USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The Junior Olympic program for USA Shooting can often be the beginning of the Olympic journey.

For four participants in the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program, it’s the opportunity they’ve been working toward.

Grant Dorris of Henderson County 4-H, Trey Hill of Middle Tennessee Christian School in Mufreesboro, and Hannah Houston and William Stewart from Maury County have been selected to receive the support, assistance and coaching needed to advance through the ranks of competitive shotgun shooting.

“The talent pool has strengthened over the past year, and the competition was steep,” said Team USA National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson, a four-time Olympian.

“We’re happy to acknowledge this group of young kids in hopes that they’ll gain the confidence and maturity necessary to be elite-level shooters in our program down the road.”

The team is comprised of nine trap, nine skeet and four double trap shooters.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Wounded Warrior Josh Olson Headed to Paralympic Games

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)-  Showcasing courage, determination and inspiration, USA Shooting has announced the nomination of Sgt. 1st Class Josh Olson of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team contingent on the approval of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Olson is the first active-duty Soldier to be nominated for the Paralympic Games and first active-duty servicemember to ever be nominated to compete in shooting sports at the games.

Olson qualified for the team based on the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) two-part qualification system for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. On Jan. 15, the IPC announced that the U.S. earned a second participation slot per the minimum qualifying score (MQS) allocations. At the 2011 IPC World Cup in Sydney, Australia, Olson finished sixth in R3 (Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone). Earlier that year, he finished seventh in R6 (Mixed 50m Rifle Prone) at the IPC World Cup Alicante and eighth in R6 at the IPC World Cup USA held on Fort Benning.

Deployed to Iraq in 2003 with 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Olson was struck with a rocket-propelled grenade while on patrol, resulting in the loss of his right leg from the hip down. After spending 18 months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Olson received his assignment to the USAMU.

During his time at the USAMU, Olson has become a pioneer and advocate for Wounded Warriors. He has led the effort to establish a Paralympic team at the unit, enabling wounded warriors deemed able to continue to serve on active duty to showcase the Army in support of recruiting and accessions while enhancing its overall combat readiness through the unit’s robust marksmanship training program.

“Sgt. 1st Class Olson is a trailblazer for our Army,” says Lt. Col. Dan Hodne, commander, USAMU. “His unique Army story speaks volumes of the notion of ‘ability’ rather than ‘disability,’ and exemplifies professional Soldiers who all must be ‘Army Strong.’”

Josh Olson

Olson is also heavily involved with “Operation Proper Exit,” where he aids other veterans recovering from injuries sustained during combat by visiting their place of injury in Iraq. In honor of his service and dedication to the country, Olson was awarded the Purple Heart from former President George W. Bush.

This is Olson’s first Paralympic Games nomination–he just missed the threshold in 2008, but has been a member of the National Paralympic Team for five years.

“I want to thank my family and friends for all the support, understanding and sacrifice; my coaches for the instruction and world-class mentorship; and finally, the U.S. Army for providing the opportunity to continue to serve and represent the USA on the world stage,” said Olson.

Consideration for the expansion of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit for Wounded Warriors deemed able to continue to serve on active duty as marksmanship instructors and Paralympic shooter/instructors is currently ongoing as part of the Army’s “Total Army Analysis.”

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

USA Shooting

LAS VEGAS, NV --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is proud toOlson announce the nomination of Sergeant First Class Josh Olson (Spokane, Wash.) to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team.

Olson qualified for the team based on the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) two-part qualification system for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

On Jan. 15, the IPC announced that the U.S. earned a second participation slot per the minimum qualifying score (MQS) Allocations.

At the 2011 IPC World Cup in Sydney, Australia, Olson finished sixth in R3 (Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1). Earlier that year, he finished seventh in R6 (Mixed 50m Rifle Prone) at the IPC World Cup Alicante and eighth in R6 at the IPC World Cup USA.

Iraq War Veteran Josh Olson

While on patrol with his unit (101st Airborne division third brigade 1/187) in Iraq in 2002, Olson was struck with a rocket-propelled grenade resulting in the loss of his right leg from the hip down. After spending 18 months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Olson received his assignment to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in Fort Benning, Ga.

This is Olson’s first Paralympic Games nomination-he just missed the threshold in 2008, but has been a member of the National Paralympic Team for five years. Josh is also involved in the TROOPS F1RST Foundation and has participated in “Operation Proper Exit” where he aided other vets recovering from injuries sustained during combat by visiting their place of injury in Iraq. In honor of his service and dedication to the country, Olson was awarded the Purple Heart from former President George W. Bush

Upon notice of his nomination, an elated Olson recognized those who have helped him on his journey: “I want to thank my family and friends for all the support, understanding and sacrifice; my coaches for the instruction and worldclass mentorship; and finally, the U.S. Army for providing the opportunity to continue to serve and represent the USA on the world stage.”

National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth is anxious to now lead two talented athletes into competition in London. USA Shooting previously announced in December 2011 the nomination of Eric Hollen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Shooting Team.

“Olson has worked hard and overcome so many obstacles on this journey and will be a great teammate,” Foth said with enthusiasm and pride Josh lost his leg while serving his country and now has a chance to represent all of us in the highest level of international competition. His story of sacrifice and determination is so motivating for anyone who has met him.”

Sgt. 1st Class Olson will be in attendance at the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) in Las Vegas, Nev., this week with the Troops First Foundation. For interviews, please contact USA Shooting Media and Public Relations Manager Katie Yergensen at katie.yergensen@usashooting.org. Josh will also be available at the USA Shooting press conference on Thursday, Jan. 19 in the Murano Press Conference Room at 11:30AM.

All team nominations to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team are contingent upon approval by U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.

Kim Rhodes to be at 2012 SHOT Show

USA Shooting

LAS VEGAS, Nev. --(Ammoland.com)- Members of the USA Shooting Team and staff will be represented at the 2012 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, January 17-20.

The 34th SHOT Show, presented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), will bring together over 60,000 firearm industry professionals including buyers, exhibitors, media and guests.

The theme of the 2012 show is “One Industry – One Voice.” Traditionally, exhibitors debut new products/services and strengthen industry relations. SHOT Show is an excellent opportunity for the Team to stay in touch with the outdoor industry and win the admiration of new fans.

Team members can be found not only at USA Shooting’s booth (L332), but they will also be visiting the following USA Shooting sponsors: ELEY (13707), Winchester (13129) and Kimber (11762).

The USA Shooting Team will host a press conference Eric Uptagraffton Thursday, Jan. 19 at 11:30AM in the Press Conference Room 3306, adjacent to the NSSF press room. The Team will discuss AOY Rhodethe importance and excitement of 2012-an Olympic year-and whatit means to the shooting industry. The following nominees to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team will also field questions and talk about their Olympic path: four-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) and Sergeant First Class Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.). Rhode and Uptagrafft will be joined by Paralympic team member Sergeant First Class Josh Olson (Spokane, Wash.).

Corrie West, USA Shooting’s Director, Marketing and Communications, commented, “USA Shooting is excited to be attending the 2012 SHOT Show and is looking forward to greeting attendees at the industry’s premier trade show.”

In addition to Rhode, Uptagraft and Olson, additional USA Shooting athletes available for interviews throughout the week will include: Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.), Keith Sanderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Sandra Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.), Amy Sowash (Richmond, K.Y.), BJ Blanchard (Vidor, Texas), Matt Gossett (Springville, Ala.), Meghann K. Morrill (Boerne, Texas), Jon Michael McGrath (Tulsa, Okla.) and John Mullins (Port Orchard, Wash.). To arrange for interviews, please contact Media and Public Relations Manager, Katie Yergensen, at katie.yergensen@usashooting.org.

For more information, please visit www.shotshow.org or www.usashooting.org.

ELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world’s most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting Nominates Eric Hollen to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Eric Hollen (Colorado Springs, Colo.), the recently announced 2011 USA Shooting Paralympic Athlete of the Year, can now add another accolade to his resume.

In accordance with the U.S. Paralympics Shooting Team selection procedures, the quota that Hollen won from the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup Sydney earns him a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team (pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee).

“I am so proud of Eric and all he has accomplished. Despite a long, hard trip, short acclimation time and the pressure of knowing it was the final opportunity to win a quota, he got the job done in Sydney,” said National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth.

USA Shooting's Eric Hollen

Hollen was an addition to the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) Resident Athlete roster in 2011. At the IPC World Cup Sydney he won a bronze medal in P4 Mixed 50m Free Pistol. Then, in P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol, Hollen shot 557 match points to tie three shooters, but was confident in his finals ability.

Coach Foth commented, “His finals have really come together and the competitive situation brings out his best.” Hollen fired 98.1 points in ten-shots to secure the silver medal. The historic part, however, came from the 2012 Paralympic quota that Hollen won along with the medal. This is the first-ever Paralympic quota won in USA Shooting’s history per IPC’s new quota distribution system.

An elated Hollen said, “I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing program and to the people who have helped me reach the next step to my ultimate goal-Coach Bob Foth, Coach Ray Arredondo, Sean McCann, Dave Johnson, Sergey Luzov and many more.”

Hollen”Eric is an Army Special Forces veteran who has taken advantage of the unique opportunities available as an OTC Resident Athlete-the amazing support and intangibles that come with being in a high performance environment with focused athletes,” emphasized Coach Foth.

Hollen will remain at the OTC in Colorado Springs, Colo., to continue his preparations for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. To request an interview with Eric Hollen, please contact USAS Media and Public Relations Manager Katie Yergensen at katie.yergensen@usashooting.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is proud to announce Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) and Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) as the 2011 USAS Athletes of the Year.

Both athletes have risen above the rest and have handfuls of hardware as a result of their impressive performances on the international and national scene in 2011. Moreover, Uptagrafft and Rhode are the male and female athletes of their respective disciplines.

Rhode, a Women’s Skeet athlete, is the reigning Female Athlete of the Year and has held the prestigious title for the past four years.

“I’m honored to be selected as Female Athlete of the Year. I’m training hard and looking forward to the 2012 Olympic Games,” said an elated Rhode.

Kim Rhode

After a fifth place finish at the ISSF World Cup Chile, Rhode won a gold medal in Sydney, securing her U.S. Olympic Team nomination (pending approval by the USOC). Rhode’s won another medal at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing-a silver medal from the range where she won her 2008 Olympic silver medal.

Back stateside, Rhode etched her name yet again in the Sizemore trophy with another National Championship title. She concluded the year with a bronze medal at the ISSF World Clay Target Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, and her first ISSF World Cup Final gold medal in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

“This is an exciting time for me,” said Rhode. “I’m honored to receive this Athlete of the Year award and appreciate the support of my great sponsors who share in this honor with me.”

Rhode is well on her way to achieving her next goal of accomplishing five individual Olympic medals in five consecutive Olympic Games. If she accomplishes that feat, she will add her name to the history books yet again.

Sergeant First Class Eric Uptagrafft of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) has had the season of a lifetime yet was humbled by the nod as he said, “There are so many athletes that shot great this year and to be counted among them is quite an honor.”

Eric Uptagrafft

First, at the ISSF World Cup in Sydney, Uptagrafft started the year with a near perfect 599 out of 600 match points. He won his first ISSF World Cup medal of the year-silver and an important Men’s 50m Rifle Prone quota for the USA. In Changwon Uptagrafft won yet another silver medal and earned a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team (pending approval by the USOC). Back on his home range Uptagrafft won the bronze medal at the 2011 USAS National Championships for Rifle and Pistol. Just days after winning his bronze Uptagrafft was deployed to Afghanistan to serve his country in his capacity as a soldier. Upon his return from service Uptagrafft shipped off yet again, but this time to compete in the prestigious ISSF World Cup Final. In Wroclaw, Poland, Uptagrafft shined and won the silver medal after seven weeks off practice and only one week to prepare.

“Thanks to the U.S. Army, the USAMU and USA Shooting for supporting me in my mission. I’d also like to thank my wife Sandra, my coaches Dave Johnson and Tom Tamas, and the thousands of supporters and sponsors of USA Shooting who make this all possible,” said Uptagrafft.

USA Shooting would like to congratulate Kim Rhode and Eric Uptagrafft on their respective successes in 2011 and wish them continued medals in 2012. Additional team members receiving recognition as the USAS Discipline Athletes of the Year are as follows: Emil Milev (Pistol), Jamie Beyerle (Rifle), Josh Richmond (Shotgun) and Eric Hollen (Paralympic). To read more about their accomplishments, please click here. Follow members of the USA Shooting Team as the quest for the 2012 Olympic Games continues with the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Airgun Feb. 24-26, 2011 in Anniston, Ala., the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Shotgun May 17-20 in Tucson, Ariz., and finally the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Smallbore June 1-2 in Fort Benning, Ga.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Cpl. Matt Rawlings, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, competes in the first of two U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Air Gun Dec. 3 at the Civilian Marksmanship Program's South Facility in Anniston, Al. Rawlings currently is positioned in first place after two days of competition. The final two days will take place in February, where the top two shooters will earn positions on the U.S. Olympic team. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- A Soldier from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit put himself in solid position to fulfill his Olympic dream after the first of two U.S. Olympic Team Trial matches for Air Gun.

