Bob Foth coaching new Paralympic Rifl e shooter Mariah Beckham at World Cup USA in June.
like the ISSF process for the able-bodied athletes. Finals and medals in World Cham- pionships (July 2014) and the three Direct Allocation World Cups next year will be our best indicators. Al- though with a group of rela- tively new, up-and-coming athletes, they could peak just in time for the Games.
How can folks with a physical disability get involved in shooting programs or anything people can do at the local level?
My wish is that they would
come in through an existing shooting club or organiza- tion, particularly a junior club offering instruction. There are a number of multi- sport introductory events for people with disabilities that help with outreach.
Social
blood and Jeff Brown are all training in the pistol events. I expect the AMU to continue to have athletes qualify for US Paralympic Teams in the future.
From successful athlete to coach, what have you learned most about your- self and the athletes you coach as you try and lead them and the program to greater success? It is interesting to ap-
proach the sport now as a coach. I spent so many years learning the
sport
my own way that my under- standing of positions and techniques as well as high
level competition is very sol- id. During the last several years of competing, I devel- oped a strong sense of the general principles impacting performance and ways to apply them to many shoot- ers. I also spent years doing camps and clinics as well as USAS Youth Programs, so I have worked with athletes in a variety of similar roles involving many aspects of training. I continually strive to learn how to communi- cate most effectively with the individual athletes while balancing that
with their
efforts to understand my coaching style and methods. I’ve certainly developed a
much deeper understand- ing of and compassion for some of the struggles they have experienced as dis- abled individuals in an able- bodied world. I’ve also seen so many of them fi nd ways to gain that were never pos- sible without their disability.
Goals/benchmarks for the program leading into 2016? I want to prepare the ath-
letes to be able to win Para- lympic Games medals. We will have to compete for the right to send anyone to Rio in the Direct Allocation pro- cess, which is very different from 2012 and is now more
July 2014 | USA Shooting News 33
networking as well as tra- ditional websites and dis- cussion boards should be helpful for those looking to get started as well, leading them toward existing clubs.
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