Olympics- How do I get there?

[Smith2013]

I want to get to the 2012 games, and I have heard that it is a 4 year cycle to pick the athletes. What competitions do I have to go to, who do I have to talk to? I have been shooting for quite a while, and have had the Olympics as sort of a dream goal for a long time, but now I have buckled down and am focusing all of my energy and resources at my ultimate goal. But I am not sure where to start. I have competed in the State Games of America, the OSJOC, and am wanting to go to others that will help on the way to London. Can anyone help?

[Richard H]

I want to get to the 2012 games, and I have heard that it is a 4 year cycle to pick the athletes. What competitions do I have to go to, who do I have to talk to? I have been shooting for quite a while, and have had the Olympics as sort of a dream goal for a long time, but now I have buckled down and am focusing all of my energy and resources at my ultimate goal. But I am not sure where to start. I have competed in the State Games of America, the OSJOC, and am wanting to go to others that will help on the way to London. Can anyone help?

The basics are;

First you have to make your National Team? Usually there is a team selection match.

Then you have to get an MQS (Minimum Qualifying Score) at a World Cup in the event that you want to compete in.

Then you have to earn a quota spot for your event. Quotasare given at World Cups, and Continental Championships (usually for placing first or being the highest placed finisher behind those ahead of you who have already earned quotas).

Then your National governing body has to choose you to go to the Olympics (as the quotas belong to them not the shooter who earned it).

So its pretty easy can be done in as little as 2 matches, Match 1 win a spot on your National Team, Match 2 win a World Cup.

[Steve Swartz]

- Join USAS, the national governing body for olymp;ic shooting sports in the USA
- Go to their web site and find the "Team Selection Procedures" and "Olympic Team Selection Procedures" (FYI procedures for 2012 have not yet been published)
- Check out their link called "So You Want To Go To The Olympics"

The best advice I can give you is to not really put too much stock in what any of us here will tell you, because 1) the procedures for London have not yet been finalized; and 2) even after they are, the process is somewhat shall we say "fraught with uncertainty."

Wait until the procedures are published, then ask the national team coach.

Steve Swartz

[jackh]

Smith2013, Not sure if you mean rifle (2013 might be a clue) or pistol. Not sure of your age and present shooting level.

If rifle there is a resource in our Eugene area Jr coach. Also a man in Lebanon, OR. Then there is Coach Don I think in the Portland area. Portland and up into WA has much more than here in Eugene.

Now if pistol, we have an Atlanta Olympian nearby who might avail some advice. He doesn't shoot much these days. I guess because he is a family man and working stiff like most of us.

[mikeschroeder]

Hi

If you shoot Olympic style matches in your home country and win, the Olympic team coach will find you and tell you how to get on the team....

Mike
Wichita KS

[Steve Swartz]

Mike, not to put too fine a point on it but I think you forgot the asterisk after " . . . and win * . . . "

"* 'win' defined as winning in national level competitions, and/or winning in regional competition with high enough score to qualify according to curent team selection procedures."

I think I know what you meant, and I think most of us "regulars" on the board know what you meant, but many newbies might not realize that being your state champion with a 560 won't earn a call from the national team coach . . . or scoring a 575 in a local PTO, for that matter . . . and only doing it once or twice won't get you there either!

Steve Swartz

[WaltherWill]

I think the fast-track to the olympics (if you are younger than 19 i think it is, maybe 20-21, anyways) in the United States is to shoot in your regional JORC match. Each state has (at least)one each year and doing well enough there nets you an invitation to the Junior Olympic National Championships in Colorado. There, if you place first or second, you are automatically added to the "national development team" and from there I think you begin shooting bigger, sometimes international, matches, almost all of them in search for a coveted "quota" slot. Earning one of these basically means youre good enough to shoot for the US in the Olympics.

This is all only my understanding, so dont take it as the set in stone truth, but I am pretty sure most of this is accurate.

[randy1952]

Will, I believe your correct, but there is one other match that a person can attend to make the development team and that is the USAS Nationals, which will be at Fort Benning, GA this year. If a person places first or second at that match can be asked to be on the National Development Team.

There is one other detail about quota slot winners. It maybe true that a person good enough to win a quota slot maybe good enough to go to the Olympic, but that doesn't mean they automatically get to go to the Olympics. A person at USAS explained to me that a person winning at the selection matches are the one's who get to be on the Olympic Team. I believe the selection match for airguns is in March or April.

[David Levene]

There is one other detail about quota slot winners. It maybe true that a person good enough to win a quota slot maybe good enough to go to the Olympic, but that doesn't mean they automatically get to go to the Olympics.

The quota slots are actually awarded to the nation, not the shooter.

How each nation chooses their Olympians is down to them, provided that each shooter has a Minimum Qualification Score for each event entered.

[Brian M]

I believe the selection match for airguns is in March or April.

March 1~3 in CO Springs. It's into open enrollment currently, meaning anyone from any country may now sign up. Heck, they even have it listed on the front page of the website... (wasn't there last time I looked a week or two ago.)

http://www.usashooting.com/

ShootingAir.com

[Guest1000]

Is is really worth it? That is to say, have you TRULY analyzed the benefit vs. the cost?

Here are some examples:

1. Education= are you finished? Graduate degree?
2. How young are you?
3. Career ?
4. Family?

This process is often a long-term. Make sure you know the facts!

[AAlex]

Cost-benefit analysis would be more applicable if one was considering sport as a profession (i.e. football/basketball/baseball/hockey/golf/tennis).

Olympics was never about the benefits - it is all about the cost and sacrifice.

