Q& A
Sergey Luzov is at the helm of a pistol program WU\LQJ WR À QG JUHDWHU GHSWK more participants and more international and Olympic success. Behind Olympic stalwart Keith Sanderson, the program saw some real strides in 2015 with À YH 2O\PSLF TXRWDV WKH breakthrough performance of Lydia Paterson and the arrival of a 13-year-old phenom in Carson Saabye. He talks about it all as he primes his pistol program for 2016 and beyond.
We saw some tremendous successes among Junior shooters in 2015, people like Lydia Paterson and Carson Saabye. To what do you credit their success? First of all, I attribute it
to our coaches in some of the junior clubs. Coaches in those clubs were persistent to obtain every possible piece of information in coaching pistol disciplines. We also have veteran National Team athletes in the clubs, who mentor young athletes on the right techniques from the start. I‘m also pleased that I have good communication with those motivated coaches in building training plans and addressing the issues to be worked on. We were able to be on the same page in working with the young talents to progress quicker and bring them to higher performance levels.
As you look ahead to the 2016 Olympic year, what advice do you have for both the up-and-coming shooter and the veteran as they look to try and secure Olympic Team spots? Every athlete should
understand that no one can ambush the Olympic podi- um. There’s no hoping that everyone will shoot their bad day but you. Athletes PXVW VWRS À QGLQJ H[FXVHV for the bad performances, stop getting involved in solv- ing the world’s problems and start simply training, listening to your coach and keep working on your shooting techniques and competitive skills. Always be motivated to produce a world-class performance and get on the podium any- where, in any circumstances and conditions. Spend time on the range as much as needed to address the is- VXHV DQG À QG WKH VROXWLRQV
34 USA Shooting News | Year in Review 2015
to the problems; shoot more than you text; focus more on big fundamentals, less on VPDOO LQVLJQLÀ FDQW GHWDLOV What skills do you see our athletes needing to be competitive with other countries in the future? I’d say the biggest one is
having the motivation to be on top of the world all the time, every day, no matter what, and believe that it is possible. This isn’t so much a skill, but an attitude. I believe this is absolutely the number one must have for any athlete trying to win Olympic gold. This is what makes athletes do more than anyone to become better than everyone in the sport.
Looking back on it, what would you say was the highlight of the pistol season?
It is no doubt Lydia
Paterson’s performance in Munich at the World Cup
Sergey Luzov National Pistol Coach
PDWFK ZKHUH VKH À QLVKHG eighth and earned an Olympic quota. I still can feel all the emotions I had to go through watching her match. It was a truly bril- liant, mature performance and the best emotional rollercoaster for me in a long while. Thanks, Lydia, for that. Moments like this – this is what coaches remember and this is what makes a coach’s everyday struggle worthwhile. What types of camps and training are you looking at for 2016 to try and prepare our athletes for success in Rio and beyond? Podium training is the
most important prep for a match like the Olympics where you’re training to not only compete, but medal. We’ll spend a lot of time try- ing to create that discipline of execution. Athletes must bring the motivation to win at the highest possible lev- el. We will train the match skills in making Finals as well as survival skills in the Finals themselves. Shoot to win at every match we participate, no matter what. I call it “gold attitude train- ing.” It leaves no room for any excuse – just go after gold with all you’ve got right now, period.
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