Paralympic Update
BY BOB FOTH NATIONAL PARALYMPIC TEAM COACH
Paralympic Program Shows Tremendous Growth in 2014
This year was another
year of tremendous growth and change for the USA Shooting Paralympic pro- gram. After 2013’s amaz- ing success with several new athletes in International competitions, even more athletes progressed on the world stage. Most importantly, Mike
Tagliapietra and McKenna Dahl earned Paralympic Games Direct Allocation (Quota) Places at the 2014 IPC World Shooting Cham- pionships in Suhl, Germany in July. Those quota slots will allow the U.S. to send two athletes to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. By comparison, we did not earn any direct allocation slots four years earlier at the last World Championships. While Mike was disappoint- ed to fi nish the P3 Final in eighth place, he still held on the No. 2 World Rank- ing in that event. McKenna was the second highest woman fi nisher in R5 – good enough for the second U.S. Quota slot. Both McKenna and Mike are Olympic Train- ing Center Resident Athletes along with World Champi- onship teammate, Tammy Delano. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (US- AMU) also prepared three new athletes for Worlds with Josh Budd and John Joss in rifl e, and Shaun Tichenor in pistol. 2012 Paralympian
Eric Hollen, two former Ma- rines Nick Beach (pictured) and Kerry Morris, and Texas shooter Jazmin Almlie com- pleted that World Champion- ship team. Armando Ayala helped as Assistant Coach in Suhl. With three direct alloca-
tion World Cups next year, Team USA looks to be much bigger than the 2012 two- person team. This year, 10 U.S. athletes competed at those World Championships, gaining valuable match ex- perience and showing com- petitive performances. A total of 11 athletes earned World Rankings with strong performances this year. I also worked with numer-
ous affi liated organizations to help run events like War- rior Games, National Vet- erans Wheelchair Games, Valor Games, Texas Region- al Games and a camp at Lakeshore Foundation. Our
CTC in New Jersey is adding emphasis on recruiting Para athletes (especially juniors) and Ole Mill in Georgia, Los Angeles Rifl e and Revolver Club in California and the CTC in Palmyra, Pennsylva- nia have worked with Para shooters. The National Three-Position Air Rifl e Coun- cil is continuing to integrate disabled athletes into their competitions as well. Most matches can easily accom- modate disabled shooters as the events and rules so closely match the ISSF rules. In 2015, we will compete in direct allocation World Cups in France in July, Australia in September and host one in Fort Benning, Georgia in No- vember. Those three match- es will complete the qualify- ing process for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Several other big match-
es next spring should help prepare our athletes to com-
Year in Review 2014 | USA Shooting News 59
pete at the highest level, but our biggest issue is funding. Most of our fi nancial support comes from the U.S. Olympic Committee and that is vir- tually unchanged from the budget that prepared only two athletes to compete in London in 2012. Some of these athletes fund them- selves for the chance to represent USA! Please think about people you know with the resources and interest to help these amazing athletes who have already overcome so many challenges and in so many cases have made major sacrifi ces while serv- ing our country. Remem- ber that you may designate ”PARA” in the memo line of a (possibly tax-deductible) do- nation check to USA Shoot- ing. Invite disabled kids from your local schools or disabled veterans from your VAs and Vet Centers to come try shooting with you at your range. It may be the most rewarding thing you do in our great sport!
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