Colorado Springs, CO -(Ammoland.com) – Jay Waldron, a 1992 Olympian in Trap, has been hired by USA Shooting as its new Assistant National Shotgun Coach and Resident Program Manager.
He will work alongside National Team Coach Todd Graves in helping managing the current program with an emphasis on preparing and developing talent within USA Shooting’s Resident Athlete shotgun program based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Waldron began his duties on Friday.
Over the past two years, Waldron, has worked in a part-time, voluntary role as the USA Shooting Team Assistant National Team coach, helping guide a program that earned 13 World Cup and 11 World Championship medals in 2014.
“The hiring of Jay to assist me with building and developing this program and ensuring its continued success is the next great step in our progression,” said Graves. “My former teammate and one of the best Trap shooters ever, Jay understands the level at which we need to compete at and has the athletes interest in mind. Having him in Colorado Springs with the talent we have there will help bolster that program by ensuring the athletes are receiving the best coaching and guidance possible.”
Waldron, previously a coach at the Hillsboro Trap & Skeet Club in Eugene, Oregon, competed in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and earned a spot in the Finals after shooting a 195/200. Waldron was a two-time Junior World Clay Target Champion, earning those titles in back-to-back events in 1983 and 1985 respectively. Also in 1985, he won the Junior title at the Championship of the Americas. In 1991 and 1992, he was a contender in almost every match he was in, including gold and silver in two 1992 World Cups, as well as making Finals in three others. In 1991, he finished fifth in Trap and seventh in Double Trap at the World Championship while also winning the Pan American Games.
Waldron admits how lucky he’s been. First, as a shooter, when he crossed paths with Chuck Dryke who he says was an outstanding coach, mentor and motivator, at a tiny range in Sequim, Washington, the Sunnydell Shooting Grounds. Through that relationship, a passion for shooting grew with an unquenched desire to conquer the complexities of the game.
“Luck has found me again in presenting this unbelievable opportunity with USA Shooting,” Waldron admits. “The last two years working with the resident athletes and US Team members on a part-time basis has been an absolutely great experience. I am unbelievably excited to join the USAS staff and get to work out here in Colorado Springs full-time. We have a great group of athletes in our resident shotgun program who are both dedicated and talented. My mission is to be what Chuck was to me; creating the model of success that they will hopefully carry with them for life.”
“I’m stoked that I will get to work with one of the best Trap shooters that have come out of the U.S.,” said OTC Resident Athlete Jake Wallace upon hearing the news.
Wallace, a rising star on the U.S. team, equaled the World Record in Trap, shooting a perfect 125 this past October. That mark was the first perfect score by a U.S. athlete in international competition in 16 years.
“I’m really excited to have Jay in Colorado Springs,” said two-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Corey Cogdell-Unrein. “He is one of the most positive coaches I have come across and I think he will be a great addition to the coaching staff here.”
About Winchester Ammunition
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 past two shotgun teams brought home a combined six medals from London and 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 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 usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.