I’ve had a bit to say about why we don’t dominate the Olympics here, but Kim has some more, and I think he’s right about this:
The problem is that outside the Army Marksmanship Unit, there are no professional Olympic shooters in America—no sponsorships, no funding from any source—so therefore people cannot afford to train for 8-10 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, which is what’s required to win the Olympics, in any sport (ask Michael Phelps about the training required to win Olympic Gold).
So when we say that we “should†be winning Olympic gold medals in the shooting sports, because we are by golly the Land of the Second Amendment and the Nation of Riflemen, we forget that winning Olympic medals is not just raw talent, but dedication—and dedication not just from the participants, but from We The People.
If there is no public support for Olympic shooting, though, then we have no right to complain when our amateur shooters can’t compete against the professionals of other countries.
If we want to be winners, money has to flow into these sports, and right now, not enough is.
We have champions, they have sponsorship, the IOC is just too gutless to make those particular shooting sports Olympic Events.
An Olympic Steel Challenge?
Olympic Three Gun?
Olympic 1,000 meter?
I do think our shotgun makers could step up on sponsoring some touring shooters.
I can’t take the time to to register on Kim’s site but I know of the story, second hand from many years ago.
Basically, the Olympic coach was pontificating about how great their shooting program is and how the USPSA shooters would need to adapt to the coaches style. After some time of this lecture, the “young gun” asked if the system was so great, where are the medals. He kept asking “where are the medals” “sure like to see the medals” etc. The “young gun” had an attitude and his personality is very colorful. Eventually, the coaches left and said that USPSA shooters don’t have the proper attitude work within their system, which didn’t break anyone’s hearts.
Its a funny story when you hear it in person and know the people involved.
As for the shaking, the position the Olympic shooters shot in is fairly uncomfortable for guys used to shooting Isoceles.