Shooter Spotlight: Joe Graf

The purpose of the “Shooter Spotlight” is to help shooters get to know their fellow competitors a little bit better. We cover a wide range of shooters from “Marksman to Master.” This is the fourth interview in the series.

Joe Graf

Joe Graf
Glocester, RI

How long have you been shooting?
I received my first rifle, a Savage .22 long rifle lever action rifle, the day I was born.  I started shooting it when I was about 6 years old.

How did you get involved in shooting competitively?
My cousin, who lived next door, had been shooting competitive smallbore for a year or so and asked me if I wanted to go and try it.  I was 17 at the time and instantly enjoyed it.

What is a little known fact about yourself that your fellow competitors might not know?
I was a Red Sox fan until I entered the 7th grade.  I was lured to the dark side as many of my good friends were Yankee fans.  About two years later I successfully escaped the dark side and returned to being a dedicated Red Sox fan.

What do you consider your finest shooting achievement.
Becoming the RI Metric Prone State Champion in 2008 where I also earned my first step toward the NRA Distinguish Prone Award.

What is your favorite pre-match meal?
A blueberry muffin, banana, and milk before a morning match, a hamburger and fries before an evening match.

What is your favorite post match drink?
Water, Diet Coke.

Do you have a favorite shooting range?
Camp Perry for the National Championships.  It is a place and time where I learn so much, both from participating and hearing advise from the other competitors.

Do you have any short term and/or long term goals?
My short term goal is to refine my positions with the new rifle.  Long term, earn NRA distinguished shooter award in both smallbore prone and position.

What shooting skill are currently focusing your energy on?
Now that the summer prone matches at Hopkinton are done, I am focusing on my hold in standing.  I purchased a new coat, pants, and boats at the end of the 2008-2009 winter season. This is the first time using pants and boots.  I want to improve my offhand scores and feel this is the first step.

Thanks Joe for sharing a little bit about yourself with the pronematch.com community!

About H

Dan started shooting competitive smallbore in 1986. During his Junior career, he earned two national junior team titles as well as local and regional wins. After a 10 year year hiatus to attend college and start a family, Dan returned to the sport and has added local, sectional and regional wins to his shooting resume. Dan is a Distinguished Rifleman, National Record Holder, U.S Dewar Team Member, Black Hawk Rifle Club Member, Digby Hand Schützenverein member, and is the founder of pronematch.com. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and 2 children.
This entry was posted in Shooter Spotlight and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Shooter Spotlight: Joe Graf

  1. Hap Roxketto says:

    Joe,
    Looks like an old photoGraf as I see a wooden rifle.
    Go Sox.
    Hap

  2. @pronematch says:

    Ha! "photoGraf", no wonder I have you on the payroll, Hap…..

Leave a Reply to Hap Roxketto Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *