Jessica Murillo doesn’t fit the stereotypical image of a 16-year-old girl. Murillo isn’t all that into fashion or watching the latest chick flicks. She confesses she can’t think of anyone of celebrity status who she “follows.” When it gets right down to it, Murillo admits that if she had to choose between being labeled “girly” or “tomboyish,” girly wouldn’t win out.
Maybe being just a little bit different is one reason Murillo chose to participate in a sport that is a little different. The Chattahoochee County High School freshman is a member of the Panthers Rifle Team. She joined the school program at the beginning of the riflery season, which according to team coach LTC Kelvin Scott, runs from December to postseason activity in April.
Murillo is no stranger to weaponry. She began hunting deer at an early age with her father and still enjoys early morning outings with either him or her older brother.
“I like to hunt deer. It’s just peaceful out there,” she says.
Moving from hunting wild game to shooting with precision as a high school sport required a bit of adjustment but Murillo says the transition wasn’t all that difficult. Some things are similar and then other aspects of the two are very different.
Both forms of shooting require equipment. For the sport, Murillo uses the standard air rifle and pellets designed for high school competition and wears a shooter’s jacket and pants along with competition footwear. The clothing is unusual in its appearance but essential for success.
“The jacket, pants and shoes are made for support for the positions we shoot in. They give stability and help, sort of, steady you when you shoot,” says Murillo.
Georgia’s high school rifle programs use three positions: prone, standing, and kneeling. Murillo prefers the prone position over the other two positions. Her least favorite is the standing position, which requires a lot more work than it looks like it does.
“Standing is the hardest for me. It’s not like shooting when you are hunting. You have to really focus. Being patient and not rushing is a big part of it, too. I am more stable on the ground so prone is more comfortable to me,” she says.
Murillo has a very calm, relaxed demeanor. She says she watches not only the other members of her team to gain insight to shooting techniques, but she also watches members of other rifle teams at matches. The best shooters, in her opinion, are the ones who do not rush. Taking time to make it count is one of the goals she has in learning the sport for herself.
Schools in the state who participate in competition riflery are grouped into areas instead of school classifications as with most other sports. Chattahoochee County is part of Area 1, which includes 15 schools that are subdivided into a north section and a south section. CCHS is among eight schools in the Area 1 South division. The top six teams from each Area advance to sectionals at the end of the regular season.
Even though Murillo is just starting out with rifle team, her coach has already developed a high opinion of her and her skills on the range. 
“My expectations for Jessica this season is to shoot 215 points consistently. By achieving that goal she will have established a solid foundation as a team member. Her strengths are she is very calm and is very disciplined. Her calm nature is a strength because she does not panic when she has a low score on a shot and she doesn’t get excited when she fires a high score on a shot,” states LTC Scott.
This year’s CCHS rifle team is young. There is only one senior, one junior and one sophomore on the team. Freshmen comprise the rest of the team. Murillo is one of the newbies but the right-handed shooter handles herself like a pro. She finds the discipline and focus required to succeed with the sport to be something she already had developed as deer hunter.
“It’s not hard for me to stay focused. That part is kind of easy. The other things that make a good shooter are what I am trying to learn. Right now, I think it’s just fun to do this. It’s something to do,” she says.
Murillo is not certain about her plans after high school. She knows she wants to attend college but where and what course of study to undertake is still a little unclear. After her first few months as a shooter, Murillo has begun to think a little about taking her skills to the collegiate level. That is still a long way down the road but being a member of the rifle team has opened her eyes to the possibility.
The freshman is a two-sport athlete at Chattahoochee County. She played softball in the fall and has plans to continue with that sport as well. Something that makes her a little different from other athletes is that Murillo is part of the school’s band program. She plays clarinet.
Usually, it’s a choice of athletics or band. Not many students can combine the two, but for Murillo, it is all about knowing what you want to do and going after it.
That attitude seems to hold true for her whether it’s in the woods waiting for the right shot or on a rifle range scoring points for her team.
Getting to know Jessica
Family: Mother and father, Christie and Heath Monkus; two brothers, two sisters
Pets: none (There are some hunting dogs)
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite place to eat: Red Robin
Music she likes: Christian and Country
How she spends spare time: Hanging out with friends
Church she attends: Macedonia Baptist Church
Best thing about attending Chattahoochee County High School: I would say how a lot of people are involved with the Army. And how much appreciation our school shows toward that.
Freshman Focus/Columbus Valley/February 2014
Jessica Murillo
Chattahoochee County High School
Cusseta, Georgia
By Beth Welch
Photos by Jerry Christenson
ChattCo shooter aiming for successful first season
