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Air Rifle Club Learns from Advanced Coach
(Posted: December 12, 2005) (Printable Version)
Members of UA Fort Smith's Lion Rifles learned from an advanced coach and practiced with some high-tech training equipment at a rifle clinic on Dec. 10 and 11 in the old gym at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.
Visiting coach Ralph Goodwin gave Lion Rifles, the UA Fort Smith student air rifle club, high praise, especially for a club that's been shooting for only one year.
“UA Fort Smith has a core group of dedicated shooters,” Goodwin said. “There are good practice facilities here and good support for this club from the university.”
Goodwin, who has been a competitive shooter and shooting coach for several years, is a member of the National Coach Development Staff and also serves as the Civilian Marksmanship Program's director of junior shooting for the state of Kansas. He is also president of the Kansas State Rifle Association.
Lion Rifles shooters picked up several tips for refining their competitive skills, especially their shot routines. Joe Pinckney of Mansfield said he benefited from the clinic:
“I got some ideas for a good system to help me get my natural point of aim," said Pinckney.
Elizabeth Garris from Muldrow and Michael King from Fort Smith also learned ways to improve their shot processes.
Garris said, “I need to get my routine more solid.” King agreed:
“It's a lot easier to get a shot process down than I imagined,” he said.
Lion Rifles Coach Roy Hill said the highlight of the clinic was the time each shooter spent on a computerized competition simulator known as the RIKA system.
Hill said the RIKA consists of a laser fitted to the air rifle, with sensors on a target. The shooter simulates firing, and the laser and sensors record where the shots would have hit the target in actual competition. A laptop computer records each shot and color codes the information according to how soon before or after the shot the action happens.
“The RIKA system is similar to a device the U.S. Olympic team trains with,” said Hill. “It was really great to get our shooters some time on such an advanced piece of equipment. Our shooters were able to get an idea about a new shot process and see how it actually works and how it could improve their scores in an instant video feedback.”
Goodwin taught the basic coach course where Hill got his initial rifle coaching certification in July 2004 in Tulsa, Okla. Goodwin was complimentary on the UA Fort Smith program and coach:
“UA Fort Smith has a dedicated coach that has made great efforts to get all the training he possibly can," said Goodwin.
Lion Rifles will get at least two more chances to use their new knowledge and skills in the spring semester — at the collegiate sectionals at Ole Miss in February and at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla., in March.
| Article by: Sondra LaMar, Director of Public Relations | |
| Photo(s) by: Roy Hill, Lion Rifles Adviser and Coach |
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