WELCOME BACK CATS FANS!
The 2006-07 rifle season is here and it?s my senior season! We?ve started the year off on a fast, competitive and successful pace.
The range is packed during practice this year. With almost everyone?s schedule lining up, few points are left empty on the range at any given moment. The freshmen have adjusted well and have already started etching out their own place in the team. Having a large freshman class has been awesome because it has added greater excitement and hunger to inter-team competitions.
The locker match was fun and challenging this year. I got to keep my locker but it was a close call!
In addition to all the practicing we?ve been doing, our first big community service project was in middle September. Each year we attend the 4-H State Shoot in Wilmore, Kentucky, to help score targets. Helping out with 4-H is my favorite community service event because I shot in the shooting sports program for so long. It?s an all day event, but the people are always so appreciative that it feels great to give up a day to help their competition run easier.
Despite the fact that I?m so excited about this year, I find myself just a little bit sad sometimes. This is my last season as a Wildcat and I don?t want to leave. I?ve had three great years here, and want to have at least three more. That just isn?t possible. I am looking forward to making this my best season yet.
GO CATS!!!
Diary Entry #2
After competing this week in Georgia with three of my teammates, I am really looking forward to our first NCAA competition on October 14th. We had some great successes in the USA Shooting match last week. Andrew [Roland] and Tom [Csenge] nearly swept the podium in the men?s junior events. Ashley [Jackson] had a stellar performance in air rifle her second day and I qualified for the women?s smallbore World Cup team.
I also got to room with Ashley for a week which was fabulous! I wish we were traveling more this fall because she was so much fun to hang out with. I know I?ll be missing the opportunity to have super chocolaty ice cream breaks from study time with her!
While the four of us were burning up in Georgia, the rest of the team was competing in an inter-team competition back home in very rainy Kentucky. They paired up and shot the match in twos. Ray?s team (the Killer Koalas) even showed up with hats and t-shirts. I?m a little sad that I missed seeing the Aerated Anteaters triumph. The names sound pretty hilarious, but assistant coach Crystal [Hamilton] tricked everyone into choosing their team names without them knowing it!
Our first match is also on my birthday. I?ll be 22 and I told the team that what I wanted was to win against all three of the teams who will be here. It?s only a week away and it looks like we?ll also be shooting air rifle on electronic targets which will be more interesting for spectators. They?ll be able to see all of our shots. I can?t wait!
GO BIG BLUE!!!