Cpl. Matt Rawlings left the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s South facility in Anniston, Al. Dec. 4 in first place in Men’s Air Rifle after posting a two-day combined score of 1297.2. The current National Champion’s hard work and determination was on full display at the trials.

“Going into the trials I was prepared and confident,” Rawlings said. “I expected to do well and have some success. One of the most important things I have learned is that there will always be another day and if you make a match bigger than it is you can easily become overwhelmed.”

Rawlings recently won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Air Rifle and is peaking at the right time. There’s a natural correlation between soldiering duties and athletic success as both require self-determination, physical discipline and mental agility to succeed. Rawlings said his duties with the unit and the upcoming holidays will take him off the gun for a few weeks but is focused on the task at hand.

“Being in the Army has helped me gain confidence in myself to do anything I set out to accomplish,” Rawlings said. “The best thing I could have done for my shooting is join this great unit. Every day I train, I know that I will be shooting among the best in the nation and the world.”

Fellow USAMU Soldiers Cpt. Christopher Abalo and Staff Sgt. Henry Gray also competed in the match and are vying for Olympic team slots. Abalo is currently in fifth place and Gray stands at 11th after the first leg. The top two shooters at the completion of the second leg will earn a spot on the Olympic team.

The second and final part of the air gun trials will be Feb. 24-26 at the CMPs North facility at Camp Perry, Ohio.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Cpl. Matt Rawlings, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, stares down a target Dec. 3 at the Civilian Marksmanship Program's South Facility in Anniston, Al. Rawlings was competing in the first of two U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Air Gun and came out in first place after two days of competition. The final two days will take place in February, where Rawlings could cement his position on the U.S. Olympic team. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The leaders have emerged from the first part of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Airgun at the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) South Marksmanship Center in Anniston, Ala.

The scores from the first part will be combined with those of the second part, which will be held the CMP’s North Marksmanship Center in Camp Perry, Ohio from Feb. 23-26. Olympic Team selection will be based on the aggregate of four courses of fire and two best finals.

Sergeant First Class Daryl Szarenski (Seale, Ala.) broke a USA Shooting (USAS) National Record in Men’s 10m Air Pistol qualification. Szarenski shot an impressive 590 out of a possible 600 match points in the first day of qualification.

The former record, 589 points set by Reuben Hafter, has been in place since 1990. Szarenski continued to excel with the highest final of 101.8 points in the first match day for another new national record (with finals) of 691.8 total points. After two days of shooting, he leads the field by over 18 points with an aggregate score of 1275.8 points. Jason Turner (Rochester, N.Y.) finished with 1257.5 points (including his best final of 100.5 points). Will Brown (Twins Falls, Ida.) is tailing Turner by just six-tenths of a point at 1256.9 points.

In Men’s 10m Air Rifle, Corporal Matt Rawlings (Wharton, Texas) of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) fired 595 match points in the second day for an aggregate total of 1297.2 points. Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.) is less than two points behind with 596 match points for 1295.6 points overall. Jonathan Hall (Carrollton, Ga.) is keeping chase with 1293.3 aggregate points.

Sarah Scherer (Woburn, Mass.) and Emily Caruso (Fairfield, Conn.) are deadlocked at 898 aggregate points in Women’s 10m Air Rifle. Oddly enough in a game of tenths, both scored a best final of 104 points. Jamie Gray (Lebanon, Pa.) is in third place with 896.2 aggregate points. Gray fired 397 points the second match day to stay in the race at only 1.8 points behind.

In Women’s 10m Air Pistol, Sandra Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) is ahead of the competition with 859.5 aggregate points, nearly twenty points ahead of the competition. Darian Shenk (Annville, Pa.) is in the second position with 839.6 aggregate points. Kylie Gagnon (Bozeman, Mont.) jumped up a few places for an aggregate of 836.2 points.

USA Shooting would like to thank the CMP South for the use of their facilities and our tireless volunteers for another successful event. The athletes will continue their quest for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team at the second part of the U.S Olympic Trials in Camp Perry, Ohio, Feb. 23-26. Until then, follow your favorite athletes as they chase their Olympic dreams with updates on USA Shooting’s Facebook page and website. For final results, please visit the CMP website.

Spectators are welcome to attend and cheer on future Olympians. For live results and more information on the CMP South Marksmanship Center, please visit the CMP website. For updates and daily recaps, please visit www.usashooting.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

GunBroker

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo --(Ammoland.com)- GunBroker.com, the world’s largest Internet auction site for firearms and accessories, has been named the Official Internet Auction Site of USA Shooting and the USA Shooting Foundation in a partnership that will feature a special edition of firearms that will be available exclusively on the popular auction site.

“USA Shooting has benefited from several special auctions on GunBroker.com in recent years, and we are truly excited about the potential to expand our relationship as we prepare for the 2012 Olympics in London,” announced Buddy DuVall, executive director of the USA Shooting Foundation.

“GunBroker.com has become an increasingly powerful marketing force in the shooting sports community and USA Shooting is excited about the potential of channeling GunBroker.com’s energy and creativity in support of our Olympic shooters.”

“GunBroker.com has been privileged to partner with USA Shooting on several projects in the past, and we very much look forward to this new and expanded relationship,” commented Steve Urvan, GunBroker.com founder and CEO. “We know that USA Shooting has exciting fundraising and promotional plans in place as the team prepares for the 2012 Olympics in London, and we are excited to be part of those plans.”

Among the new plans for the GunBroker.com-USA Shooting partnerships is a special “Supporting Our Olympic Shooters in 2012” auction site on GunBroker.com where all the listed firearms will benefit USA Shooting. Plans call for a series of specially engraved guns produced in partnership with major firearms manufacturers. In addition, one special edition run of 100 guns will be produced and made available exclusively on GunBroker.com.

GunBroker.com also was recently named as the official Internet auction site of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and has been the official Internet auction site of the Hunting Heritage Trust since 2008.

USA Shooting

USA Shooting is a 501c3 non-profit corporation chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. For information on USA Shooting, visit www.usashooting.org or twitter.com/US Shooting.

About GunBroker.com
GunBroker.com is the world’s largest online auction site for firearms and hunting/shooting accessories. Launched in 1999, GunBroker.com is a secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms and hunting/shooting accessories that promotes responsible gun ownership. Aside from merchandise bearing its logo, GunBroker.com does not sell the items listed on its website, rather, third-party sellers list items on the site and Federal and state laws govern the sale of these firearms and other restricted items. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents. GunBroker.com frequently hosts charity auctions that benefit the firearms industry and other causes, waiving all fees. Visit www.GunBroker.com.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The journey toward the London 2012 Olympic Games continues as aspiring Olympians take the stage in the first part of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Airgun in Anniston, Ala.

The event takes place from Dec. 2-4 at the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) South Marksmanship Center.

Robert Mitchell, Executive Director of USA Shooting praised the CMP South facility and expressed USAS’ excitement for hosting as he said, “The CMP venue is the best airgun range in the country with 80 electronic targets that provides our athletes with an ideal shooting environment.”

At the completion of the 2010 and 2011 World Cup seasons, the USA Shooting Team won two Women’s 10m Air Rifle quotas, two Men’s 10m Air Rifle quotas and two Men’s 10m Air Pistol quotas. These valuable quotas determine the number of athletes that will represent the USA in the 2012 Olympic Games. The scores from the first part will be combined with those of the second part, which will be held the CMP’s North Marksmanship Center in Camp Perry, Ohio from Feb. 22-25. Olympic Team selection will be based on the aggregate of four courses of fire and two best finals.

In Men’s 10m Air Rifle, top-ranked athletes Corporal Matt Rawlings (Wharton, Texas) of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) and Jonathan Hall (Carrollton, Ga.) are expected to deliver strong performances. Rawlings was the recent gold medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games, winner of the first quota at the 2010 Championship of the Americans and the reigning National Champion. Hall is hot on his heels as he secured the second quota at the 2011 Pan American Games with a silver medal and the bronze medal at the 2011 National Championships. Two-time Olympian Matt Emmons (Browns Mill, N.J.) is looking for his second berth on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. Emmons received an Olympic nomination (pending approval by the USOC) for his success in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position and looks to demonstrate his airgun talents as well.

Women’s 10m Air Rifle will be an interesting event as no clear champions have emerged in the past two seasons of competition. Meghann K. Morrill (Boerne, Texas) made the final in last year’s World Championships and is the reigning National Champion, but didn’t medal in a World Cup this year. The only Women’s 10m Air Rifle World Cup medalist in 2011 was Sarah Scherer (Woburn, Mass.) with a gold medal (and quota) winning performance in Changwon. Scherer’s collegiate teammate Sarah Beard (Danville, Ind.) is also on the radar as she delivered an exceptional performance for the silver medal at the 2011 National Championship. Two-time Olympian Emily Caruso (Fairfield, Conn.) is also a strong contender. Coming off a recent gold medal (and quota) performance at the Pan American Games, Caruso’s shooting is peaking at the right time in the season. Another name that’s liable to show up in the finals is Jamie Gray (Lebanon, Pa.). Gray, formerly Jamie Beyerle, like Emmons has already received an Olympic nomination (pending approval by the USOC) in Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position, but is looking to assert herself in airgun competition. With two spots available for the female competitors and the top talent on the line, it is likely that the athletes who reach the podium will be separated by just tenths of a point.

Sergeant First Class Daryl Szarenski (Seale, Ala.) of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is ready and waiting for Men’s 10m Air Pistol. Szarenski has had a stellar two years leading up to the Olympic Games. In the 2010 and 2011 season, he’s won six international medals in pistol events (including Men’s 50m Free Pistol). Szarenski is also the Pan American Games gold medalist-winning the second Men’s 10m Air Pistol quota for the American team in Guadalajara, Mexico. Brian Beaman is also on the radar as he (Selby, S.D.) won the bronze medal at the 2011 World Cup USA and first Men’s 10m Air Pistol quota. Not to be overlooked is young Will Brown (Twins Falls, Ida.), a Resident Athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Brown has dominated junior competitions for the past few years and has been making the leap into the men’s division. He recently finished fifth at the 2011 Pan American Games. Though he may be considered more of a wild card, 2008 Olympian Sergeant First Class Keith Sanderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), also of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, made his debut in air pistol at the 2010 Winter Airgun Championships and his scores have been rapidly improving.

Spectators are welcome to attend and cheer on future Olympians. For live results and more information on the CMP South Marksmanship Center, please visit the CMP website. For updates and daily recaps, please visit www.usashooting.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Paralympic Shooter Eric Hollen, Colorado Springs, Co

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Eric HollenEric Hollen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) is now the proud owner of two medals from the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup Sydney.

More importantly, Hollen seized the day and secured the USA’s first Paralympic quota for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Two days prior, Hollen shined in Mixed 50m Free Pistol SH1, but today his specialty was Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1.

He fired 557 match points to tie Cevat Karagol of Turkey, who was also hungry for a quota. Hollen started the final with a strong 10.2 point shot and finished with 98.1 points for a total of 655.1 points. His stellar performance was worthy of the silver medal and the quota. The gold medalist was Juhee Lee of Korea with 669.7 total points and Karagol finished with 650.5 total points for the bronze medal.

In Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1, Sergeant First Class Josh Olson (Spokane, Wash.) finished in 19th place with 577 match points. Teammate Danielle Fong (New York, N.Y.) shot 559 match points. The gold medalist was Jae Sim of Korea with 589 match points and 103.3 points in the final for 692.3 total points. Hometown hero Ashley Adams of Australia shot 593 match points and 97.9 points in the final for the silver medal. Finally, the bronze medalist was Nathan Milgate of Great Britain with 689.8 total points.

The Paralympic shooting athletes of the USA Shooting Team leave the IPC World Cup Sydney with a total of two medals and three appearances in the finals. The Team is returning home to continue preparations for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, England. For complete results and rankings, please visit the Sius Ascor results page.

ELEYELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world’s most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- At the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup Sydney, American athlete Eric Hollen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) brought home the USA’s first IPC World Cup medal of the year.

Hollen shot 521 match points in Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 (P4) to earn the opportunity to shoot in the final.

He faced a 14 point deficit from the leader, but didn’t let the gap distract him as he fired the highest final of 92.1 points to make up eight points on the gold medalist and win the bronze medal.

