Five years ago this month, Brian Ng picked up a gun for the first time during a family fun day at Langley Rod & Gun Club. Just one week later, he started air pistol training.
Today, the 16-year-old Willoughby resident is preparing to head to Buenos Aires, to compete in target shooting at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
“Brian showed great interest in target shooting since he was very young,” explained his parents, William and Fiona Ng.
Mom elaborated that first he was big on toy guns, then as Nerf guns gained popularity, he loved playing with those.
“We felt that if he likes it that much, he should learn to do it the right way,” Fiona said.
“It turns out that Brian found one of his life-long sports,” his mother added, noting he also enjoys biking, golfing, and working out at the gym – but said his true passion is target shooting.
Brian earned a berth on Team Canada back in May when he competed in the Men’s 10M air pistol at the world cup in Georgia.
Now, he’s off to the Youth Olympics being held in Argentina from Oct. 6 to 18. This competition is open to young athletes ranging in age from 15 to 18.
Brian, a Grade 11 student at R.E. Mountain Secondary, will be the lone Canadian youth participating in this discipline of shooting at the Youth Olympics. That means there’s no team practices ahead for him, but Mom said he will spent quite a bit of time training at the gun club in the days to come.
Brian’s interest in shooting, while somewhat unexpected, has proven very rewarding, Fiona said.
“He learned how to deal with firearms in a respectful and safe manner,” and he has also learned to give back by volunteering at the gun club as a range officer and kids’ coach, she said.
Fiona and William went as far as to encourage other parents to allow their children a chance to learn about target sports, if they are truly interested.
“Video-gaming is definitely not the right place to start,” Mom said, although she admitted Brian loves hanging out with his buddies and his PlayStation 4.
She feels that by letting kids learn the correct way to deal with firearms and participate in the sport of target shooting, “it will help promote a safer community.”
“Thanks to Langley Rod & Gun Club, British Columbia Target Sports Association, and Shooting Federation of Canada, Brian is achieving his goals in this chosen sport.”
Some 400 people attended this year’s fall family fun day at the Langley Rod and Gun Club, and Brian’s coach Terry McCarthy noted the next fun day is slated for Boxing Day.
