By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
COLO SPRGS, CO (July 5, 2023) – USA Shooting bids farewell to Alex Szablewski, outgoing High Performance Director, and welcomes Krista Austin to the senior management team.
Szablewski has worked with USA Shooting since 2015 when he started out as the Events Manager. While in that role, Szablewski organized, instructed, and directed all competitions ranging from Olympic trials and World Cups to National Championships. In 2018 he assumed the position of Senior Manager of High Performance where he managed many responsibilities to include selection procedures, athlete, and coach compliance, and creating high performance plans.
Szablewski will soon be starting a new position with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee as Associate Director of Sports Medicine and Clinic Operations.
Austin will be assuming the role of High Performance Director on July 6. Austin brings many years of expertise and experience in Olympic and Paralympic Sports Performance to USA Shooting. She formerly worked with USA Team Handball as their High Performance Director and with the USOPC as a Manager for the Athlete Performance Labs. Austin has a doctorate in movement science and has an impressive career in the athletics and nutrition fields.
“I am genuinely excited to join USA Shooting and look forward to adding value to a national governing body that is working diligently to provide the best support possible to its constituents,” said Austin. “I am passionate about preparing our elite athletes on their Path to Paris and am eager to take on the responsibilities that will propel our team toward success.”
As the High Performance Director, Austin will be in charge of daily planning and execution of USOPC assets to include Sport Science Support, USOPC Funding, and procedural requirements for both the Olympic and Paralympic teams.
“As the Senior Manager of High Performance, Alex played a pivotal role in the historic achievements of the Tokyo Olympics Games that saw USA Shooting earn a total of six medals,” said Craig Kozeniesky, USA Shooting Chief Executive Officer. “We wish Alex the very best in his new role and look forward to working with him in the future. Krista is uniquely qualified for the role, and we are privileged to welcome a sports performance professional of her caliber to the team. Krista joins us at a critical time with a little over a year to go until the Paris 2024 Games. USA Shooting will benefit greatly from her contributions to our team.”
Austin is an Atlanta, Georgia, native and was most recently a physiologist with Performance and Nutrition Coaching. In that role Austin managed sport science and medicine support for Olympic, Paralympic, and professional athletes.