American Athlete Eric Hollen

Hollen, last year’s Paralympic Athlete of the Year, is now a Resident Athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and has been training hard for this match. The gold medalist was Juhee Lee of Korea with 619.7 total points and the silver medalist was Hungary’s Gyula Gurisatti with 617.7 total points.

American teammate Sergeant First Class Josh Olson (Spokane, Wash.) of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit finished sixth overall in Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 (R3). Olson fired 598 match points to tie six other shooters for only four spots in the final. With a shoot-off score of 52.4 points, he surged ahead with a strong final of 104.5 points for 702.5 total points.

It should be noted that the gold medalist, Jae Sim of Korea, equaled the world record with a perfect 600 points and 106.1 points in the final for 706.1 total points. The Koreans continued to sweep the podium with Jinho Park in the silver medal position at 704.8 total points and the bronze medalist, Youngjip Shim at 704.3 total points. For complete results and rankings, please visit the Sius Ascor results page.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Miranda Leek, an 18-year old addition to the veteran women's U.S. Olympic Archery Team,

Easton Foundation

Newberry, FL --(Ammoland.com)- Miranda Leek, an 18-year old addition to the veteran women’s U.S. Olympic Archery Team, is among the competitors leading the charge towards the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.

There is a sense of optimism at the 2011 Pan Am Games that has been missing around the U.S. Women’s camp in past years.

A look at Leek’s development into a standout archer is one reason why hope is so robust on the road to the 2012 Olympics.

Leek was immersed in the sport at the age of 5 when her dad, Scott Leek, took her along to the archery shop, placed a recurve in her hand, gave the basic instructions and let her shoot – planting the seeds that would eventually blossom into her current standing as the second ranked woman archer in the country.

It wasn’t long before the father- daughter target shoots turned into a competitive hobby.

“My dad decided to get me a compound bow, and just for something fun to do he started to take me to local competitions, which we both really enjoyed,” Leek says. “I discovered my competitive side, had lots of fun meeting others with similar interests and making friends. Things just took off from there, one step at a time.”

Leek’s transition from a compound bow to an Olympic-style recurve came at age 12.

“I decided to switch for two reasons,” she says. “There would be a lot more competition in the Olympic-style recurve class than in my class of compound fingers, and the recurve was something else entirely. It looked majestic, and I was fascinated by the equipment and how people shot them.”

Although enthralled with the charm of the recurve, change did not come without challenges. “Both my dad and I didn’t really know how to shoot a recurve. We were both compound archers and we didn’t have a solid understanding of what recurve form would look like. We only had ideas.”

Fortunately, professional archery coach Terry Wunderle and his son Vic, an Olympic archer himself, took Leek under their wings and were her first coaches. They provided the direction she needed to get started and involved in the Olympic-recurve scene.

Their efforts paid off. Leek shined in national youth competitions and was selected to the USA Archery’s Junior Dream Team in 2007, at the age of 14. Here, she was coached by Kisik Lee, who is still her coach today as the National Head Coach of the U.S. Olympic Archery Training Program.

“Coach Lee is really good at catching the little things,” Leek says. “It’s because of my relationship with him that I’ve been able to travel on junior teams and be introduced to what it’s like to compete internationally. He has been a big part of taking me to the big leagues.”

This stable of coaches has been anchored by Leek’s Father’s support and training. Scott Leek has been his daughter’s primary supporter and personal coach, from the day he first put a bow in her hand and every step of the way to where she is now. Scott, a shooter since childhood, has a firm understanding of the sport and passed that along to his daughter. “I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for his understanding of Coach Lee’s technique and his ability to teach me.” Leek says.

But no amount of coaching can replace an individual’s drive and motivation to become an Olympic athlete. Hard work is the basis for keeping Leek’s physical and mental skills up to par.

To train, she shoots six days a week, firing over a hundred arrows each day. In addition, she hits the gym to work on cardio and core training. If this wasn’t rigorous enough, she says she looks forward to stepping up the workload in the next year.

With a strong body comes a strong mind and Leek has also focused on this aspect of the sport.

“I think every archer will agree that archery is definitely more mental than it is physical,” she says. “It’s very important to remain objective and positive while shooting, and always think of what you want to happen. It’s never over until it’s absolutely done; keep fighting.”

After the Olympics Leek looks forward to beginning the college selection process and finding a school that will embrace her talents of archery and a desire to major in biology.

When the London games are in the rearview mirror, Leek hopes to brush off the dust on her compound bow and shoot some field archery and enjoy her other hobbies of playing the piano and spending time with her family, friends and dogs.

But before she starts a normal college life, Leek is focused on winning the gold medal at the London games. Her performance at the Pan Am Games takes her one step closer to that goal.

Leek broke the Pan Am Games and Star FITA record with a score of 338 in the thirty-six arrow from 70 meters event. It is another promising result for Leek and her team.

In the last year, Leek and Team U.S. garnered a team silver at the second stage of the Archery World Cup, a mixed team gold at the third stage of the Archery World Cup, a gold at the 2011 SoCal Showdown (a US Archery Team Qualifier Series Event), and a second place finish in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – First Nomination Shoot.

There is a sense of excitement in the American camp of women archers. It is one different from the hope of past years, where teams with undeniable talent fell short in performance. A large part of this excitement comes from Leek’s arrival on the Olympic scene.

Miranda Leek's Arrow Points up as London Olympics Approach

For more information on the Easton Foundations please visit http://www.esdf.org/

Winchester Athlete of the Month: Shooter Vincent Hancock

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The Winchester Athlete of the Month is 2008 Men’s Skeet Olympic gold medalist Vincent Hancock.

After a relatively quiet season in 2011, Hancock laid it on the line at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. He shot a solid 122 targets to tie Cuba’s Guillermo Torres headed into the final.

Torres, a five-time Olympian was shooting for an Olympic quota for Cuba and was determined to fend off the competition.

Both remained straight in the final until Torres missed two consecutive targets-low seven and high eight. Hancock remained untouchable in the final for a perfect 25 targets for 147 total targets.

At the 2007 Pan American Games, Hancock (and former teammate Todd Graves) set the record at 147 and mirrored that record four years later.

National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “It was great to see Vinny shoot a world-class score and win the Pan American Games. After a tough year it’s nice to see him back on top of the podium.”

HancockHancock is currently leading the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and is looking forward to the second half of Trials in May of 2012. Hancock said, “It’s an honor to be selected as the Winchester Athlete of the Month especially with as many great athletes as we have competing and high medal count from the Pan American Games.

I look forward to continuing to work hard and train and hopefully another Olympic medal next year too!” USA Shooting would like to congratulate Vincent Hancock and wish him success for 2012.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Vincent Hancock

USA Shooting

GUADALAJARA, Mex. --(Ammoland.com)- Team USA wrapped up the Pan American shooting events Oct. 22 with finals in Women’s 50m Three Position Rifle, Men’s Skeet and Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol.

The USA took home three medals in the three events. Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.), the 2008 Olympic Games champion in Men’s Skeet, was determined to win. Hancock, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) set the Pan American record in 2007 and did so again today with 147 total targets.

“It was a great feeling to get back onto the podium,” said Hancock. “It was a good stepping stone as I prepare for the second part of our U.S. Olympic Trials and gave me the confidence that I will need on my personal journey to London. I’d like to thank the USAMU and my wife Rebecca and daughter Bailey for supporting me.”

Teammate Frank Thompson (Alliance, Neb.) shot 118 targets to qualify for a five-way shoot off for only one position in the final. After three targets, Thompson finished tenth overall.

Emil Milev (Temple Terrace, Fla.) set a new Pan American record and won the gold medal in Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol with 24 hits. He qualified for the first position in the final with 579 match points. This was the first time that the new finals format was implemented at the Pan American Games.

“It was a tough competition because I had to overcome myself mentally,” said Milev.

In the final, another competitor received a two point deduction for moving his arm prior to the green light. Despite being “extra cautious” after the first incident, Milev was also docked two points for moving his arm, yet prevailed with the gold.

“I’ve had a wonderful experience in my first Pan American Games-even though we are competing in individual events, we are very much a united team cheering on each other,” said an elated Milev.

The silver medalist was Juan Perez of Cuba with 23 hits and the bronze medalist was Franco Di Mauro of Venezuela with 19 hits.

Finally, Sarah Beard (Danville, Ind.) emerged with the bronze medal in Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position. Beard shot 371 match points and 96.4 points in the final for 677.4 total points.

“It wasn’t the result or performance that I wanted, but I learned a lot from this competition,” said Beard.

Her bronze was also the first international medal to her name and she is “proud of it regardless.”

She continued to comment on the experience as she said, “The Pan American Games have been wonderful-I have enjoyed my time in Mexico, the range and the intercultural atmosphere.”

The gold medalist was Dianelys Perez of Cuba with 671.6 total points. Cuban teammate Eglys de la Cruz finished with the silver medal and 670.3 total points. The American shooting athletes leave Guadalajara, Mex., the most accomplished team with 18 total medals-10 gold, four silver and four bronze. The team also set six qualification records, equaled three qualification records, set eight new final records and equaled one final record for a very successful showing.

Please navigate to the official Pan American Games website for complete results. Highlights of the Pan American Games can be found at http://bit.ly/q4UwBR and http://es.pn/mW8QeW. For updates and news, please visit USA Shooting’s Website, Facebook and Twitter.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

A Golden Day for Shooter Glenn Eller at The 2011 Pan American Games

USA Shooting

GUADALAJARA, Mex. --(Ammoland.com)- Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas) began the day with 49 out of 50 targets in Men’s Double Trap at the Pan American Games.

Looking to add to the USA’s medal count, Sgt. Eller of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shot a perfect 50 targets in his second round and 48 targets in the third round for 147 targets-just one target shy of the world record for the gold medal.

Not only did Eller’s 147 targets set a new Pan American match record for Men’s Double Trap, but his total score of 195 targets is a new Pan American total record, again just one target shy of the world record.

The previous Pan American record was 187 targets, needless to say Eller put up an amazing performance. In the final, he experienced difficulty with a spring in his trigger-he had two malfunctions but didn’t lose any targets as a result.

“We were fortunate to have good conditions and the Jalisco Hunting Club is the nicest venue in the Americas,” commented Eller.

Puerto Rico’s Jose Torres won the silver medal with 136 match targets and 49 targets in the final for 185 total targets. Luis Da Graca of Brazil won the bronze medal with a perfect final of 50 targets for 182 total targets.

His father, Butch Eller (pictured at left with Glenn), made the journey down to Mexico to watch his son compete in his first Pan American Games.

“This is the only international level event that Glenn has not won a gold medal in and I’m very proud of him,” said the senior Eller. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson was impressed with Eller’s “dedication and focus.”

Erickson explained that “Eller voluntarily gave up his spot on the 2003 and 2007 Pan American Teams because in both instances, he already held a quota. I’m glad he had the opportunity to attend this year and delivered a world class performance.”

Fellow teammate Jeffrey Holguin (Yorba Linda, Calif.) was scheduled to compete but withdrew at the last minute to return stateside for a family emergency.

“I wish Jeff could have been here, I wish his family the best and it would have been nice to have him competing alongside me,” said Eller. His gold marks the twelfth shooting medal for the U.S. at the Pan American Games, and sixth gold medal.

Please navigate to the official Pan American Games website for complete results. Highlights of the Pan American Games can be found at http://bit.ly/q4UwBR and http://es.pn/mW8QeW. For updates and news, please visit USA Shooting’s Website, Facebook and Twitter.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Women's 10m Air Pistol Bronze Medalist, Sandra Uptagrafft (left)

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The USA Shooting Team exploded onto the scene at the Pan American Games with two medals and one quota the first day of competition.

The team secured a very important pistol quota that enables the USA Shooting Team to send two Men’s 10m Air Pistol athletes to the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Two-time Olympian Daryl Szarenski (Seale, Ala.) led the shooting team to its first victory of the Pan American Games. Sergeant First Class Szarenski, a member of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, solidly secured the first position in the final with 583 out of 600 total points.

His world-class score not only set a Pan American Games record, but gave him a six-point lead headed into the final. With 98.7 points in the final, Szarenski set yet another Pan American Games record for total points with 681.7 points.

“It was a good match. I am proud to have won an Olympic quota for my country and I would like to thank the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program and Team USA for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to win.”

The silver medalist was Daniel Roger of Trinidad with 577 match points and 99.1 points in the final. Julio Almeida won the bronze medal with 575 match points and 100.2 points in the final. Teammate Will Brown (Twins Falls, Id.) shot 575 qualification points and 97.4 points in the final to finish fifth overall.

Sandra Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) won the Women’s 10m Air Pistol bronze medal. She shot 379 match points and 97.3 points in the final for a total of 476.3 total points.

