Every Easter holiday since her and her two sisters were little, Kathryn Freeman competes against her family in a unique take on a traditional egg hunt. Once all the eggs have been collected, the family sets them out on the ground as targets for shooting practice.

“It’s a free-for-all to see who can get the most shots,” Freeman said. “It’s really fun.”

The game is just one way Freeman has practiced her pistol skills since the age of 8, and over the years it has paid off.

Freeman traveled to Grand Island, Neb. this past June to compete in the 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational Competition as a part of a four-member Mississippi team in the .22 pistol discipline. Overall, Freeman snagged a 10th place finish out of 63 competitors. She also added multiple other individual and team honors.

“It feels pretty good to know that I got there, and it makes me feel good because not many people get that kind of opportunity,” she said. “I’ve always liked shooting pistols. It just comes naturally to me.”

This is the second year Freeman has reached the national competition. Last year, she competed in the air pistol discipline and finished 20th.

Freeman said while traveling to Nebraska was not a new experience, she still enjoyed this year’s trip.

“Our team became really close,” she said.

Freeman’s father — Kurt Freeman — served as the coach for this year’ national team and said her daughter is simply gifted.

“We live in the country so we shoot all the time, but she just can shoot,” he said. “I try to make (competition) challenging, but it’s fun.”

Kathryn — now a junior at Adams County Christian School — said while she plans to continue her 4-H career this year, she is still looking to improve. She was invited to a Junior Olympics event for air pistol this past summer, but declined in order to go to Nebraska and now wants to work toward that goal once more.

“I can always practice more,” she said. “I just want to keep getting better.”