Q& A National Paralympic
Coach and Olympic silver medalist Bob Foth talks about the prospect of en- tering the 2016 Paralympic Games with a team more than twice the size of the team in 2012, and the chal- lenges facing international- style Paralympic shooting.
How has 2015 shaped up for Paralympic athletes? 7KH WHDP À QLVKHG
very much as I had hoped and planned with a strong performance at the last quo- ta match of the quad in Fort Benning. The extra months of training and a chance to shoot at home on a familiar range helped our fairly new, inexperienced team. As you look ahead to the 2016 Paralympic year, what advice do you have for those about to embark on this opportunity? For the handful of ath-
letes on track to receive one RI WKH À YH TXRWDV HDUQHG IRU the Paralympic Games, they need to look for competi- tion opportunities between now and next September. Unfortunately, that includes a huge fundraising burden if they are to get the inter- national experiences they require against the world’s best. IPC World Cups are scheduled
for the United
Arab Emirates, Thailand, Great Britain and Poland (which includes a good “double” opportunity with a major match in Hannover, Germany). We also hope
Bob Foth National Paralympic Coach
just the athletes and me. The athletes work together as teammates, supporting and helping each other. The loaders (such as pictured) for our SH2 athletes are nor- mally teammates as well. Most of our athletes are
to shoot in a multi-country training camp in July after inviting several teams to join us at our National Champi- onships in June. Smart ath- letes have started their plan- ning for the whole year and need to focus on what they do best. They also need to ensure that their equipment is in order and that they have solid plans for mental and physical training. Numerous other athletes
will be starting on the jour- ney toward Tokyo in 2020. Since athletes for the Para- lympic Games will be se- lected by committee, what does an athlete have to do to make him/herself stand out?
The team will be selected
by a committee primarily be- cause of our limited depth. That lack of depth also means that relatively few athletes have had success in IPC competitions.
Ath- letes who have earned med-
DOV TXRWDV DQG À QDOV EHUWKV in IPC matches should be front-runners for Paralympic Team slots. Minimum Quali- fying Scores in IPC competi- tions are also required for eligibility. Consistent match performances and a com- mitment to training hard and smart through the Games will also be important. Where is the U.S. lacking in terms of a competitive presence among Para- lympic shooting programs ZRUOGZLGH" 6SHFLÀ F WR Paralympic programs, what skills do you see our ath- letes needing to start to be competitive with other countries in the future? By far, what we lack most is funding.
of our athletes to continue to compete and win med- als is inspiring.
programs at our level and higher often travel with nearly one staffer per ath- lete.
Most of our trips are Year in Review 2015 | USA Shooting News 43 The other
relatively new to the sport and few came up through organized junior shooting programs. Several have developed good sport skills and all need big match ex- perience. We almost never have enough Para athletes together to run Para-only Finals here in the U.S. For- tunately we can join in with able-bodied athletes at many matches since the IPC events are virtually identical to ISSF events. Athletes who have had suc- cess in other Paralympic sports are now trying to make their way into shoot- ing. How can you translate that success in other sports to success in shooting? We have certainly seen
the pattern with young able- bodied athletes that prior sport experience can trans- late into quicker develop- ment in shooting.
Experi- The dedication
enced athletes know how to train and compete smart with strong and appropriate focus. Shooting also offers a chance for athletes who can no longer compete at the highest level of their pri- or sport due to age or injury to extend their competitive careers.
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