TargetTalk

Tell me what is wrong with this picture!!! If we are trying to win some pistol medals why take a RT coach and make him the National Pistol Coach?

Yes they are serious, I saw it on:
www.usashooting.com

As I am a Brit this decision does not affect me at all.

IMHO however, to be a coach to elite level pistol shooters you do not need to be extremely knowledgeable in pistol shooting techniques. By the time they reach elite level shooters already know how to line up the sights and pull the trigger.

It is much more important to be able to convert extremely good shooters into medal winners. An ability to motivate, inspire and give confidence is vital. This is common to all shooting disciplines.

A top quality elite level coach in one discipline should have no problem in transferring their skills to a different one.

David, I can see your position & for the most part agree. However, if they let the prior pistol coach go (Erich) because he could not get his team to win Olympic medals why did they not go with a coach (of any discipline) who has a history of winning Olympic medals?

Sorry Gregg, not knowing anything about the elite coaches in the US, and very little about the shooters (or indeed other athletes) in their care, it would be wrong of me to comment on specifics.

The principle of transferability (is that a word?) of elite level coaching skills still stands though.

As I am a Brit this decision does not affect me at all.

It "might" affect you, if as is hoped, this change causes the US to start winning more pistol medals.... there will be fewer left over for the UK team to win ! :)

I look forward to working with Sergey, IF I can ever learn to shoot well enough to qualify for the National team!

I found a brief biography of him at the USAS website (the URL says http://www.usashooting.com/bios/biosearch3.cfm? but that might display a different page than the one I'm looking at) He has a Master's Degree in Coaching from the Belorussia State University of Physical Training and Sport in Minsk.



Poole

David makes a great point. When I gratuated from college I started to focus on shooting rifle only and joined up with a club team where the coach had little to no shooting experience himself. He had learned everything through his kid and other adults in the junior club. He ended up becoming one of the best junior coaches in the state and many juniors ended up on teams at college because of him.

I know I found it helpfull Erich could show me how to take apart my Toz and how to do some things to it to make things better.

Sergey can learn his way around a pistol as he picks up some stuff from the shooters he coaches and at the same time he can teach shooters what he knows about shooting a shot and performing to our limits. I think it is a good thing to have some new blood in the position and I am looking foward to working with Sergey.

How many medals has the moving target team brought home?

Dwight

Dear "Guest",

Do you actually know Sergey? Do you know how much he brings to the table? Do you know what it *really* takes to win at the Olympics? Do you know how little of that is actually about the pistol itself?

As for how many RT medals we have won under his leadership, there are a lot more factors than merely who the coach was. See the shooter's lounge threads about "where we go from here" for future Olympics and the US team. Given the constraints that he had, Sergey did an amazingly good job.

David Levene is exactly right. Please re-read his initial response in this thread.

Sergey has previously helped a number of our pistol (and other) athletes even though he was "only" an RT coach. The athletes went to him for help with answers to their questions... and how to hold a pistol wasn't on the list. How to train, how to think, how not to think, how to compete, how to win, how to set up training schedules and parameters and drills and all that other "stuff"... and more... that's what Sergey brings to the table... and much more.

Even though I work with a larger number of rifle athletes, I have been and am close to a number of past, present, and (hopefully!) future National Team pistol shooters and have worked with some of them as one of their coaches or as a clinic instructor. I know what they need because I see it and I hear it from them and from certain top level coaches and athletes. Sergey brings a LOT - and a lot of it will be very, very useful to our pistol athletes.

Will Sergey enjoy success? Who knows! Only time - and the athletes - will tell. I won't be surprised if he enjoys much success.

Ok, that's my 2 cents worth...

"Feel Center!"

-JP

AMEN JP!