As the daughter of both a former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Scotland’s head rifle coach for the Delhi games next month, Jennifer McIntosh had all the knowledge she needed to develop her shooting career right at her fingertips.
But the teenager felt she had to leave home to really give herself a chance of emulating her mother at the Commonwealth Games.
The 19-year-old shelved plans to go to art college and moved from her family home in Falkirk to Aberdeen in November last year to take her career on.
And she believes the move was worth it, despite the difficulties of settling in a new area.
McIntosh, who was Scottish air rifle champion last year after her junior British success in 2008, said: “I decided halfway through trying to apply for university, when I was in my last year at school, that it probably wasn’t the best thing for me right now.
“I wanted to focus on my shooting.
“The facilities near home weren’t really good enough so I decided to go to Aberdeen and train there.
“I train at the Denwood Range, which is one of the best facilities in Scotland, if not Britain.
“It was definitely worth it. I will stay here for as long as I have to.
“If the Olympics or 2014 is my goal, then I will stay there and train.
“I’m not really sure what the long-term plans are. I miss the central belt with my family and friends.”
McIntosh, who is now looking to study sports science, will have her father Donald, who is the Scottish team’s head rifle coach, with her in India but her mother Shirley, who won four Commonwealth medals for Scotland, including a gold in 1994, will stay at home to look after her younger sister.
“It was strange having him there the first couple of times but I have been away at so many competitions now that it’s not an issue,” said McIntosh, who is taking part in the smallbore 3P and individual and pairs prone events.
“It’s helpful he is someone I am comfortable with. He is not my coach on a daily basis.”
She added: “We tend not to talk about shooting too much at home but whenever I need advice, my mother is usually one of my first ports of call.”