Education - Forty-five different U.S. universities have International Sport Target Shooting Teams (Rifle, Pistol), including such schools as Yale, Harvard, West Point, and Massachussetts Institute of Technology. It should not come as a surprise that the most reputable schools in the U.S. choose to supplement their academic curriculum with a sport such as international style target shooting (Olympic Program). On this page you can learn about the benefits of this sport in life and education. Seven of these universities offer scholarships to distinguished shooters. More Information...
To become a successful International Level Target Shooter, an athlete must not only achieve a certain level of proficiency in the technical shooting skills, but must attain a high level of skill in all areas pertaining to pistols and pistol shooting, which include an understanding of pistol design and manufacturing, stress control, time management, problem solving, brainstorming, decision making, proper nutrition, goal setting, and teamwork skills. These ideas are explored further in the following examples:

Stress Control - Having trouble concentrating during timed exams? Find it hard to handle the stress of running a business? Having a tough time meeting deadlines? You've chosen the right sport! One of the best things you can gain from target pistol shooting is the ability to control your emotions, concentrate on the task at hand, focus your energy, and succeed under pressure! That is what shooting is all about. What you take away from this sport will be useful throughout your whole life. You will be able to work faster and more efficiently if you can master the skills of stress control. There are many useful applications for this skill in life. (Additional information on this topic is available on Advanced Level Class Worksheet #4)
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Time Management - At Target Shooting competitions, athletes are usually given a strict time limit for shooting a given number of rounds. These time limits usually range from thirty minutes to 3.5 hours. Under these circumstances, shooters must be able to manage their time wisely, conserving their physical energy in order to adequately complete the exercise before the time is up. Time restriction is also another stress factor that a high level shooter must face.

Brainstorming/Problem Solving/Decision Making - This is a skill that helps people solve creative problems using the most effective methods available. Each shot that a shooter performs is the start of a race for a runner, a high-jumper, a long-jumper. But a shooter has to perform sixty such shots during a limited time interval of ninety minutes. This requires a high level of concentration and mental performance. You never see a high-level shooter acting out emotionally at a competition. This results from a great amount of preparation, analysis of previous performances, goal-setting, and practice solving complicated psychological situations. Although sports target shooting is often considered a controlled sport, unique situations that the shooter must be ready to deal with will often occur. If your match is outside, weather conditions may change unexpectedly. Equipment malfunctions may occur. Experienced shooters must be able to mentally find the right solutions mentally, make a decision, and act accordingly, all under the strictly timed conditions of a match.

Proper Nutrition - Since shooting is primarily a mental sport, much like golf, any high-level shooter must make sure that he gets enough oxygen and blood in his brain to perform at his optimal level during a competition. In addition to various physical and mental exercises, a shooter can achieve this goal by keeping a proper diet. Eat lightly before a competition or tournament, and make sure everything you eat is healthy and beneficial to your body. Also be sure to keep a well-balanced diet throughout your career (not just competitions) as well! Never skip breakfast, and abstain from greasy or cholesterol-containing foods. Limit salt and sugar, and incorporate enough vitamins and minerals in your diet. A sound mind in a sound body! Learning to eat right can enhance your mental performance for target shooting, as well as for any other mental activity you will have to face in life. (Additional information on this topic is available on Advanced Level Class Worksheet #7)
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Goal-Setting - All successful sport target shooters plan out their progress using carefully thought-out short-term and long-term goals with specific time limits. A shooter sets challenging goals for himself to improve performance, and lays out training plans to follow in order to achieve the desired progress. For instance, a goal might be a certain score that a shooter must achieve by a certain deadline. This is one of the most valuable and applicable skills that any motivated individual should master in life. This is something you can use on a day-to-day basis all throughout your life. Without goals, you are walking blindly through life. You must write out goals and plans to be successful and achieve your dreams. Learn it in shooting, practice it in life, and apply it in business! Success is just a goal away! (Additional information on this topic is available on Advanced Level Class Worksheet #2) More Information...

Team Work - While each individual shooter on a target shooting team must work to reach his own performance goal, the whole team should coordinate the efforts of all its athletes to reach a single team goal. This involves active participation of the coaches, team leader/captain, and every individual shooter. Through active support for your teammates, and positive reinforcement of good performances, a team may be able to reach its optimal psychological level so that every shooter can attain his personal goal, thereby allowing the team to win the gold medal. The measure of good teamwork will be a gold medal in the exercise that your team is competing in.

As you can see from these examples, all the aforementioned skills are fully applicable in everyday real life situations, in business, education and personal relationships.

More detailed information about developing various skills mentioned on this page, is included in the Midwest Academy of Target Shooting Advanced Level Classes (Prerequisite: Basic Pistol Certification by MATS).
Contact us for more details:
(248) 935-3257
rdiatlov@hotmail.com