By Sumeyya Ilanbey
Neil Stewart saw an advertisement for the Melton Pistol Club at a shopfront more than three decades ago.
He decided to give it a go and sign up, and hasn’t left since.
Mr Stewart credits his long-time stay with the club to the friendships he’s created along the way.
“I love it,” he says. “And what I love the most is probably the friends I’ve made there.”
For the past few years, Mr Stewart has helped run the Australian National Pistol Championships. The nine-day competition will next year be held at the Yarra Pistol Club in Lysterfield.
“I decided long ago administration work [for the championships] was the best for me,” Mr Stewart says. “And it’s something I’m good at.”
When asked what stereotypes he wanted to smash about pistol shooting, Mr Stewart said: “It’s a sport – we’re not Rambos. It really is a disciplined sport. People think it looks easy, but it’s hard work. If you want to succeed, you’ve got to be dedicated.”
Mr Stewart applied to the state government’s Athlete Pathway Travel Grant Program to assist with costs associated with next year’s championship. He received $750 to cover his motel costs.
Applications for round two of the travel program open January 29 and close March 5.
Details: sport.vic.gov.au/grants-and-funding/our-grants/athlete-pathway-travel-grants-program
