A growing interest in competitive shooting among young people in the east of Pretoria has led to the launch of a new junior International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Air Pistol development group.

This group is aimed at creating opportunities for young boys and girls to participate in the Olympic shooting sport in a safe, structured and development-focused environment.

The initiative was inspired directly by the strong community response following a newspaper article featuring Abigail and Caitlyn Nabal from Laerskool Garsfontein, whose achievements in provincial pistol shooting sparked widespread interest among parents and young people in the area.

Following the publication of the article, several families formed an interest group to help introduce more children to ISSF Air Pistol shooting. Most of the young participants are learners from Hoërskool Garsfontein.

Organiser Dion de Beer said the programme was established not only to teach technical shooting skills, but also to develop important life skills that can benefit young people far beyond the shooting range.

“The initiative was created not only to teach shooting skills, but also to promote discipline, focus, responsibility, and opportunities for future provincial and national participation,” said De Beer.

According to De Beer, ISSF shooting requires far more than marksmanship. Young athletes are taught strict discipline, emotional control, patience and accountability while learning to perform under pressure in a highly structured sporting environment.

“Success in ISSF shooting depends heavily on mental control, attention to detail, and the ability to concentrate under pressure,” he explained.

He added that the sport also helps young people build confidence, resilience, and perseverance as they work towards measurable goals such as provincial colours, national participation and potentially even international competition.

The programme is already preparing several young shooters for the upcoming KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Championships, which De Beer described as an important milestone for both the children and the future growth of junior ISSF participation within the Central Gauteng Pistol Association (CGPA).

“For many of the children, this will be their first opportunity to participate in an official provincial-level competition. It gives them exposure to the structure and atmosphere of competitive ISSF shooting while helping them gain confidence and experience early in their sporting journey,” he said.

De Beer believes the development group could eventually become one of the strongest junior ISSF programmes in the country if it receives sufficient support and access to proper facilities.

However, despite growing enthusiasm around the programme, organisers say one of the biggest challenges remains the lack of a permanent indoor training venue close to home.
The group still does not have a dedicated indoor venue where the children can train consistently.

The young shooters have received support from members of the broader shooting community, by getting occasional access to training at the Eeufees shooting range, sponsored practice targets from the South African Pistol Federation and coaching assistance.

“At present, the children are forced to travel long distances to attend training sessions, which places strain on families and limits the frequency of practice,” said De Beer.

He explained that ISSF Air Pistol is a precision Olympic sport that depends heavily on repetition, routine and consistent structured training.

“One of the major frustrations for parents and organisers has been that, despite schools publicly celebrating the achievements of young pistol shooters, access to existing school shooting facilities for air pistol training has not yet been approved,” he said.

He said the lack of a permanent indoor facility has also limited the programme’s ability to grow and introduce more young people to the sport.

The group is now appealing to the Pretoria east community, businesses, schools and organisations to assist by providing access to a safe indoor venue that could accommodate a 10m air pistol training setup.

De Beer said even limited access to spaces such as unused classrooms, church halls, community halls or warehouse sections would make a major difference in helping the programme become sustainable.

“At its core, the request is not for financial gain, but for access and opportunity,” he said.

“With a safe training space and continued community encouragement, the programme can expand and provide a structured pathway for many more young shooters in Pretoria east to develop from beginner level through to provincial and national competition.”

He said parents have also thrown their support behind the initiative, with many travelling long distances several times a week to ensure their children can attend training sessions.

“The response from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. Their willingness to rearrange schedules and transport children to training shows how much they believe in the programme and the positive impact it is already having,” he said.

He added that many of the young shooters now dream of representing CGPA at provincial level, earning national colours and eventually competing internationally.

“What excites us most is seeing how quickly the children are growing in confidence and maturity. They are learning discipline, emotional control and responsibility while pursuing something they are passionate about,” he said.

Anyone who may know of a suitable venue such as a 10m indoor space, unused shop or community hall where the children could safely practice, can reach out to 071 117 4591 or 078 893 3188.

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