Lloyd Woodhouse Selected as the 2003 U.S. Olympic Committee’

[USAS]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 2, 2004) – Lloyd Woodhouse, who retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1985 to coach the U.S. National and National Development Shotgun Teams, has been named as the 2003 U.S. Olympic Committee’s National Coach of the Year.

Woodhouse, along with two track and field veterans, Development Coach Bob Fraley (Fresno, Calif.) and Volunteer Coach Carol Hardeman (Miami, Fla.) were honored Sunday evening during a dinner at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. The event, part of the USOC’s annual Coach of the Year recognition program, May 1-3 at Colorado Springs Olympic Training Complex, also included the posthumous presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award honoring James Edward “Doc” Councilman.

“I was pretty surprised,” Coach Woodhouse said after the award ceremony. “It was just an honor to be nominated as one of the top-five. I didn’t really think I would win.”

Woodhouse, a Norfolk, Va. native who did not shoot his first match until he was 30 years old, won several state titles in his career as an athlete. In 1976, he accepted the head coaching position with the USAF Skeet Team. Woodhouse retired from the military in 1985 as a chief master sergeant and moved to USA Shooting. The highlight of his coaching career came at the 1996 Olympic Games, when his athletes won gold, silver and bronze medals in Atlanta. The success of Woodhouse’s shooters has continued including two athletes earning bronze medals in Sydney, another capturing an international title at the 2003 World Clay Target Championships, and a team sweep of the gold medals at the 2003 Pan American Games.

“I think the fact that we won all six gold medals at the Pan American Games was very significant. Also the fact that we won all of our country quota’s for the 2004 Olympic Games, ” Woodhouse said.

This is the second time Woodhouse has received this award. The last was after his 1996 accomplishments at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Woodhouse was chosen over honorees from USA Swimming, USA Softball, USA Fencing, and USA Wrestling.

For more information, contact USA Shooting’s media and public relations director at sara.greenlee@usashooting.org or at 719/866-4896.