the bin at the last minute.
- For DTL Deaville Doubles shooting, you might like to be on the right side so you can see what your partner’s doing, or choose to be on the left so there’s less chance of distractions.
- If you’re in a DTL team shoot-off and the order can be selected, maybe put two lefties together to help maintain the squad’s flow.
- In DTL and ISSF Trap, consider timing the start of your shots to compensate, giving shooters to your left time to settle down, or speed up commencement before they start to move.
- In ISSF Skeet be prepared for the referee moving from one side to the other and reposition the release button cord, as they’re required to be on the side the gun’s to be mounted.
- Be prepared for empty cartridge bins and microphones to be placed in positions which suit right-handers. You may need to reposition microphones or raise your voice to achieve crisp target release.
- Use a toe tag to rest your gun on as rubber gun rests are usually set on the right.
- Develop a unique stance with right foot forward and your own eye-hold and gun-hold positions. Use mental imagery, practice drills to assist with adapting and be patient. With dedication, a left-handed shooter can be the best in the world as seen in Australian ISSF Trap champion Penny Smith, the current number one.