“I was disappointed that we missed the quota, but it was still an honor to represent America on the podium. I’m looking forward to the opportunity for a quota in Women’s 25m Sport Pistol,” said a determined Uptagrafft.

The gold medal was a battle to the final shot-Canada’s Dorothy Ludwig topped Maribel Pineda of Venezula. Ludwig entered in the final in the second position but overtook Pineda’s four point lead with a strong final of 96.8 points. Ludwig was ecstatic to win not only the gold, but a quota for her country with 476.8 total points. Pineda finished with 92.7 points in the final for 476.7 total points and the silver medal. American Teammate Teresa Meyer (Dearborn, Mich.) narrowly missed the final with 371 match points. The air gun action continues Oct. 17 with finals in Men’s and Women’s 10m Air Rifle.

Live streaming of the Pan American Games can be found at http://bit.ly/q4UwBR and http://es.pn/mW8QeW. For results and news, please visit USA Shooting’s Website, Facebook and Twitter.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Glenn Eller, Photo ISSF

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Sergeant Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas) is no stranger to the dedication and training it takes to reach the top.

Eller was the Men’s Double Trap gold medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

After a few setbacks in early 2011, Eller is breaking through the world rankings to return to the top ten.

At the 2011 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championships in early September in Belgrade, Serbia, Eller proved that he’s back and better than ever.

With an ease only a champion could display, Eller nailed 145 out of 150 match targets to tie three other shooters for a spot in the final. In the shoot-off, Mashfi Alumatiari of Kuwait was the first athlete to fall with three targets. Next was Hakan Dahbly of Sweden with 11 targets. With just two shooters remaining-Eller and Ahmed Almaktoum of the United Arab Emirates-the tension grew by the minute.

The duo continued for 20 targets, 30 targets and finally Almaktoum dropped his thirty-sixth target and Eller advanced to the final. This unprecedented shoot-off is an unofficial record (the ISSF does not monitor this statistic for official records) for a shoot-off in qualification, breaking Vasily Mosin’s previous 30 target shoot-off at the 2010 World Championships.

With yet another battle ahead of him and an additional 36 targets to wear on his shoulder and concentration, Eller maintained pace in the final with 45 out of 50 targets to score 193 total targets. Deciding to do things the hard way, Eller once again found himself in a shoot-off. This time, his opponent was Russia’s Vitaly Fokeev and the winner would earn the World Championship bronze medal. Keeping it short and sweet, Eller topped Forkeev after four targets and happily claimed the bronze medal.

The more success you have, the thinner the line between success and failure becomes, and success is more difficult. It feels good to be back on the other side,” said Eller in regard to his Winchester Athlete of the Month nod. USA Shooting would like to congratulate Eller on his return to the top ten in the world and wish him success for the 2012 season.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is hosting the 2011 Coaches College and Conference at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs 12-20 November. USAS hosts this coaches college and conference every two years.

The 2011 Coaches College and Conference will provide all those who complete the Level 1 Coach Certification Course to obtain all requirements for their Level 2 certification in the same week!!

We will follow the Level 1 Coach Certification Course with the ASEP course on the 17th of November and a First Aid Course on the 18th. These are the only two requirements for your Level 2 certification.

For those of you who have your Level 2 certification, this is an opportunity to obtain your Level 3 certification just prior to the Coach Conference. Level 3 certification provides you with additional knowledge and skill to coach Olympic level athletes and visibility with the National Coaches. Level 3 Coaches are an elite group. Its from this elite group that our Assistant National Coaches are selected from and have the opportunity to travel with the US Team to international competitions.

For those of you who would like to become Coach Certification Instructors (National Coach Development Staff – NCDS), Marcus Raab wants to hear from you (703-267-1589 or mraab@nrahq.org). We need more Coach Certification Instructors that are available to respond to requests for the Level 1 and Level 3 coach certification courses around the country. The NCDS school is by invitation only and you must contact Marcus Raab to be approved to attend the NCDS school.

Don’t procrastinate to the last minute. Sign up today. There are limited seats and dorm rooms available at the Olympic Training Center. 2011 Coaches College and Conference

Here is a new link to the USAS website announcement: Coaches College and Conference We recently changed over to a new web host and this is a new link to the announcement.

Thanks for all your help communicating the 2011 Coach College and Conference.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The action continues at the U.S. Olympic Trials for Shotgun in Kerrville, Texas. Double Trap and Skeet athletes are gearing up for their first shots at a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team.

The excitement officially begins on Sept. 30. In Men’s Skeet, the competition will be fierce as the athletes compete for two spots on the U.S. Olympic Team.

Jon Michael McGrath (Tulsa, Okla.) is the only American to earn an ISSF World Cup medal this year, but Frank Thompson (Alliance, Neb.) and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.) have put up competitive scores as well.

Since the USA Shooting Team has one quota in the Men’s Double Trap event, shooters in Kerrville will be competing for the alternate spot. National Team member Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas), the 2008 Men’s Double Trap Olympic gold medalist, is among the contenders. Eller, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, was the recent bronze medalist at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championships. After that performance, Eller will certainly be an athlete to watch in the upcoming Trials. Also, be sure to follow Billy Crawford (Johnstown, Ohio) the junior gold medalist at the World Clay Target Championships; where he shot a new junior world record score of 147 out of 150 targets. Staff Sergeant Josh Richmond (Hillsgrove, Pa.), the Men’s Double Trap quota winner and Olympic nominee (pending approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee) will not be competing in this event as he prepares for his upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

Like the Men’s Double Trap athletes, the U.S. Olympic Trials for Women’s Skeet will offer the opportunity to earn an alternate spot on the U.S. Olympic Team as Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) has already secured the 2012 U.S. Olympic Nomination (pending approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee) and will not be present as she is competing in the ISSF World Cup Final. With only one quota available for each country in 2012, only one American female is slated to attend. Regardless, Olympic Training Center Resident Athletes Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.) and Jaiden Grinnell (Port Angeles, Wash.) are catching the eye of the skeet community. Both Connor and Grinnell won medals on the ISSF World Cup circuit this year and have delivered solid performances.

The final for Double Trap will take place on Oct. 1, while the finals for Men’s and Women’s Skeet will be on Oct. 2. To watch live scores, please navigate to the iClays website for Skeet or Double Trap. For more information, check out www.usashooting.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is proud to announce that in conjunction with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and the Columbus Visitors Bureau, USAS will host the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup USA Paralympic Qualifier.

The match will take place at the home of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in Fort Benning, Ga., from Oct. 3 to 9.

There are a total of 324 registered starts and 136 competitors from 26 federations. All twelve Paralympic events are viable for country quota slots to the 2012 Paralympic Games. This IPC sanctioned event is also an opportunity for all athletes to obtain a Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) required for participation in the Paralympic Games.

“This is the second to last opportunity for many of these athletes and countries to achieve that all important quota slot for the Paralympic Games. The competition is going to be fierce because this competition is one necessary step in accomplishing those goals and dreams for a gold medal,” said Wanda Jewell, Chief of the Organizing Committee.

In its inaugural year on U.S. soil, National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth remarked that “hosting the match here allows more than 20 athletes to participate in a World Cup and provides USAS the opportunity to continue to train match staff on the Paralympic disciplines.”

He continued with, “The U.S. Team includes a good percentage of disabled service members and veterans as well as civilians and all are looking forward to this event.”

To learn more about the match program, please visit the USA Shooting website. This event is open to the public and spectators are encouraged to come and cheer on their favorite Paralympic athletes.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Today the USA Shooting Team embarks on a historic path that will decide the men and women who will represent their country in London.

From Kerrville, Texas, the first shots will be recorded on Sept. 23, in Men’s and Women’s Trap.

Both events did not have an athlete that met the point threshold, thus the spot is wide open for the men and women.

In Women’s Trap, Corey Cogdell (Eagle River, Alaska) won a quota spot at the 2010 Championship of the Americas. However, Men’s Trap has yet to win an Olympic participation quota, yet looks to do so at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in October. This match-the Fall Selection-represents the first leg of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and will conclude in May of 2012. The course of fire for Men’s and Women’s Trap is 250 targets. This score will be combined with the final leg of U.S. Olympic Team Trials to determine a pool of six finalists, where a finals round will take place to determine the next Olympian.

Rachael Heiden (Clinton, Mich.) is the only female to earn an International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup medal in Women’s Trap this season. Fellow U.S. Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete Cogdell recently finished sixth at the ISSF World Clay Target Championships. Young talent such as Kayle Browning (Wooster, Ark.) and Miranda Wilder (Diana, Texas) landed spots on the National Shotgun Team with breakout performances at this year’s USAS National Championships for shotgun. The field remains open and the time has come to begin selecting members to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

Men’s Trap is a guessing game; no American has had consistent performances throughout the 2011 season. Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete Collin Wietfeldt (Hemlock, Mich.) gained international experience and nearly made the finals at two World Cups. Staff Sergeant Ryan Hadden (Pendleton, Ore.) finished thirteenth at the recent ISSF World Clay Target Championships and is looking to earn a berth to his first U.S. Olympic Team. Matt Gosset (Springville, Ala.) and Brian Burrows (Fallbrook, Calif.) earned spots on the National Shotgun Team at the USAS National Championships for Shotgun earlier this year.

To learn which American athletes are competing in Men’s and Women’s Trap, please check the entry list.

If you are interested in the registered referees for the match, please click here. To watch live scores (from the match, not official training), navigate to the iClays website.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Keith Sanderson, Photo ISSF

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Pistol athletes rejoice-the USA’s Sergeant First Class Keith Sanderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) claimed a spot on the podium at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final in Wroclaw, Poland.

Sanderson, who won the first Men’s Rapid Fire quota this year, shot 581 match points. Teammate Emil Milev (Temple Terrace, Fla.) shot 576 match points, and both athletes found themselves in the final.

In the new ISSF finals format, all athletes begin at a score of zero and achieve points or hits through a 9.7 point shot or greater.

The first competitor is eliminated after four rounds of shooting, and then one is eliminated each round thereafter until a winner emerges. Milev finished in fifth place with 19 hits. Sanderson (pictured above, photo ISSF) forged ahead with 17 hits after just four rounds and then 26 hits after seven rounds to win the bronze medal.

National Pistol Coach Sergey Luzov said the Americans have been working on “four second series consistency to improve numbers in the new finals format.” Luzov is “glad to see the hard work paying off” with improved finals scores.

Alexi Klimov of Russia won the silver medal with 30 hits and Christian Reitz of Germany shot 32 hits for the gold medal.

In Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position, the USA Shooting Team’s Jamie Beyerle (Lebanon, Pa.) finished in sixth place with 583 match points and 98.3 points in the final for a total of 681.3 points. The gold medalist was Barbara Lechner of Germany with 690.8 total points. German teammates Sonja Pfeilschifter shot 690.1 points for the silver medal and Eva Friedel shot 687.7 points for the bronze medal.

The USA’s Amy Sowash (Richmond) shot 578 match points to finish in tenth place. For complete scores and rankings, please visit the ISSF website.

ELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world’s most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The USA Shooting Team gave its all at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championships.

The Team returns home with a total of two individual open medals, three individual junior medals and three junior team medals.

Two of those medals included new world records as the Junior Men’s Double Trap trio of Billy Crawford (Johnstown, Ohio), Private First Class Derek Haldeman (Sunbury, Ohio) and Ian Rupert (Muncy, Pa.) smashed the team world record by 13 targets. The American’s total of 428 targets broke a record that had held since 1998. Crawford also raised the standard by setting a new junior world record of 147 out of 150 targets in Junior Men’s Double Trap.

Another notable performance came from Sergeant Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas) in Men’s Double Trap. Eller, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, reminded the crowd of the definition of tenacity as he charged through 36 shoot-off targets to advance to the final. After nearly shooting an entire round, Eller attacked the final to the tune of 45 out of 50 targets to find himself in a shoot-off yet again, but this time the prize up for grabs was the bronze medal. Eller silenced Vitaly Forkeev of Russia after only four targets to bring home the bronze.

Four-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) asserted herself as a serious medal contender in 2012 as she also won the bronze in Women’s Skeet. Rhode shot 72 match targets to tie four other shooters for three spots in the final. After four shoot-off targets her fate-and place-in the finals was sealed. Known for her consistency in the final round, Rhode fired a perfect 25 targets to place herself in line for a spot on the podium. Tied with China’s Wei Ning at 97 out of 100 targets, Rhode hit seven targets to Ning’s eight targets in the shoot-off. As last year’s world champion, and again finding the podium in 2011, shooting fans are expecting great things from Rhode in 2012.

