TargetTalk

What is the story behind the "dismissal" of Erich Buljung as National Pistol Coach (I am assuming that he has been dismissed because it is still a "rumor" with me)?

The Outdoor Wire has reported it as a fact. See the Bob Mitchell interview in Shooter's Lounge.

I read the article. It still doesn't say *why* Buljung was dismissed...only states that he *was* dismissed.

Anyone know why?

Count the number of Olympic Pistol Medals won by US shooters, starting with the 1992 games:-(

and NAME the guy who won the pistol medal in the 88 games!

Poole
http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/

I too would like an explaination, I sensed from the pistol shooters I hung out with at the tryouts & nationals that Buljung was liked.

Anonymous wrote:and NAME the guy who won the pistol medal in the 88 games!

Poole
http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/

I too would like an explanation, I sensed from the pistol shooters I hung out with at the tryouts & nationals that Buljung was liked.

I had very limited dealing with Erich but always found him pleasant and professional. The big however is that USAS funding from USOC is a function of medals won at the Olympics.

This is the big leagues, and, as in all sports, it's the coach who goes when the team doesn't do well enough to satisfy whoever is paying the bills.

I suppose this would be true of anyone in a top spot like Erich Buljung, some people swear by him, others at him. I generally enjoyed Erich, he helped me but know others that despise him.

What bothers me is that I read the statement in The Outdoor Wire. If true, why is there no announcement from USAS? If he is gone, good personnel practise would require an announcement. If he is still in, a retraction from The Outdoor Wire is in order.

FWIW, I know for a fact that Erich is gone from the OTC.

As to why USAS has not made a public annoucement... well I can only guess but its not the kind of the thing that you would put in a press release that you just fired somebody. It's an unfortunate event for both parties. I do know that potentially eligible replacements have been notified of the vacancy, and progress is under way for a new coach.

And yes, I know the rumors floating about for the top contender, but I am only reporting what I know to be fact.

I just talked with the folks at USA Shooting and yes, in fact, Erich's has left the organization.

As expressed to me that there has been a desire to take the Pistol Program in another direction and Erich could or did not feel he could view these changes with an open mind. Thus, there was a "parting of the waves" to quote an old saying.

He will be missed.

As always, keep'em all in the 10 ring,
Ian

With the loss of running target as an Olympic sport, even though it may be retained in the World Championships at least for the near term, will USAS continue to retain a running target coach?

Wonder if now that he's no longer Coach he'll (Erich) will be returning to compatition? I will miss him.

I understand that the business end of all this reflects on the medal count our sport must obtain. The results of this last competition surely is better than it had been in previous years and leaves one to think that can we always blame the coaching in sports? I will miss a good friend and helpful personal coach who enlightened my time in the sport.

I recived one of the letters sent out to all members of the National Team, and the National Developement Team by the Director of Operations. Erich Buljung has been dismissed. Possibly because none of his pistol shooters managed to get onto the podium in Athens. While some others didn't, I throughly enjoyed his style of teaching. I don't think this is the last we'll hear from him. I am curious who the new coach will be. Does anyone have any ideas?

Erich was responsible for the pistol Master's Camp and for starting the 3X Air Pistol Match, both held at the OTC. I hope that these two events will continue to be held by the new pistol coach.

He may have been the nicest guy in the world & done all kinds of great things for pistol shooters around the country...

BUT:
[1] He is the olympic pistol coach
[2] He is paid by USA Shooting
[3] His office is at the USOTC

As such his main job is to bring home Olympic medals!!! PERIOD!!!

Similarly, someone employed as a saleman could be a great guy but at the end of the year if he makes no sales he is gone.

In an earlier post I placed on Target Shooting Canada during the Olympics, I noted the following:
In Calgary, near the Bow River, is a small plaza that must have been built as part of the '88 Winter Olympics. Set in metal letters right into the stone surface of the plaza is this sentence:
"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle."
Noble sentiment indeed, but the words ring so hollow these days.
The emphasis today is on "winning" - to the exclusion of participation. While hundreds, even thousands, can participate, only one can win. Is the second-place finisher, or the 34th or the 127th totally worthless because they didn't WIN? No! Indeed, there would be no winner if there wasn't at least one other participant. So, participation is key.
We send our Olympic athletes and their coaches off with an enormous burden: "We expect our "ABCD" (insert sport of your choice here) athletes to bring back "x" medals" and "John Doe is expected to bring back a gold medal". Instead, surely, we should be selecting our best atheletes from a pool of participants, giving them the coaching that teaches them how to perform to the best of their ability, then sending them off to participate with the world's best, and let the medals fall where they may?
The goal of the NOC, in my view, should end with having picked the best available athletes for participation in the Olympics. Expectations of medals should not be a goal of an NOC!
Do I hear cries of "heresy"?

Its a shame that the SPORT that I have loved for so long is being spoken as though it were a "business". Businesses of a sporting nature(read Pro Sports) leave me cold, all about money. Some will repeat the old argument that many countries fund their shooters and that they are therefore "professionals". Thats called ORGANIZATION and SUPPORT folks! Remember that in most foreign countries the Shooting Sports are just that, SPORT, not the political football our "leaders" have made of it here in the home of the free.
I remember the story of how Lones Wigger was a sport legend in Europe while virtually unknown at home.
We, the competitors, must remember its about sport and the lessons learned and not about the bottom line.

Alex

The reality is at the Olympic level, medal count IS the bottom line. I would even say I agree with this. Any sport at the Olympic level is no longer recreational.

Your job as an athlete at the Olympic level is to win. The USOC is not going to fund programs just to say it sent athletes to the games. Even when the Olympics was not as commercial as it is now, I am willing to bet winning medals was still the focus.

Mike Douglass

I saw a comment once that said something like "it's not the winning that matters, it's the taking part until you lose" Everyone wants to win and olympic athletes must surely want to win. I would go so far as to say if they don't want (expect) to win they shouldn't be there.

Sure it's a development process and one would expect to attend and participate before actually expecting to get a medal (in most instances). However nowadays most shooters at this level are not amateurs. They will all get funding and for that to continue they need to get results. The only real tangible results are medals. You will have all seen the focus on the medals table - no one cares about how many fourth places were obtained.

So I guess my point is if you want to compete at the highest level you have to prove you're good enough to be there and the only way to do that is to win medals.

Rob.