Coach College and Conference Set for September in Colorado S

[USA Shooting]

USA Shooting's Biennial Coach College and Conference Set for September in Colorado Springs



USA Shooting National Team, Sergey Luzov, provides some instruction to 2012 Olympian Sandra Uptagrafft during the 2012 Olympic Games.
USA Shooting will host the 2013 Coach College (Sept. 16-18) and Coaches Conference (Sept. 19-21 ) for continuing education of USA Shooting coaches and program leaders at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Registration for the conference is set to begin May 1.

USA Shooting recognizes that coaching athletes is one of the most challenging endeavors, while it can be also be one of the most rewarding. The Coach College and Conference is organized to help USA Shooting coaches meet the challenges of coaching competitive athletes. The program is a cooperative effort designed by the National Rifle Association and USA Shooting.

The program is designed for either those with an interest in becoming a certified coach in any of the rifle, pistol or shotgun disciplines or for those certified coaches wanting to expand their skills and get advanced coaching certification. The coach conference is the place to learn from others, network with other coaches and build a better competitive program at the club, high school and collegiate level.

"On-going coach education and development is an absolute priority for USA Shooting," said
Michael Theimer, 1976 Olympian and the Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager for USA Shooting. "We recognize that our ability to develop athletes and strengthen our pipeline can only be as strong as the coaches involved. At a grassroots level, trained coaches must come first. Without the coaches on the ground first, you cannot start up or grow a youth program."

So many topics of interest have been suggested by past attendees that the conference will feature concurrent presentations which will allow coaches to attend the conference topics of their choice. There will be a general session on Friday from Noon to 5pm, which will include a special keynote speaker, athlete panel, national coach panel, and other cross discipline topics. Prior to the conference, a special SCATT clinic for rifle and pistol coaches will also be held on Thursday, Sept. 19. The rest of the conference will feature sessions that will include updates from CMP, NRA Collegiate Programs, ISSF, SCTP, USAS Youth Programs as well as information on range development and lead management, fundraising, physiological and nutrition, the German shooting club model and many other topics of interest.

Dorm rooms at the U.S. Olympic Training Center will be extremely limited and on first-come, first-serve basis. A list of hotel options in the region will be provided with the registration information once it becomes available.

USA Shooting is headquartered at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Located on the OTC campus, the Olympic Shooting Center was built in 1985 and is used for elite and resident athlete training, competitions, national championships, coaching seminars, camps, committee meetings and local clubs. Approximately 25 resident and day-use athletes train at the OTC during the year.

The Shooting Center is the largest indoor shooting facility in the Western Hemisphere and the third largest in the world. Three separate ranges provide 29 firing points from 50 meters and 73 firing points from 10 meters for training and competitions. It also houses the administration offices, a gunsmith room and locker rooms for resident and visiting athletes.

In addition to the indoor ranges at the OTC, the outdoor ranges at the International Shooting Park are also used by U.S. Shooting Team members. Construction began in 1985 on 102 acres of land leased to the United States Olympic Committee at the edge of the U.S. Army Fort Carson military base. Five superimposed international-style skeet and bunker trap fields, shade shelters and a clubhouse have been completed.

For more information, please contact Michael Theimer by email at michael.theimer@usashooting.org.