In Junior Women’s Skeet, MorganCraft (Hughesville, Pa.) fired 68 out of 75 match targets to tie with Lucie Anastassiou of France for the silver and bronze medals.

Craft shot one target to Anastassiou’s two targets in the shoot-off to claim the bronze medal for the red, white and blue. Not only did this add to the USA’s medal count, but this was Craft’s first overseas trip and first international medal. Her teammates Brandy Drozd (Bryan, Texas) finished in fourth place with 67 targets and Riley Moody (Collinsville, Okla.) shot 58 targets for eighteenth place. The Women’s Junior Team scored the team bronze medal.

Delivering the performance of her career was Janessa Beaman (Elbert, Colo. Beaman ) as she earned the title of Junior Women’s Trap Champion. Beaman finished with 70 out 75 targets for the uncontested gold medal and a new personal best. Teammate Miranda Wilder (Diana, Texas) performed to the tune of 67 targets to tie with Lucie Rylichova of the Czech Republic. Making short work of her competition, she claimed the fifth place spot in a one target shoot-off. Rounding out the trio was Ashley Carroll (Solvang, Calif.) with 64 targets for tenth place. With all three juniors in the top ten, the junior women secured the team gold medal.

The ISSF World Clay Target Championship is unique in that junior shooters are afforded the opportunity to compete on the international stage against the best juniors in the world. The USA Shooting Team’s junior presence would not be possible without funding from the Dallas Safari Club. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “We are grateful for the support of the Dallas Safari Club of the Junior World Clay Target Championship Team. Without their assistance, many of these juniors would not be able to attend and represent the United States. With a total of six junior medals, it’s safe to say that the future of shooting is in good hands-and trigger fingers.”

Overall, the United States finished third in the medal standings behind Russia and China with eight total medals. Russia scored 12 and China had six medals (more silver than the U.S.).

In the closing ceremony, Mr. Medhat Wahdan, the ISSF Vice President and Technical Delegate for the championship, said, “I have on my report nine new or equaled world records; numbers are telling us that this has been a great competition.”

Members of the USA Shooting Team are returning to prepare for the first leg of the U.S. Olympic Trials for Shotgun from Sept. 22 to Oct. 2 in Kerrville, Texas. Don’t forget to check out the ISSF YouTube Channel for full-length finals, highlights and interviews from the ISSF World Clay Target Championship.

Janessa Beaman (center), Photo ISSF

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The American women once again found the podium at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championship in Belgrade, Serbia.

Internationally known Women’s Skeet magician Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) shot 72 match targets to tie four other shooters for only three spots in the final. Relying on decades of experience (four Olympic medals to be exact) Rhode didn’t break a sweat as she sailed into the final with four shoot-off targets. She was joined by Katiuscia Spada of Italy and Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit of Thailand.

Kim Rhode is a four-time Olympic medalist looking to put her name in the history books with five individual medals in five Olympic Games.

Rhode, the 2010 World Champion, continued on the path to success with the highest final of 25 targets for 97 out of 100 total targets to tie China’s Wei Ning. Ning and Rhode battled it out for the silver and bronze medals in an eight target shoot-off. Ning finished with eight targets for the silver medal and Rhode won the bronze medal with seven targets. Rhode said, “It is an honor to represent the USA and bring home a medal.

This was a great test of my skills against the competition that I will face in London and my goal of five medals in five Olympic Games.

” National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson commented, “Kim established herself as a front runner for the 2012 Olympic Games with a solid third place performance against outstanding competition.”

The gold medalist was Germany’s Christine Wenzel with 98 total targets (74+24). Olympic Training Center Resident Athletes Jaiden Grinnell (Port Angeles, Wash.) finished in eleventh place with 71 targets and teammate Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.) shot 65 targets.

Young Morgan Craft (Hughesville, Pa.) shot 68 out of 75 match targets to tie with Lucie Anastassiou of France for the silver and bronze medals. Craft shot one target to Anastassiou’s two targets in the shoot-off to claim the bronze medal for the red, white and blue.

Craft, a freshman at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Mo., was elated to receive the bronze medal as she said, “All the time, sweat and dedication put into my training this summer more than paid off when the bronze medal was placed around my neck on the podium while representing the USA.”

Her successful finish was even sweeter as this Championship was Craft’s first overseas trip. Erickson was proud of the junior team’s tenacity and development as he said, “I’m impressed with our junior team’s performance. Morgan had a terrific day and should be proud of her first international medal. These young athletes are the foundation for success in the future.”

Teammates Brandy Drozd (Bryan, Texas) finished in fourth place with 67 targets and Riley Moody (Collinsville, Okla.) shot 58 targets for eighteenth place. With strong shooting from all three athletes, the Women’s Junior Team claimed the team bronze medal. For complete results, please visit the ISSF website or the ISSF YouTube Channel for finals footage.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

Dallas Safari Club
Dallas Safari Club (DSC) is a proud sponsor of USA Shooting’s Junior Team to the World Shooting Championship Team in Belgrade, Serbia. An independent organization since 1982, DSC has become an international leader in conserving wildlife and wilderness lands, educating youth and the general public, and promoting and protecting the rights and interests of hunters worldwide. For more information on DSC visit www.biggame.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Billy Crawford (center), Photo ISSF

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(Ammoland.com)- It was another medal-winning day for the USA Shooting Team at the 2011 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championship in Belgrade, Serbia.

Leading the charge was 2008 Men’s Double Trap Olympic gold medalist Sergeant Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas).

Eller (right, photo ISSF) had a rough start to the 2011 season-beginning with a missing gun from the first ISSF World Cup in Chile and then having to adjust to a new shotgun. It appears as though he’s worked out any kinks of his new gun as he nailed 145 out of 150 match targets. It wasn’t that figure, however, that astounded the crowd. In a four person shoot-off for only one spot, Mashfi Alumatiari of Kuwait was the first athlete to fall with three targets. Next was Hakan Dahbly of Sweden with 11 targets. With just two shooters remaining-Eller and Ahmed Almaktoum of the United Arab Emirates-the tension grew by the minute.

The duo continued for 20 targets, 30 targets and finally Almaktoum dropped his thirty-sixth target and Eller advanced to the final.

In the final, Eller maintained pace with 45 out of 50 targets to score 193 total targets. Deciding to do things the hard way, Eller once again found himself in a shoot-off. This time, his opponent was Russia’s Vitaly Fokeev and the winner would earn the World Championship bronze medal. Keeping it short and sweet, Eller topped Forkeev after four targets and happily claimed the bronze medal. “It feels really great to be back in the podium again after three years,” said Eller. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson echoed Eller’s sentiments as he said, “It’s nice to see the old Glenn back on the podium.” The gold medalist of the event was China’s Jun Li with 194 match targets and four shoot-off targets to beat Germany’s Andreas Loew, who finished with the silver medal (194+3). Eller’s teammates Staff Sergeant Josh Richmond (Hillsgrove, Pa.) finished in nineteenth place with 143 targets and Sergeant Jeffrey Holguin (Yorba Linda, Calif.) shot 139 targets.

The excitement continued in Junior Men’s Double Trap. Billy Crawford (Johnstown, Ohio) stunned his competition with 147 out of 150 targets for the gold medal. Not only was his outstanding performance a new personal best, but Crawford (left, photo ISSF) set a new junior world record and finished three targets ahead of the silver medalist. Teammates Private First Class Derek Haldeman (Sunbury, Ohio) finished in fifth place with 141 targets and Ian Rupert (Muncy, Pa.) shot 140 targets for seventh place. With all three Americans in the top seven positions, the juniors demolished the previous junior team record to win the team gold medal. With a combined score of 428 targets, the previous record of 415 targets (that has remained untouched since 1998) was left in the dust. Erickson said, “I continue to be impressed by our junior talent. The performance of the junior Men’s Double Trap trio affirms that we will be successful in years to come.” For complete results, please visit the ISSF website or the ISSF YouTube Channel for finals footage.
Winchester small logoWinchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

Dallas Safari Club
Dallas Safari Club (DSC) is a proud sponsor of USA Shooting’s Junior Team to the World Shooting Championship Team in Belgrade, Serbia. An independent organization since 1982, DSC has become an international leader in conserving wildlife and wilderness lands, educating youth and the general public, and promoting and protecting the rights and interests of hunters worldwide. For more information on DSC visit www.biggame.org.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Me On the Olympic Shooting Team, Yes . . . YOU CAN!

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- Can I or do I have the ability to win a place on the US Olympic Team and to win medals at the Olympic Games?

I remember as a pre-teen shooting in my backyard or on my Aunt’s farm wondering what it would be like to compete in the Olympics.

If you are asking yourself “am I good enough,” or “can I compete at the international and Olympic level,” the answer is YES you can, IF . . . .

The answer to this question for me came after about one year as a member of my high school JROTC rifle team. I was a sophomore shooting every day for an hour and a half or more, competing in local competitions, watching my skill and score increase. Being pushed, challenged, and supported by my JROTC coach made it easy for me to see myself on the winner’s stand in the future.

It wasn’t a question of “if,” but when? Being somewhat impatient, I wanted to make it happen sooner than later.

Between my junior and senior year I worked all summer saving nearly every dollar to purchase my own Anschutz 1413 Super Match target rifle. My Dad said he would buy the leather shooting jacket if I saved the money for the rifle. This put my shooting career in high gear. My freshman year in college, I was on the varsity rifle team, a feat that no freshman had achieved before me. I was motivated to be the best. I learned about the US Army Marksmanship Unit in my junior year of college, and five years later I was competing in the Olympic Games.

When you read articles and profiles of past and current Olympians, you see common threads in how they all started. Going hunting with grandfathers, dads, or uncles at an early age, starting with a BB gun, pellet gun, 22 cal. rifle, pistol, or shotgun. It starts as a lesson in gun safety, having fun shooting at cans or targets, maybe in your backyard, someone’s farm or at a local shooting club. You realize how much fun it is and start wanting to do more shooting, getting more time on the range or in the field.

And then you get the urge to shoot the local turkey shoot or club competition. Now you’re hooked. You watch your skills increase along with your confidence. When you ask for help there are plenty of adults and competitive shooters offering to help in anyway they can. It’s the way of our sport–like an extended family. However, be careful, not all advice is right for you . . . but that’s a topic for another day.

The details of the path to the Olympics plays out differently for each of us, but the underlying basics exist in the stories for most Olympic shooting athletes.

The big “IF” at the end of “Yes you can” refers to you’re willingness to practice hard, learn from a good coach and others in the sport, compete in as many matches as possible, join a club or facility that you use on a regular basis, obtain and maintain good equipment/guns, and stay focused on your goals. I could add more philosophical concepts to this list, but these areas are enough to begin. As with any sport, there is a learning curve and how fast you progress up that learning curve depends on your commitment to continuous improvement.

The path to the Olympic Games isn’t for everyone, but if you have the drive and commitment, YES you can and USA Shooting is here to help you along the path.

Michael Theimer, Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager, USA Shooting. Contact me at michael.theimer@usashooting.org if you want to learn more about how to get on the Olympic path

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- A few years ago USA Shooting’s Passport program was established in partnership with 4-H.

It is designed to reward junior athletes for achieving the next level of skill in rifle, pistol or shotgun. It’s an excellent tool for motivating juniors.

I was talking to one 4-H club coach, Kevin Henry about the success of the Passport program at this club and asked him to write an article about their experience. Here is an example of just one 4-H club’s experience.

“Coach, can I get my pin now?” I looked up from scoring targets to find Cameron, one of our young air rifle shooters standing in front of me. I smiled and replied, “Well, if you can you wait until the end of practice, we will make a presentation in front of everyone.” He paused to think about it, and then with a little bit of impatience said, “Alright”.

4H USA Shooting Air Rifle Gold III Pin

Just three weeks earlier we introduced the USA Shooting Passport Pin program to our shooters. During those three weeks, Cameron was on a mission. He worked really hard to get the required score; getting very close a couple of times, but not quite close enough. When he finally did reach his goal to get his first pin, there was no doubt he knew that he had worked for and achieved something that had stretched him.

I am exactly one half of our coaching staff at our local 4-H club. We are a young club, both in longevity and shooting experience.

We only have some basic entry level equipment and our shooters are just starting to go to their first matches. We practice in “The Barn”; a metal building with a concrete floor but no air conditioning to combat the Texas heat. Show goats, pigs, and an occasional steer live directly behind the barn. From time to time the wall behind our backstops will rattle from a kick or head butt. This usually is followed by a round of giggling from the younger shooters. We use these random distractions as part of our “Mental Conditioning and Focusing Program” to learn how to block out distractions at a match. The barn actually is quite nice as it gets us out of the sun and wind. We are grateful to be able to use it.

