Athlete Spotlight: Frank and
Morgan Barthel

By Searrah Herendeen

Athlete Spotlights highlight athletes that are competing for the first time, or are a returning competitor. We want to showcase the diverse sports community the Meijer State Games of Michigan has helped create and grown with. Today’s Athlete Spotlight features Frank and Morgan Barthel. The whole Barthel family will be returning this year in the Meijer Winter State Games Shooting - Pistol event!

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About The BArthel’s:

Morgan is 13 years-old. She is one of the four Barthel’s that will be participating in this year’s shooting - pistol event. Her other hobbies include lacrosse and volleyball.

Morgan’s father, Frank, is quite familiar with the Upper Peninsula. He grew up in northern Michigan until he attended college in the Grand Rapids area. When he isn’t shooting competitively, he is shooting in the woods on hunting and camping trips. Frank has, “Won numerous awards for shooting, in fact [his] whole family shoots and have won numerous awards.”

When/how did you get involved in the Meijer State Games of Michigan?

Frank has been shooting in the Meijer State Games of Michigan since the summer of 2013. That is almost 10 years! He has shared his passion with the youth in the youth shooting sports program, and the Meijer State Games of Michigan was the conclusion of their season.

Lucky for Morgan and her siblings, Frank has been able to teach them the knowledge and skills he has learned throughout the years. Even though Morgan was learning, she still had to wait until she was old enough to start competing. Once she was old enough, she competed in the Meijer Summer State Games of Michigan. Two years ago she joined the rest of her family in her first Meijer Winter State Games of Michigan shooting competition. She has watched her whole family shoot since she was little and could not wait to get in on the action.

Any advice you would give to others that are wanting to start competing in shooting sports?

Here is a free learning opportunity that people new to the sport should pay attention to. Slow down and breath before squeezing the trigger. Frank cannot stress enough that, “Error, however slight, introduced through the trigger results in less accuracy.” He elaborates by reviewing the common shooter process of stance, grip, breathing, etc. It is important to take deep inhales, slow exhales, catching the bottom of your respiratory and finally squeezing the trigger. Morgan has first hand experience using her father’s advice. She has learned to control her, “trigger finger,” and her scores have improved.

What are you looking forward to the most during this competition?

Frank is chasing a dream while Morgan is excited about seeing her progress. Since last year, Morgan has been working on her breathing and controlling her trigger finger. She is excited to, “See how I do this year compared to last year.” Frank has been chasing a perfect score since the 2015-2016 Meijer Summer State Games of Michigan. It was a bench rifle competition that he scored 898/900, with 77 bulls eye. A near perfect score. Frank is hopeful that this summer is going to be year he makes it.

how has shooting sports impacted your family life?

Being in a competition is about having fun, but Frank also makes safety a priority. Frank says that, “We choose to own firearms. As a result, proficiency and safety are fundamental.” He makes sure that his family knows how to operate and control a firearm before even thinking about entering a competition. Morgan has seen how shooting has positively impacted their family. Morgan adds, “We all try to do our best and improve each year, and it’s fun to compete with family.”

The Meijer State Games of Michigan is a multi-sport, Olympic-style event(s) that welcome athletes regardless of age or ability level. The Games embody the values of participation, sportsmanship and healthy living.

Interested in Shooting - Pistol?
https://www.stategamesofmichigan.com/events/winter/pistol2023

Interested in our Summer Games?
www.StateGamesofMichigan.com/summergames

Interested in our Winter Games?
www.StateGamesofMichigan.com/wintergames

Athlete Spotlight: Frank and Morgan Barthel