Girls get their gun talk on

Each time Yuman Megan Wren takes aim and fires her rifle during the upcoming 2010 National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational, she will be using ammunition given to her by a silver medal-winning Olympic shooter.

Ruby Fox, who was one of the nation’s leading pistol shooters and the foremost female pistol champion throughout her professional career, gave Wren the ammunition after the two met Wednesday on Jan. 27.

"It was really cool because she has been to the highest level you can go," said Wren, who is 15 and a sophomore at Yuma Catholic High School. "Being able to talk to someone with her experience was just amazing."

Fox, a native of Parker whose professional career spanned from 1974 to 1992, is the only woman pistol competitor in the U.S. to win an Olympic medal, claiming the silver in sport pistol at the 1984 Games in Los Angles; win a World Championship (air pistol, Korea 1979); and claim a gold medal at the Pan American Games, which she earned in sport pistol in 1987 along with setting a new Pan Am record.

"Both (she) and her husband were super nice. It was amazing to see all the competitions that she had shot in and won," Wren said. "All the walls in her living room and basement are covered with awards she has won. She has a lot of trophies."

During her shooting career, Fox earned nine gold, four silver and four bronze medals in international events. Until her retirement, Fox was the only woman on the elite U.S. Army Reserve Pistol Team.

Fox made arrangements to meet Wren to congratulate and encourage her after seeing an article about Wren on the Yuma Sun's Web site last month. Wren had won first place in the small-bore rifle senior division, "O" class sights during the Arizona 4-H Shooting Sports Education State Match.

As the state champion, Wren, who shoots for the Yuma Valley Achievers 4-H Club, will represent the state of Arizona at the 2010 National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational in Kerrville, Texas, June 28-July 3.

Wren also competed in the state air pistol, senior division, and the 3P air rifle, senior division, taking fifth place in each. Last year, Wren was the state champion in air rifle silhouette, junior division.

Since Yuma Catholic's girls basketball team was playing an away game in Parker in late January, and Wren is on the team, it provided the two with the perfect opportunity to meet. Wren's parents drove her to Fox's home after the game.

"She took a lot of time with Megan and gave her all kinds of advice on shooting," said Wren's father, attorney Dale Wren, who was also extremely impressed by Fox's career.

"She had some targets from the Olympics that you could put a dime over the 10 holes she had shot in it."

Megan Wren said she and Fox spoke at length about all things shooting, and that the former Olympian was extremely happy to pass on any tips and advice she had.

"The best advice was about being able to stay focused and concentrate," Wren said. "It is about you and the target."

And of course, the topic of shooting in the Olympics also came up, Wren said.

"She made it seem attainable. It sounds like an amazing experience and if I ever had the opportunity to go, I would."

Wren said Fox invited her back for another visit, and the two plan to stay in touch. In addition to some books on shooting, Fox gave Wren some competition pellets for her airguns and enough .22-caliber ammunition to practice with for the upcoming national competition.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.