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On the Cover


Zeroed In: USAFA Sharpshooter Doesn’t Recoil From Competition


BY AMBER BAILLIE ACADEMY SPIRIT STAFF WRITER REPRINTED WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION


der pressure,” Meili said. “All of this will help Meredith be a stronger offi cer and handle the pressures that come along with that service.”


During a competition, shoot- ers must be able to fi ne-tune their focus, manage their nerves, and keep calm no matter the cir- cumstances, Meili said. “Those are characteristics


you want to have when facing any challenging and stressful situation,” she said. “We train for those every day and I believe they support a strong warrior ethos.”


When it comes to air rifl e competition, one Academy cadet is of a vastly different caliber. After competing in the 2014


Bavarian Airgun Championships in Munich, Germany earlier this year and fi nishing 26th in the world, Cadet 2nd Class Meredith Carpentier (Waukegan, Ill.,


pic-


tured) has become a rising star in Women’s 10m Air Rifl e and will represent the country at the World Cup USA at Fort Benning, Ga., in March. Carpentier, a biology major and member of the USA Shoot- ing Junior National Team, said the mental focus and self-con- trol required in the sport directly translates to the stressful situ- ations offi cers will face during their career. “Once you get past the physi- cal mechanics of marksmanship, the rest of your barriers will come from within your own head,” she said. “The most diffi cult part of


the sport is discipline.” The sharp shooter,


Waukegan, from Ill., said she fi rst


learned to shoot competitively during her freshman year in high school. “I’ve been fortunate to have been coached by the best, both in high school and at the Acad- emy,” Carpentier said. “For me to pass by an opportunity such as the USA Shooting Team would be an incredible dishonor to the time and effort the Academy has invested in developing me as a shooter. I intend to take my skill as far as I can, whether to the Olympics or simply through my time here.”


Carpentier earned three gold


and two bronze medals in De- cember during the Winter Airgun Championships,


qualifying her


for the Munich championships. She earned the highest score in the women’s collegiate air rifl e match.


“She came out of that match with more medals than anyone, and qualifi ed to go to Munich to shoot against the best shooters in the world,” said Launi Meili, the Academy’s rifl e coach and 1992 Olypic gold medalist. Carpentier competed against


87 international competitors in Munich. Four other women from the USA Shooting Team also par- ticipated and Carpentier was the top U.S. fi nisher.


“Carpentier represented the Academy and the U.S. well,” Meili said. “This was her fi rst interna- tional match and her fi rst expe- rience to feel what it is like to represent her country.” Meili said Carpentier is devel- oping the mental stamina and toughness needed to perform when the world is watching. “You can be a great shooter in


practice, but getting the job done on match day when it counts takes someone who thrives un-


Goals that involve purely numbers only take you so far, Carpentier said. “I want to con- tinue to gain exposure at these high intensity matches so that I have experience to bring back for the team,” she said. “I want to get better at what I do every day and I want to see our team continue to do great in NCAAs.” There are important compe- titions Carpentier will be par- ticipating in, all of which will hopefully prepare her to make the 2014 World Championship team, Meili said.


“Meredith will continue to lead the team next year in her senior year,” Meili said. “My hope for her is that she’ll continue to take her talent to the interna- tional stage and make the next world and Olympic teams. She absolutely has the capability, desire, and mental toughness to get it done.”


March 2014 | USA Shooting News


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