Helping young people find their love of the sport.

Mal has had a lifelong involvement in shooting, having been introduced to the sport by his father in early childhood. Captaining his university rifle club provided a springboard into competitive shooting and coaching.

After graduating, he became Head of Shooting at a prestigious UK international school, where he coached for 15 years and guided generations of young shooters into County, Regional and National squads. Mal began working with TSS in 2017 and established TSS Kent in 2018.

He holds coaching qualifications from the NSRA, ISSF, CPSA, MoD and NRA, and brings over 25 years of coaching experience. His aim is to introduce shooting to a wider audience and help reinstate it as an accepted and valued part of community life in Kent.

Mack’s shooting journey began as a student working toward completing his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and learning a new skill. Through the sport, he found a welcoming after-school activity that fostered his patience, self-motivation, and social confidence, keeping him engaged long after achieving his initial goal.

Although changing schools and the challenges of the pandemic led to a temporary break from classes, his path redirected after finishing education. A year spent abroad followed by a six-month outdoor instructor course in the Mendip Hills sparked a strong passion for coaching. Returning home at the ideal moment, Mack rejoined Mal to resume target shooting and begin running sessions as a coach. Today, he enjoys passing on his knowledge and encouraging both new and experienced shooters, drawing on a sport that played a defining role in his teenage and young adult years.

Jon’s interest in shooting started at a young age, when his dad introduced him to shooting and taught him the importance of safety, responsibility and good shooting habits. It is something that has stayed with him ever since, and he now passes that experience on to his own 9-year-old son, helping him develop his confidence and technique. Jon shoots a variety of different disciplines, shooting primarily with air rifles. 

Jon spent 14 years working within the emergency services and has since moved into professional training, learning and development, delivering both practical and digital training to a variety of learners.

He now loves combining his experience as a trainer with his passion for shooting, particularly helping new and younger shooters build their skills, confidence and enjoyment of the sport in a safe and supportive environment.

Graham’s interest in shooting began when he joined the Army at age 16, developing into a lifelong passion marked by numerous competition awards from various shooting associations throughout his military career. Naturally left-handed, he successfully taught himself to shoot right-handed following a transition in Army weapon systems, going on to win a prestigious competition at Bisley.

His involvement in the sport continued after leaving the Armed Forces, where he actively shot smallbore until 2020. He also remains a Range Conducting Officer with the National Smallbore Rifle Association.

Following his military service, Graham spent 17 years at an independent school working with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, guiding young adults through the skills required for Bronze and Gold expeditions while also serving as an expedition assessor. Since joining Mal four years ago, he has been coaching junior shooters using the Align-Target Shooting Academy methodology, deriving great satisfaction from watching his students’ confidence and technical skills grow.

Earl’s journey with shooting began at age four when his father customized an air rifle stock to help correct an astigmatism. The focus and discipline required for target shooting not only trained his vision, but also helped manage childhood hyperactivity. This early experience instilled in him a lifelong belief in shooting as a powerful tool for mindfulness, mental clarity, and personal development.

Following a severe car accident in 2014 that required him to relearn how to walk, talk, and process information, Earl turned back to shooting as the cornerstone of his recovery. Through determination and instinctual training, he successfully returned to the sport, going on to compete internationally across Europe and selection for British teams at multiple World Championships.

As a coach, Earl prioritizes safety, enjoyment, and tailored instruction, adapting lessons to support each student’s unique strengths. He uses shooting to build confidence, self-belief, and calm focus, equipping young athletes with visualization and concentration techniques that benefit them both on the range and in daily life.

Abi discovered target shooting at university after joining the King’s College Rifle and Pistol Club, immediately drawn to the precision, focus, and personal challenge of the sport—along with a touch of James Bond inspiration. She went on to compete in events such as the Appleton competition, where her team won bronze, and later spent several years shooting muzzle-loading pistols at Wrotham Club before returning to target rifle.

Her route into coaching was also shaped by six years as a Cub leader, where she enjoyed helping young people master new skills and overcome challenges. When her own children started shooting sporter rifle at school, she saw firsthand how the sport fosters valuable life skills beyond the range, including breathing control, attention to detail, focus, and self-analysis.

Joining Mal as a trainee coach offered the ideal opportunity to combine a passion for shooting with youth development. Abi looks forward to passing on her enthusiasm to the next generation of shooters, guiding them as they discover and embrace the same rewarding challenges that first hooked her.