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ALLENTOWN: Senior hits mark with Navy

by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
   ALLENTOWN — Allentown High School senior Danny Jonas like many high school athletes has experienced the ultimate honor of signing a letter of intent.
   Unlike other students, however, Mr. Jonas doesn’t intend to hit a baseball, throw a football or dunk a basketball, but to hit his mark as a sharpshooter for the United States Naval Academy.
   Mr. Jonas, who had also mulled attending West Point, signed his letter of intent at Allentown High School March 15, and said he was attracted to Navy both for its engineering curriculum and rifle program.
   ”Navy had a better engineering program than West Point, which kind of coincides with my interest to become an engineer, also coupled with the shooting program that I feel I can contribute to immediately,” he said. “I feel I can do more for the Naval Academy’s shooting team than I can at West Point.”
   Mr. Jonas, whose father, Gordon, is an Army veteran who also had shot in college, became interested in shooting around the sixth grade, when a doctor discovered he had 20/10 vision in both eyes.
   ”(My father) thought it would be a great competitive advantage and thought I should take up shooting,” he said. “So, naturally I called his bluff and said, well maybe I’d like to go shooting some time and so I went to the range. I guess I just really never left and became good at it.”
   He became good enough to win first in the Junior Sharpshooter Class at the National Riffle Association’s National Smallbore 3-Position Rifle Championship last year and has had success at other state, regional and national competitions.
   When he first became interested in shooting, Mr. Jonas discovered the biggest challenges were somewhat the opposite of those of other sports.
   ”In let’s say soccer or football or cross country or many of the other sports you’re using your muscles to go faster, using your muscles to hit the ball harder, you’re using your muscles to block things,” he said. “In shooting you’re using your muscles to stop moving. You’re using muscles to make a 15-pound rifle not move to hit something the size of a pinhead 50 feet away.”
   He also believes because he also partakes in karate and cross-country track, helps him with his shooting.
   ”The cross country endurance, lowers my heart rate … it gives me better breathing rhythm,” he said, noting the mental aspects can be an challenge as well. “It also calms me down.”
   Prior to attending Navy, Mr. Jonas will first take aim at the Junior Olympics tryouts next month in Colorado Springs, Colo.
   ”I’d like people to wish me luck when I go out there,” he said. “I am really excited to go to the Naval Academy. It’s an awesome opportunity.”
   Apart from his shooting, track and karate, Mr. Jonas is also a four-year member of the Allentown FIRST robotics team 1807. Over those years, he has been the safety captain for three years and has won multiple awards for excellence in safety.
   In addition, he is a member of Citizens Rifle and Revolver club in West Windsor.