Our shooters don’t have the benefit of looking to older, more experienced shooters to see how they are doing. All they get to see every week are their own scores; they have nothing else to compare their results to. As the coach, I find it difficult to find ways to stretch them. The USA Shooting Passport Pin program gives us some easy to use tools to grow our shooters. The bite sized increments of the scores in the program give us attainable and realistic goals to work toward. Everyone can see what they need to do in order to advance to the next level.

Every time someone earns their next pin, we make as big of a production out of it as we can. We gather everyone we can find: shooters, coaches, and parents. We even had a goat try to get in once. One of the coaches announces what pin they have won, congratulates them and then we always take a picture and applaud. Every pin so far has produced a proud smile.

Recently we took one of our best shooters, Allie, to a Junior Olympic match that was held at a local university. This was the first match she has ever been in. She was shooting a sporter air rifle in a precision event wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes. Even though she needs a lot more experience and equipment to get up to the level of the top shooters, she rose to the occasion, beat her personal best, and earned her next pin. I didn’t tell her before the match, but I had her next pin in my pocket already. After the match, we stood by the university flag and her father took a picture of her with her smile and new pin.

When asked about it later, Allie said “It was a pleasant surprise when I scored high enough to receive my first pin!”

Back at the Barn, after one of our award ceremonies, our newest member eyed his fellow shooters newly awarded pin and asked “what is the highest pin there is?” You could see a look of determination in his eyes already.

Kevin Henry lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife and 2 daughters, age 9 and 11. He is one of the coaches at the Eagle Mountain 4H Club in nearby Saginaw, Texas. Both daughters are in the 4H shooting club.

Thanks for sharing this with our members and supporters, Kevin. We look forward to seeing your juniors achieve higher goals. And with your help and guidance, maybe even a future Olympian.

You can order your Passports and pins from the 4H National Supply Service: http://www.4-hmall.org/Home.aspx

Michael Theimer, Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager (michael.theimer@usashooting.org)

I would like to announce that we are partnering with Target Talk (www.targettalk.org) to be ‘the’ bulletin board/forum for buying, selling and trading used Olympic/international shooting equipment and guns. Also, I will be monitoring and contributing to the Youth Programs forum. Stop by for a chat and learn from other junior shooting coaches across the country.

LAR&R Club is newly certified by USA Shooting as its Regional Training Center.

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting has established a program that identifies clubs with excellent facilities, coaches and training programs for both the training of aspiring Olympic athletes and development of certified coaches.

We have designated these special clubs as Certified Training Centers (CTC). Originally we called them ‘Regional’ Training Centers (RTC), but we want to expand these CTCs across the country and not just limit them to arbitrary regions.

The CTCs receive various benefits from USA Shooting to include grants to help train Olympic athletes and coaches.

At the time of this writing, we have ten CTCs across the country. Three that are focused on rifle and pistol and seven that are focused on shotgun.

Rifle/Pistol

• Los Angeles Rifle & Revolver Club, Anaheim, Ca.
  Website: www.larrclub.org
• Palmyra Sportsmen’s Association, Palmyra, Penn.
  Website: www.palmyrasportsmens.com
• Ole Mill Range Complex, Griffin, Ga.
  Website: www.olemillrangectc.com

Shotgun

• Willawalla Creek Shooting Center, Saint Jo, Texas
  Contact Dwayne Weger at dweger@coppellconst.com
• Ben Avery Shooting Facility/Clay Target Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
  Website: www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml
• Youth International Shotgun Training Coalition, Inc., Muncy Valley, PA
  Contact Les Greey at les@greevy.com
• Buckeye International Junior Shooting Sports, Inc., Cardinal Shooting Center – Marengo, Ohio
  Website: www.buckeyeinternational.org
• Gator Trap and Skeet Club, Gainsville, Fla.
  Website: www.gatorskeetandtrap.com
• South Georgia Youth Shooting and Bridge Creek Clays, Hartsfield, Ga.
  Contact Mike Simpson at ermasmom@yahoo.com
• Tucson Trap and Skeet Club, Tucson, Ariz.
  Website: www.tucsontrapandskeet.com

Obviously we don’t have a CTC in every state or multiple locations in the larger states, but it’s a future vision that we have and we are working toward identifying more CTCs that will support aspiring Olympic athletes across the country.

Our CTCs not only provide training for athletes and run sanctioned competitions to test their learning and skills, but they are also committed to developing coaches for our Olympic level athletes.

For those parents and volunteers who want to learn more about the Olympic shooting sports and/or elevate their coaching skills should contact one of the CTCs to find out when they will be hosting a coach certification course. You can also go to the NRA Training & Education web site (www.nrahq.org/education/training/coaching/coach_training_schools.asp) to find other locations around the country that are hosting coach certification courses.

The CTCs are good for beginners, too. The CTCs run various programs that help introduce Olympic and non-Olympic shooting sports. Not all junior shooters want to commit to an Olympic dream. We want all junior shooters to learn gun safety and enjoy the shooting sport of their choice. Whether it’s just for recreation or competition.

Our CTCs have access to grants from USA Shooting that support Olympic athlete and coach development. This is a new opportunity for our CTCs that began this year. We encourage our CTCs to host Junior Olympic Development Camps, coach certification courses, assist with travel for selected high potential Olympic athletes to competitions and JODCs, assist with coach travel to competitions and our bi-annual Coach Conference here at the Olympic Training Center.

Because of where you currently live, you might not be able to train at one of our CTCs every day, but you should consider traveling to a CTC for access to one of their certified coaches, training camps and USAS sanctioned matches. This will keep your travel expenses down and begin to give you visibility with the CTC coaches and USA Shooting. As your skills and success increase, you may be invited to JODCs and national competitions at the Olympic Training Center.

If you are one of the few that want to pursue the Olympic dream, willing to work hard, train hard and compete with the best, the CTCs can help you get there.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Have You Tried Progressive Position Pistol?

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- Progressive Position Pistol (PPP) appears to be a well-kept secret or a misunderstood opportunity for coaches to prepare junior athletes for Olympic pistol sports.

The USAS National Pistol Coach, Sergey Luzov is on the hunt for junior pistol shooters who aspire to make the US National Pistol Team and compete in the Olympic Games and other world championships. The future pipeline of high potential Olympic pistol athletes (especially women/girls) is down to a trickle which jeopardizes our ability to dominate the Olympic pistol events and win medals for the US in the future.

The PPP program is intended to introduce young pistol shooters to competitive pistol shooting and give them a natural progression into the Junior Olympic pistol competitions sponsored by USA Shooting (USAS) and the conventional pistol competitions sponsored by the National Rifle Association of America (NRA).

USA Shooting recognizes the need to get youth involved in competitive shooting at a younger age. One of the problems is that most air guns are too heavy for smaller, younger shooters. The PPP program creates an opportunity for youth to begin at an earlier age. There is no minimum age limit. How early a youth starts shooting pistol depends on the youth’s ability to hold and shoot an air pistol safely as determined by an experienced pistol coach. Also, any person may compete in Progressive Position Pistol until 31 December of the year of his or her 20th birthday.

The Progressive Position Pistol Program is designed to ‘progressively’ develop junior pistol athletes from supported positions to the Olympic one handed unsupported shooting. PPP gives the junior athlete the opportunity to focus on and learn the foundational pistol skills with the opportunity to participate in competitions. This develops confidence, skills and knowledge at an early age.

The PPP match competition is a precision pistol event. Multi-shot pistols may be used, but only a single pellet may be loaded at any given moment. The pistols must be .177 caliber (4.5 mm), and use compressed air or compressed, non-flammable gas (such as CO2) for propellant.

The PPP program allows juniors to participate with minimal expense for equipment and ammunition. Similarly ranges can be set up in any large room that has a minimum of 43 feet in length (33 feet from firing point to target and approximately 10 feet behind the firing point for shooters and range officers/coaches). Conference rooms, some school rooms, gymnasiums, student activity centers, some climate controlled warehouses, etc. make excellent starting ranges.

There are three categories of competitors in the Progressive Position Pistol Program. They are defined by the shooting position used by the competitor.

They are:

• • Basic Supported
• • Standing Supported
• • International (One-Handed) Standing

Basic Supported

• Minimum age: None (depends on the youth’s ability to hold and shoot an air pistol safely as determined by an experienced pistol coach).
• Maximum age: Thirteen.

The rules of the Basic Supported are written very broadly, so coaches can progress athletes incrementally within the position without being forced to go to the next position before they are ready. The athlete may be seated or standing, 1 or 2 hands on the grip.

Firm supports can include sandbags, kneeling rolls, etc. as well as any rest made of wood, plastic, etc. that can firmly support the butt of the pistol and the shooters hands safely. Firm supports should be adjusted for height to insure an upright posture and level head position of the shooter.

Coaches should encourage athletes to progress to a one-handed position as soon as they can safely do so.

Standing Supported

• Minimum age: None (depends on the youth’s ability to hold and shoot an air pistol safely as determined by an experienced pistol coach).
• Maximum age: Fifteen.

Athlete must stand, using one hand on the pistol grip. The T Stand provides counterbalance support between elbow and muzzle. The competitor’s shooting arm must be fully extended, with the sights at eye level.

The T-Stand provides an infinitely variable amount of support of the pistol’s weight and balance without totally dampening the shooter’s movement. By design, it also provides a large range of adjustable vertical height so that the shooter can maintain proper body, head, arm, and wrist position.

The link below contains plans for building a simple, affordable version of the T Stand.

http://www.usashooting.org/downloads/Z%20PPP%20Counterbalance%20T%20Stand.pdf

International (one-handed) Standing

• Suggested Minimum age: Thirteen (If parent, coach and physician agree a younger athlete is ready, this may be waived)

International air pistol rules apply. Unsupported standing with one hand on the pistol grip.

Progressive Position Pistol Airgun Shooting

Coaching
Coaches should encourage their athletes to progress to standing supported and then to one-handed unsupported standing as they become proficient with basic skills and their hands are large and strong enough to do so safely.

Coaches should attempt to help athletes obtain pistols that are appropriately sized and weighted for juniors. USAS currently sells the Air Arms Alpha Proj at a special discount for members and affiliated clubs ($525). USAS also provides a special discount for the purchase of the Pardini K10 ‘Kids’ target air pistol ($895). Affiliated clubs can purchase these air pistols through the delayed payment plan. Both air pistols are featured in our online store. Specific details of each pistol can be found on the USAS website http://www.usashooting.org/youthPistol.php

Coaches are encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities to learn and develop their skills and learn effective techniques for working with young people. Coach certification and training is available through the NRA/USA Shooting/CMP Coach Education Program. Detailed information is available at: www.nrahq.org/education/training/coaching/index.asp

USAS will subsidize pistol coach certification courses with a minimum of six adults/participants that will start up and/or maintain a PPP program.

For more information about USAS junior shooting programs visit the following web page: www.usashooting.org/youth.php for the Youth Programs Overview,

www.usashooting.org/youthPistol.php for pistol which includes PPP rules, T Stand construction plans, and competition information.

For more information contact Michael Theimer at michael.theimer@usashooting.org

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is hosting the 2011 Coaches College and Conference at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs 12-20 November.

Please see below the program announcement and registration forms.

USAS would greatly appreciate AmmoLand readers communicating this coach college and conference announcement to your clubs, shooting customers, membership and posting it on your blogs, facebook and twitter pages.

We host this coaches college and conference every two years. We have limited seats and OTC dorm rooms available.

If you know anyone that wants to be a certified coach (rifle/pistol/shotgun) or wants to obtain their Level 3 coach certification (rifle and pistol only), here is their opportunity.

Here is a link to the USAS website announcement: www.usashooting.org/viewRelease.php?id=651

However, this link will not be active after the end of August. We are transitioning to a new web site host.

USA Shooting 2011 Coach College and Conference Program Registration

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Otis Technology Gun Care

Lyons Falls, NY --(Ammoland.com)- This has been an exciting year for Otis Technology sponsored female Olympians.

Otis Technology is proud to endorse America’s most decorated female Olympic shooter, four-time- Olympic medalist Kim Rhode as well as 2006 and 2010 USA Olympians, Tracy and Lanny Barnes.

Recently, Kim won her 14th national championship and second straight in international skeet with a total score of 265/275 in Colorado Springs. This win also qualified her for the Pan-Am Games Team. In late March, she won the Gold at the ISSF Sydney World Cup and clinched the 2012 USA Olympic spot as the first member of the USA Shooting Team to meet and exceed the point threshold for Women’s Skeet.

According to Rhode, “When a competition is won or lost by one target, or you only get one shot at that

‘once in a lifetime buck’, it is truly important that your barrels and action are clean. You don’t get a second chance. That’s why I always clean my guns thoroughly before hunting or a competition. I found that not only does it stop the possibility of a jamming problem but by having a clean barrel and chokes you have the ultimate pattern for your best performance.”

