Sisters hit mark with relationship, rifle skills
Jessica and Celeste Green have already broken some of TCU’s top records, but they are still looking for more.
By Joi Harris
Staff Reporter

Jessica and Celeste Green have brought the gun world’s version of Venus and Serena Williams to the TCU rifle team.

They’re on the same team for the first time and although Celeste has surpassed her older sister in the sport, their relationship is still strong and uncompetitive.

Jessica established herself as one of the best shooters in TCU history last year when she set the individual school record for both the air rifle and smallbore (.22-caliber rifle) events. However, Celeste set new records this year in her first match.

Celeste said the two have not even really discussed the record because it was assumed even last year that if she came here, she would break the record during the first match.

However, Jessica said she is not jealous because Celeste is a good shooter and she knows it. Because she helped get Celeste into the sport, Jessica said, she feels she can take some credit in her success.

“It actually makes me happy,” Jessica said. “Seeing her succeed is the next best thing to succeeding myself.”

The sisters have managed not to let the sport come between them. Jessica, a senior nursing major, said she uses her scholarship more as a vehicle for educational purposes, while Celeste, a freshman political science major, said she has long-term competitive goals.

However, Celeste said that Jessica is a fierce competitor when provoked. When they two were younger Celeste had made fun of Jessica’s shooting shoes during a match. Although Celeste had beat her sister several of the previous matches, Jessica won that day.

“I’ve learned to be careful what I say to her now, because if Jessica wanted to be beat me, she could and everyone knows it,” Celeste said.

The Greens got involved with shooting because of their father’s influence. Both their father and grandfather are gun dealers and they said their family has always been into the outdoors and shooting. They even have a shooting range in their basement.

Jessica was the first to pick up the sport when she was 14.

Celeste said she had to do everything her sister did, she decided she wanted to start shooting, too.

“After my first practice session, I decided I wanted to go to the Olympics and send all the little Belgium girls home crying,” Celeste said.

Before she starting shooting, Celeste said, she thought she had no athletic ability at all.

“I was just a wimpy little girl and uncoordinated in all other sports,” Celeste said. “Although I wasn’t a prodigy I felt this was something I could get good at and nobody could stop me.”

Celeste, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, was one of the most highly recruited shooters out of high school. She is well known internationally as well, representing the United States on several national teams. She may even have the opportunity to participate in the Olympics.

Although Jessica said that Celeste’s decision came down to which school she felt would benefit her most both academically and athletically, Celeste said she definitely would not be at TCU if her sister was not here.