Yes, there are exceptions that support the rule - if you're a cute female gymnast and a winner, you get to make millions by having your picture on cereal boxes. I don't think anyone here qualifies : )

[Bruce Martindale]

not so simple, the rules are never certain. yes there is MQS and selections but that has no guarantee, trust me.

I have friends who made, and still are National Team and other friends who fired 579's in air, and didnt. I made a run at it once; I did well, including a match 1 Nationals win in 2004 but I didnt make it. It was a nice journey and I miss it but I doubt I can go back to where I was.

1st from where you are: Shoot USAS approved matches, and win of course.

2nd after that, you need to be a known quantity; shoot every USAS run match (and be top 2 or top 8? if you are a junior) . They are usually at the Olympic Training Center and Ft Benning Ga. Do the CAGP at Toronto in Feb.

They will notice you if you do these things. Otherwise, you are unique, just like the rest of us.

Don't plan on any support or freebies. I was spending over $5000 a year on it, non tax deductable as far as I saw. Yes I did get money as a top unsupported shooter but it doesnt cover expenses.

Raising money is problematic since you can raise it but cant keep it. It has to go to the USAS and they can (and have) redistributed. there are some trusts you can set up for it as well but your fingerprints will be absent.

Even the USOTC residents got tossed out and are now/were self supporting.

If you are a junior, get into the hopper with the others and this becomes a full time job. We do have some fantastic talent coming up.

There is a lot of travel & living overhead, getting up a 3 am to catch a plane, driving for hours to other matches etc etc

best regards and good luck. It is a nice experience but a lot of work

[Guest]

Can you clarify the following previous statement?

"Raising money is problematic since you can raise it but cant keep it. It has to go to the USAS and they can (and have) redistributed."

Are you stating that if I get a local business to sponsor me in my shooting endeavors that I cannot manage my own funding? Or does this apply only to competitions that USAS must offically register someone for?

I am a senior shooter (45 yrs old) who is planning on competing in the World Matsers Games in Australia next year as well as the Canadian Air Gun Grand Prix, the Hell Open (in Norway) as well as other tournaments that are "open registration" in other words, I do not need USAS approval to shoot in them. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Steve Swartz]

If you are a private citizen you can do whatever you want.

If you want to represent your nation in international competition, you must play by the rules of the national governing body for your sport.

For olympic style pistol shooting in the USA, that is the USAS.

You pretty much don't need to worry about the USAS until you are shooting above 570s in MAP and/or 540s in FP.

In the meantime, be careful about being "paid" for shooting, as the USOC/IOC have rules about that sort of thing. You can set up a "fund" with the USAS that donors can contribute to; that method keeps you in the clear. Using the USAS fund, you are not being paid for shooting; the USAS is collecting donations on your behalf to defray your expenses.

It may sound like a trivial matter, but it most certainly is not.

If you are taking money from "sponsors" through "unofficial" channels, you are jeopardizing your eligibility to represent your country in international competition.

Yeah, I know, but you either need to go through the USAS or be prepared to be really disappointed if or when you get to the point where you need their support.

The USAS is the only game in town if you want to represnt the USA.

OBTW that's not a bad thing per se; it's just how it has to be done!

Steve Swartz

[Guest]

Steve,

Thanks for the heads-up! I have not accepted any monies yet but plan to seel sponsorship in the near term. I am a bit bothered by a previous post though that said USAS can re-distribute your contributions. How is that legal? If I set up a fund for me, and I get people or businesses to donate to me, I certainly do not wany those monies given to somoeone else...hence, the purpose of setting up a fund for me. I am sure that my sponsors would not want the monies to be shuffled around either. How does one prevent this from happening if at all possible? I am a full supporter of USAS and have my membership already extended to the end of 2012 so it is not like I am trying to go around USAS, I just want to make sure that what people donate to me is used for me.

I may or may not be in a position to go to World Cups in the future. Even though I am 45 I am not a new shooter, simply one who has returned to the sport after a 25-year break (long story there). I see myself attending ISSF events next year (e.g. the World Masters Games) and possibly even taking a medal (or two, or three) but that is still a far cry from taking a medal at a World Cup event. Just trying to get my ducks in a row now. i am a Army Reserve officer and always work on a 2-5-10 year planning cycle. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Bruce Martindale]

"Guest",
You may be concerned over a non issue on several levels. I suggest you contact head of USAS (Bob Mitchell for one) re the funding issue and get his opinion. Maybe even get it in writing to confirm terms and conditions. You have your needs and they have theirs. Can there be a meeting of the minds? maybe and maybe not. If you raise it and can't meet their performance standards, what happens to the money? You may not be able to do what you think you can do with it and I wouldn't fret over it. I never went that route. I paid cash and used freq flyer miles. Your job shouldn't have to be manager but shooter. Shoot the scores and everything else falls in place.

Talk to John Zurick (Phoenix Arizona) or Sloane Milstein (Connecticut now) on their work with Hopefuls .org and they were/are pretty much self starters. John made National Team at one point and can give you advice on what he did.

There have been instances where "self funded" athletes funding was used elsewhere and there MAY even be two sides to that story too. I am not repeating it. Was it before the trust fund method? maybe. Were there other problems?

Of course if your "up there" now, we, on this list, and other places, already know who you are and you should already know the above people and a lot more too. This is a very small community of good friends; we meet at the Nationals and other places like the OTC.

best regards and good luck

Bruce

[Guest]

Thanks Bruce! I have had conversations with Bob Mitchell in the past but not specifically in terms of funding and sponsorship. I will make it a point to explore that avenue with him in the near term.