Taking Steady Aim

Comet trapshooters living proof that diabetes can be shot down

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

NASHUA — Charles City juniors Bryce Hamm and Rebecca Tierney have been living with Type 1 diabetes for most, if not all of their lives.

Some days are good days. Some are not-so-good days, like when the world seems to be spinning under their feet.

“When my blood levels are low, my hands start to shake,” Tierney said.

“I sometimes feel dizzy … my vision gets blurry,” Hamm said.

Shaky hands. Blurry vision. These are symptoms you don’t want to have if you’re a competitive trapshooter like Hamm and Tierney.

So how do you explain Hamm and Tierney both hitting 45 out of 50 targets during a high school meet at the Ventura Gun Club on Monday? Or how on the Saturday before Tierney helping Charles City’s “Team 1” take first place at the Charles City Invitational at Nashua Fish and Game Club?

“It comes down to managing your blood-sugar levels,” said Hamm, who also plays baseball for the Comets. “You can still have an active life with diabetes, you’ve just got to be careful and know what you’re doing.”

Hamm and Tierney are the only shooters on the Charles City/Nashua-Plainfield team who have Type 1 diabetes. One of the team’s top shooters from last year, Alix Blickenderfer, also has diabetes.

On June 26 at Nashua Fish and Game Club, Hamm, Tierney and Blickenderfer — a NIACC freshman who sometimes helps coach the team — will participate in “Shoot for a Cure”, a trapshoot tournament with proceeds to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

“It’s not just for shooters with diabetes,” Tierney said. “Anyone can participate. A lot of our teammates are going to be there.”

Several CC/N-P trapshooting team parents helped organize the event.

“Last year we really enjoyed the (JDRF benefit) trapshooting event they held in Cedar Falls,” said Wanda Tierney, Rebecca’s mom. “We decided that it would be nice to hold something like that at a more local site.”

A cure for diabetes remains elusive, but Hamm says there have been recent developments that have made his life — and those of people like him — more bearable.

“When they came out with the (hand-held) insulin pump, that helped a lot,” Hamm said. “You have much better control of the amount you want to use.”

Shoot for a Cure

Trapshooting Tournament

From 1 to 4 p.m., June 26
at Nashua Fish and Game Club.

Cost: $15 for 25 clays; $25 for 50 clays;
$7 for 12 gauge shells.

Proceeds to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Food and drink available.

To reserved a spot, contact Wanda Tierney at 641-330-2949 or kwtierney@outlook.com;or Char Greenzweig at 319-231-2402.