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 43rd interview in the series.
Where do you call home?
I am from Colchester, VT. Although, I live in Akron, OH now while going to college and shooting on the University of Akron rifle team. Vermont is home though 🙂
How long have you been shooting?
I have been around the sport since I was four when my sister started competitively shooting. When I turned 12 I finally took up the sport myself and have been shooting ever since.
How did you get involved in shooting competitively?
When my sister started shooting I was the little kid that had to be dragged around to all of the practices and matches. I hated it! I swore that I would never join the shooting sport. But in 2001 my sister competed in the American Legion match held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Two of the national team members saw that I was bored and took me into the running target range and taught me how to shoot an air rifle. For the next three days I was glued to the range. I fell in love with the sport. When we went home to VT, I instantly joined the team.
What is a little known fact about yourself that your fellow competitors might not know?
I found out I am allergic to gluten a few months ago. That includes wheat, barley, and rye. So unfortunately, I have had to cut out all of those from my diet. This has seemed to help my shooting though, as my scores have shot up since I changed my eating habits.
What do you consider your finest shooting achievement?
This past year I shot a 590 in air and a 578 in smallbore on the same day. To break two personal bests on the same day, and then top it off by qualifying for NCAA’s in air rifle was an amazing accomplishment.
What is your favorite pre-match meal?
I used to go for good ol’ Bob Evans sausage and biscuits … but I recently found out I am allergic to gluten so now I get to have a banana or apple with yogurt before I shoot. Definitely not as appetizing, but probably better for my shooting!
What is your favorite post match drink?
Water? Or maybe a cherry coke once the season is over with. Boring, I know.
Do you have a favorite shooting range?
My favorite smallbore range is most definitely Palmyra. I always seem to shoot really well there. And my favorite air range was the one set up at Texas Christian University for NCAAs in the coliseum. Even though I didn’t shoot as well as I hoped there, it was still an amazing feeling to get to shoot in a range like that.
Do you have any short term and/or long term goals?
I am really focusing on just enjoying the sport. When I focus on the fun of it, that seems to bring me the best scores. I definitely would like to go back to NCAAs, but maybe for both guns, and also with the rest of my team.
What shooting skill are currently focusing your energy on?
I am focusing on the mental aspect of shooting mostly, relaxing and enjoying the process of shooting, instead of looking at the outcome. I am trying to take my performance more into account than the score.
Thanks Sarah for sharing a little bit about yourself with the pronematch.com community!
This is a GREAT Shooter Spotlight!! I am so proud of my little sister and glad that she decided to give shooting a try…even after being bored to death being dragged around to all of my matches. I know that is how she soaked up a lot of her knowledge and talent.
Great job Sarah. I look forward to seeing where these next few years take you!!