As the excitement spreads, Otis is looking forward to being a part of history as Rhode looks to achieve an Olympic record as the first USA Olympian in any sport to medal in 5 consecutive Olympics.

“I’m training and doing everything that I can to bring home another Olympic medal. My hope is this could bring shooting to the forefront of the Olympic games,” states Rhode, “2012 here we come thanks to support from companies like Otis.”

Just as Rhode has been nominated to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, Tracy Barnes has been crowned best Biathlon shooter in the World at the Veltins World Team Challenge event in Germany as she beat the very best biathletes in the world in the shootout of biathlon’s premier co-ed event. Meanwhile, at the Sprint race at the US Nationals in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Lanny and Tracy placed 3 rd and 4 th , respectively. In the Pursuit, Tracy battled her way back up the ranks to finish 2nd, while Lanny stayed in 3rd place for the second race and the last day of nationals brought a 3rd place finish for Tracy and a 4 th place finish for Lanny.

Tracy and Lanny are also training hard to make sure they are ready to bring home the gold in the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“We brought our shooting to a whole new level this year. I think a lot of it has to do with being confident and being able to rely on our equipment because of Otis. It gets us excited about the possibility of winning a medal at the Olympics in Russia,” says Lanny Barnes. Tracy adds, “Otis has been instrumental in our shooting success at the international level. I was able to win in front of 50,000 screaming German fans because I trusted my equipment with Otis’ advanced technology. I can’t wait until next season.”

Kim, Tracy and Lanny and other Otis Pro Staff members recently came together to film Otis’ new television commercial with Tahoe Films. Watch the new commercial at www.otistec.com or on one of the industry television networks. The Otis Pro Staff team is rounded out by Xtreme Sports Shooter and 8 time World record holder, Patrick Flanigan; The world’s best all around shooter and host of Doug Koenig’s Championship Season TV, Doug Koenig; UFC Hall of Famer and 9 time welterweight Champion as well as host of Texas Trophy Hunters TV, Matt Hughes; and country entertainer and host of 3 Gun Nation TV, Mark Wills.

Otis Technology is known for manufacturing the most advanced gun cleaning systems available. The superior Breech-to-Muzzle® design combined with unmatched quality has positioned Otis as the gun care system of choice with the US military

Winchester Athlete of the Month - Rachael Heiden

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Rachael Heiden (Clinton, Mich.) may still be a junior category shooter, but that certainly isn’t reflected in her scores.

Heiden competes at a world-class level and hasn’t let her age stop her from winning two international medals in the last two months.

At the 2011 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Beijing, Heiden fired 73 out of 75 match targets to tie the junior world record.

Despite windy conditions, she shot 16 targets in the final to finish with 89 targets for the silver medal. Yet, her most recent and lustrous accomplishment came in the beginning of July at the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Gaj Maribor, Slovenia. With 72 out of 75 match targets, she maintained a cool head to shoot 23 targets in the final for the gold medal victory.

National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson commented on her success of late as he said, “Rachael had a fantastic showing in Slovenia to win the gold. Despite shooting in poor light, she put up a superb final. She is a hard-working athlete and has made herself as a front runner for the 2012 Olympic Team.”

Heiden, an Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs senior, is no stranger to hard work. Heiden, who graduated high school at a young age due to advanced homeschooling, is only 20 years old, yet a senior in college.

When asked about her Winchester Athlete of the Month nod, Heiden said, “I am honored. I can’t thank everyone enough for helping me to get to this point. There are still things I need to work on, but I’m looking forward to the remaining competitions this year!”

USA Shooting would like to congratulate Rachael Heiden on a terrific ISSF season thus far and wish her good luck at the ISSF World Clay Target Championships in Belgrade.

Catch all the latest updates and follow your team on USA Shooting’s Facebook Page.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(Ammoland.com)- July 27 marks the one-year countdown to the opening of the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London, England.

Coming off of its success in Beijing, the USA Shooting Team has continued momentum through successful World Cup seasons and Olympic qualification, creating high expectations and much anticipation for London.

Five members of the USA Shooting Team have already been nominated to Team USA.

Kim Rhode leads the way for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team as she enters her fifth Olympic Games. Photo courtesy of the ISSF

In shotgun, Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) was the first American athlete nominated and will be competing in Women’s Skeet. Heading to London with four Olympic medals, Rhode is once again considered a medal contender. With a podium finish in London, Rhode will become the first American Olympian in an individual sport to win five medals in five consecutive Olympic Games. Staff Sergeant Josh Richmond (Hillsgrove, Pa.) of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will be shooting in Men’s Double Trap next July, following deployment to Afghanistan this fall to serve his country.

In rifle, two-time Olympic medalist Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.) will be competing in his third Olympic Games in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position. Sergeant First Class Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) will represent the U.S. in his second Olympic Games in Men’s 50m Rifle Prone. Finally, in Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position, Jamie Beyerle (Lebanon, Pa.) will compete in her second Olympic Games.

To date the USA Shooting Team has secured 16 of 28 potential country participation quotas for London and will compete for additional quotas in the upcoming World Clay Target Championships and Pan American Games later this year.

Over the next twelve months, U.S. shooters will compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials to earn the final spots on Team USA. Show your support for your USA Shooting Team athletes as they qualify for Team USA by ‘liking’ USA Shooting’s Facebook Page or by visiting www.usashooting.org .

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is proud to announce that Staff Sergeant Josh Richmond, from Hillsgrove, Pa. and a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, has qualified for a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Upon approval, Richmond will be competing in his first-ever Olympic Games in London 2012 as a Men’s Double Trap athlete. At just 25 years old, Staff Sgt. Richmond has dominated the international scene since clinching the World Championship title in 2010. With consistent podium-topping performances since that time, he has surpassed the point threshold to earn a 2012 nomination.

Following the 2008 Olympic Games, USA Shooting adopted a point selection procedure for athletes to gain an Olympic nomination. Points are awarded based on competition performance at International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cups and World Championships.

It should also be noted that Staff Sgt. Richmond is a full-time Solider and member of the USAMU stationed in Fort Benning, Ga. Moreover, prior to shooting for his Olympic dreams, this fall Staff Sgt. Richmond will deploy to serve in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Starting off his quest for London 2012, Staff Sgt. Richmond took charge at the first ISSF World Cup of the season in the sun and sand of Acapulco in 2010. He shot 144 out of 150 match targets and 48 targets in the final for a total of 192 targets and the gold medal. Shortly thereafter, he finished fourth at the ISSF World Cup in Dorset, England, with 143 match targets and 45 targets in the final.

Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond

In undoubtedly his best performance thus far, Staff Sgt. Richmond started off the ISSF World Shooting Championships in Munich, Germany, by dropping only four targets throughout the entire match to enter the final with 146 targets. With a singular focus, he surged ahead to equal the final world record score of a perfect 50 out of 50 targets to finish with 196 targets and the title of World Champion. As a result of these performances, he earned the title of USA Shooting’s 2010 Male Athlete of the Year.

In 2011, a bronze medal got the season off to a solid start as Staff Sgt. Richmond shot 143 match targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 189 targets in Chile. He continued to find the podium in Sydney with 140 match targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 186 targets and the silver medal, Australia. In his third ISSF World Cup appearance of the year, Staff Sgt. Richmond shot 145 match targets and 47 out of 50 targets in the final for a total of 192 targets and fourth place in Slovenia.

National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “Josh is the top ranked Men’s Double Trap shooter in the world because he consistently delivers medal-winning performances. His Olympic nomination comes from outstanding performances in 2010 and 2011 and I’m looking forward to having him represent our country in his first-ever Olympic Games. If he continues on the same path as the past two seasons, he will be a contender for the gold medal.”

“It was a great feeling to know that I have qualified to compete in the Olympic Games, which has been a long term goal of mine,” Richmond said. “After I made the threshold I immediately began thanking all of the coaches, family, friends and organizations that made this goal a reality; starting with United States Army Marksmanship Unit for not only molding me into a Soldier, but giving me the opportunity to compete and win at the highest level.

“I look forward to representing the country not only in my upcoming deployment but also in the Olympic Games where my goal is to bring home the gold for the United States,” said Richmond.

Richmond is the second Soldier from the USAMU to be nominated for selection to the Olympics. SFC Eric Uptagrafft was nominated in June to compete in Men’s Prone Rifle. USA Shooting would like to congratulate Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond on his 2012 Olympic nomination, wish him success at his first Olympic Games and thank him for proudly serving our country.

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is proud to announce that Staff Sergeant Josh Richmond (Hillsgrove, Pa.) has qualified for a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Upon approval, Richmond will be competing in his first-ever Olympic Games in London 2012 as a Men’s Double Trap athlete.

At just 25 years old, Staff Sgt. Richmond has dominated the international scene since clinching the World Championship title in 2010.

With consistent podium-topping performances since that time, he has surpassed the point threshold to earn a 2012 nomination. Following the 2008 Olympic Games, USA Shooting adopted a point selection procedure for athletes to gain an Olympic nomination. Points are awarded based on competition performance at International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cups and World Championships. It should also be noted that Staff Sgt. Richmond is a full-time solider and member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit stationed in Fort Benning, Ga. Moreover, prior to shooting for his Olympic dreams, this fall Staff Sgt. Richmond will deploy to serve the USA in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond is gunning for gold in London 2012.

Starting off his quest for London 2012, Staff Sgt. Richmond took charge at the first ISSF World Cup of the season in the sun and sand of Acapulco in 2010. He shot 144 out of 150 match targets and 48 targets in the final for a total of 192 targets and the gold medal. Shortly thereafter, he finished fourth at the ISSF World Cup in Dorset, England, with 143 match targets and 45 targets in the final. In undoubtedly his best performance thus far, Staff Sgt. Richmond started off the ISSF World Shooting Championships in Munich, Germany, by dropping only four targets throughout the entire match to enter the final with 146 targets. With a singular focus, he surged ahead to equal the final world record score of a perfect 50 out of 50 targets to finish with 196 targets and the title of World Champion. As a result of these performances, he earned the title of USA Shooting’s 2010 Male Athlete of the Year.

In 2011, a bronze medal got the season off to a solid start as Staff Sgt. Richmond shot 143 match targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 189 targets in Chile. He continued to find the podium in Sydney with 140 match targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 186 targets and the silver medal, Australia. In his third ISSF World Cup appearance of the year, Staff Sgt. Richmond shot 145 match targets and 47 out of 50 targets in the final for a total of 192 targets and fourth place in Slovenia.

National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “Josh is the top ranked Men’s Double Trap shooter in the world because he consistently delivers medal-winning performances. His Olympic nomination comes from outstanding performances in 2010 and 2011 and I’m looking forward to having him represent our country in his first-ever Olympic Games. If he continues on the same path as the past two seasons, he will be a contender for the gold medal.”

“It was a great feeling to know that I have qualified to compete in the Olympic Games, which has been a long term goal of mine. After I made the threshold I immediately began thanking all of the coaches, family, friends and organizations that made this goal a reality; starting with United States Army Marksmanship Unit for not only molding me into a Soldier, but giving me the opportunity to compete and win at the highest level. I look forward to representing the country not only in my upcoming deployment but also in the Olympic Games where my goal is to bring home the gold for the United States,” said Richmond.

USA Shooting would like to congratulate Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond on his 2012 Olympic nomination, wish him success at his first Olympic Games and thank him for proudly serving our country.

To learn more about Olympic shooting and Josh Richmond, please visit the USA Shooting website.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Fort Benning, in conjunction with USA Shooting, will host the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup USA October 3-9 at the home of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit.

This event will be the largest Paralympic shooting event on American soil. Paralympic shooters from around the world will travel to Columbus, Ga., for the opportunity to win quotas to the 2012 Paralympic Games.

“As the first IPC Shooting World Cup in the United States we hope to bring a great opportunity to our western hemisphere neighbors as well as a first rate competition for the Paralympic shooting community,” said Wanda Jewell, the Chief of the Organizing Committee for the event.

Hosting an event such as this is not new to the USAMU or Fort Benning. The past two years more than 1,200 shooters and country representatives from around the world have come to Fort Benning to participate in International Shooting Sports Federation Rifle and Pistol World Cups, providing a boon to the local economy while showing off Fort Benning and the Columbus area.

The match held back in May was the biggest international shooting event ever on U.S. soil. 24 Olympic quotas were awarded over the course of the week-long event.

USAMU Paralympic Shooting platoon members Sgt. 1st Class Josh Olson and Sgt. Kisha Makerney will have the unique opportunity of representing the Army and the U.S. team on their home range.

“This Paralympic World Cup is an exciting new avenue for our unit and our Army,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Hodne, commander, USAMU.

“This Paralympic World Cup will be the first event of its kind to ever take place in the Western Hemisphere. It will also be the first event of its kind to enable our unit’s Wounded Warriors to show the strength of our Soldiers, represent our Army and our nation at this high level on their home range.”

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

Pictured above are the Men's Trap medalists (L to R): Staff Sergeant Ryan Hadden, Matt Gossett and Brian Burrows celebrate their podium finishes in Men's Trap.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- At the first final of the USA Shooting National Championships for Shotgun, Matt Gossett (Springville, Ala.), won the title of Men’s Trap National Champion.

Gossett shot 241 out of 250 targets over three days of competition. Despite the gusting winds, he stayed strong in the final to shoot 23 out of 25 targets for a one target victory.

Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete Brian Burrows (Fallbrook, Calif.) won the silver medal with 242 out of 250 targets and 21 targets in the final for 263 total targets. Staff Sergeant Ryan Hadden of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shot 238 out of 250 match targets and 23 targets in the final for the bronze medal. Morgan Harbison (Waller, Texas) and Wesley Wilcox both finished with 260 targets after the finals. After a two target shoot-off, Harbison emerged the fourth place finisher. Wilcox finished fifth overall with 260+1 targets (239+21). Resident Athlete Collin Wietfeldt (Hemlock, Mich.) finished in sixth place with 237 match targets and 16 targets in the final for 253 total targets.

In Women’s Trap, Kayle Browning (Wooster, Ark.) shot 231 out of 250 match targets and scored the highest final of 23 targets for the gold medal and national title. Miranda Wilder (Diana, Texas) earned a spot in the final with 234 out of 250 match targets. Wilder delivered a 19 target final for the silver medal. Resident Athlete Rachael Heiden (Clinton, Mich.) shot 237 out of 250 targets and 15 targets in the final for a total of 252 targets. Heiden and Sergeant First Class Terri DeWitt (Smiths Station, Ala.) tied at 252 targets and Heiden secured the bronze after one target in the shoot-off. Resident Athlete Corey Cogdell (Eagle River, Alaska) finished with 228 targets and 21 targets in the final for 249 total targets and fifth place. Kelsey Zauhar (Lakeville, Minn.) shot 226 match targets and 16 targets in the final for 242 total targets to finish sixth.

In the Men’s Double Trap final of the USA Shooting (USAS) National Championships for Shotgun, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) gold and black filled the podium. Sergeant Jeffrey Holguin (Yorba Linda, Calif.) claimed the national title and gold medal with 289 match targets and 48 targets in the final for a total of 337 out of 350 targets. His USAMU and USAS National Shotgun teammate Staff Sergeant Joshua Richmond (Hillsgrove, Pa.) won the silver medal with 287 match targets. Richmond shot 48 targets in the final for 335 total targets. Sergeant Glenn Eller (Katy, Texas) shot 285 match targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 331 targets.

This talented trio will be representing the USA at the next ISSF World Cup in Slovenia in July and then at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Clay Target Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “The U.S. Army Men’s Double Trap shooters are still on top of their game and dominating the sport. We can’t ask for a better team as we look to win our second quota in Slovenia or Serbia.” The fourth place finisher was 17-year-old Ian Rupert (Muncy, Pa.) with 277 targets and 46 targets in the final for a total of 323 targets. Private First Class Derek Haldeman (Sunbury, Ohio) shot 273 match targets and 47 targets in the final for 320 total targets to finish in fifth place. Haldeman just graduated from the U.S. Army’s basic training two weeks ago and was assigned to the USAMU. Billy Crawford (Johnstown, Ohio) finished in sixth place with 272 match targets and 45 targets in the final for a total of 317 targets.

The final day of the USA Shooting National Championships for Shotgun brought high scores and dramatic finals. In the Men’s Skeet final, Sergeant Vincent Hancock of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (Eatonton, Ga.) won his third straight National title. With a match score of 247 of 250 match targets, Hancock only dropped one target for a final of 24 out of 25 targets. He claimed the gold medal with a total of 271 targets. The silver medalist was Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete Frank Thompson (Alliance, Neb.). Thompson shot 240 qualification targets and was the only competitor to shoot a straight 25 target final. Thompson shot his way up to 265 targets after the final to tie fellow Resident Athlete Sean McLelland (Harlingen, Texas). Thompson beat McLelland after 14 targets in the shoot-off. McLelland finished with 242 match targets and 23 in the final for a total of 265 + 13 targets and a spot on the National Shotgun team. Jon Michael McGrath (Tulsa, Okla.) finished in fourth place with 240 out of 250 targets and 22 targets in the final for a total of 262 targets. BJ Blanchard (Vidor, Texas) finished in fifth place with 237 match targets and 24 targets in the final. TJ Bayer (College Station, Texas) shot 260 total targets ( 237+23) for sixth place.

In Women’s Skeet, Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) won her second National Championship title for Women’s Skeet. Rhode, who is already nominated to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team for Women’s Skeet, proved that she is on top of her game with 241 match targets and 24 targets in the final for a total of 265 targets and the gold medal. Brandy Drozd (Bryan, Texas) may only be 17 years old, but she proved that she’s ready for the National Team with an outstanding performance at this year’s Nationals. Drozd finished with 241 match targets and 22 targets in the final for the silver medal. The bronze medalist was Olympic Training Center Resident Athlete Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.). Connor shot 235 match targets and 25 targets in the final for 260 total targets. Teammate Jaiden Grinnell (Port Angeles, Wash.) shot 233 match targets and 25 targets in the final to finish in fourth place. Amber English (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished in fifth place with 226 match targets and 23 targets in the final for 249 total targets. Haley Dunn (Eddyville, Ia.) shot 225 match targets and 23 targets in the final to finish in sixth place.

Catch all the latest updates and follow your team on USA Shooting’s Facebook.

Winchester Ammunition is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team: Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USAShooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting is pleased to announce that 2004 and 2008 Olympic medalist Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.) has qualified for a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Upon approval, Emmons will be competing in his third consecutive Olympic Games in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position. Emmons was the Men’s 50m Rifle Prone gold medalist in 2004 in Athens and the silver medalist in the same event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

He also placed in the top ten in Men’s 50m Rifle Thee Position in 2004 and 2008. Emmons is working toward a bright future as he solidified a nomination for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team following stellar performances in 2010 and 2011. Following the 2008 Olympic Games, USA Shooting adopted a point selection procedure for athletes to gain an Olympic nomination. Points are awarded based on competition performance at International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cups and World Championships.

Two-time Olympic medalist Matt Emmons is gearing up for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.

Emmons started off 2010 with an unprecedented three International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position gold medals. He began the season in Sydney, Australia with 1170 match points and 102.6 points in the final for a total of 1272.6 points. Emmons continued to dominate with a gold medal victory at the ISSF World Cup USA. He fired 1178 points and 98.6 points in the final for a total of 1276.6 points. He shot 598 match points and 104.1 points in the final for a total of 702.1 points. In the end of June, he upped his medal total with his third gold medal of the season at the ISSF World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia. Emmons led the pack with 1181 match points. He followed up his five point lead with 97.4 points in the final for 1278.4 total points.

Matt opted out of the ISSF World Cup Final in October of last year due to recovery from surgery. In September of 2010, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and as a result had his thyroid removed. After only an eight-week recovery, he finished second at the USAS Winter Airgun Championships and thereby earned a place at two 2011 ISSF World Cups in Men’s 10m Air Rifle. He continued to shine in February on the domestic scene, setting a new national of 1188 points in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position qualification at the Rocky Mountain Rifle Championship. Moreover, Emmons finished the three-position match with a 19.6 point margin over the silver medalist. His final score was 1188 points in day one, 1179 points in day two and 101.6 points in the final for a total of 2468.6 points.

Back in Sydney, Australia for the first ISSF World Cup of the 2011 season, Emmons brought home a silver medal in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position. At 1169 qualification points, Emmons was situated in the middle of the final. Facing a deficit of seven points after China’s Qinan Zhu shot a commanding 1176 qualification points, Emmons fired 101 points in the final to outlast the rest of the field and finish with the silver medal. Shortly after, he shot the highest final of the ISSF World Cup USA with 101.2 points. Emmons finished qualification with 1172 points and scored 50.7 points in a shoot-off to earn the seventh position in the final. He shot his way up to fifth place and finished with 1273.2 total points to add to his U.S. Olympic point selection total.

National Rifle Coach Major Dave Johnson said, “Matt continues to overcome personal challenges and push the limits of the sport. In Australia he won a silver medal against many odds and earned a U.S. Olympic Team nomination. I expect him to contend for Men’s 10m Air Rifle and Men’s 50m Rifle Prone and I know he’s passionate about reaching the Olympic podium again.”

“I can’t wait to have the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games next year. I have a lot to work on between now and then, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m also very thankful of the people who have helped move me along the path and help keep me at the top. I have to thank USA Shooting and the sponsors of USAS, the United States Olympic Committee, and my coach, Dave Johnson. Further, the sponsors of USAS play a vital role in helping the whole team achieve Olympic dreams. Without them, very little would be possible. I’d also like to thank my sponsors: ELEY, H&N, Anschutz and AHG, Gehmann, and Deerassic Park. Thanks for everything, let’s go win more medals together!” said an enthusiastic Emmons.

USA Shooting would like to congratulate Matt Emmons on working hard to earn his 2012 Olympic nomination.

To learn more about Olympic shooting and Matt Emmons, please visit the USA Shooting website.
ELEYELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world’s most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.

About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- Eric Uptagrafft’s outstanding performances in 2010 and 2011 earned him a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

In patriotic fashion, USA Shooting is honored to announce that 1996 Olympian Sergeant First Class Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) has qualified for a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Upon approval, Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft will compete in his specialty event-Men’s 50m Rifle Prone. Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft is a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit stationed in Fort Benning, Ga. As a proud soldier and American, Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft will compete in his second Olympic Games with his sights set on gold. Following the 2008 Olympic Games, USA Shooting adopted a point selection procedure for athletes to gain an Olympic nomination. Points are awarded based on competition performance at International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cups and World Championships.

Eric Uptagrafft's outstanding performances in 2010 and 2011 earned him a nomination to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

Uptagrafft has been a dominating force in Men’s 50m Rifle Prone for the past two seasons. He began 2010 with a sixth place finish at the first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Sydney, Australia. Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft scored 594 match points and 103.1 points in the final for a total of 697.1 points.

At the second leg of World Cup competition in Beijing, China, he climbed onto the podium with 598 match points and 103.2 points in the final for the bronze medal. Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft continued to solidify his top-three world ranking with a silver medal at his home range during the ISSF World Cup USA.

In the presence of U.S. Army dignitaries, Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft’s hold didn’t falter as he shot 597 match points and the highest final of 105.8 points for the silver medal. At the 2010 ISSF World Shooting Championships in Munich, Germany, he placed seventh overall with 598 match points and 102.3 points in the final for a total of 700.3 points.

Maintaining his momentum, Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft was on target at the first ISSF World Cup of 2011 in Sydney, Australia. He shot 599 match points and 104.2 points in the final for a total of 703.2 points. Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft’s performance earned him a silver medal and an Olympic participation quota for Team USA in London 2012. Shortly thereafter, he followed up that performance with yet another silver medal at the ISSF World Cup Changwon. Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft shot 699.6 total points (596+103.6) to break the U.S. Olympic selection point threshold. In his most recent match at the ISSF World Cup USA, he finished fifth overall with 598 match points and 101.9 points in the final for 699.9 total points.

National Rifle Coach Major Dave Johnson said, “Eric is one of our most experienced international athletes. This benefited him in his pursuit of the point system slot for the U.S. Olympic Team. He’s had an outstanding year and has earned the slot and the respect of his competitors worldwide. I expect to see him on the podium in London.”

Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft said, “It is the realization of a dream to compete in the Olympics again. I’ve learned a lot since Atlanta and look forward to the challenge. I’d like to thank the U.S. Army, the USAMU, and USA Shooting for helping me reach my intermediate goal of making the team and for helping me prepare for next summer.”

USA Shooting would like to congratulate Sgt. 1st Class Uptagrafft and wish him success in his training for London 2012.

To learn more about Olympic shooting and Eric Uptagrafft, please visit the USA Shooting website.

ELEYELEY is a Proud Sponsor of the USA Shooting Rifle and Pistol Teams: ELEY Limited, manufacturer of the world’s most consistently accurate rimfire ammunition, has been the Official Sponsor and Official Supplier of .22 rimfire ammunition of the USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams since 2000. For more information on ELEY and their products, please visit www.eley.co.uk.

About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and Facebook.