Tag: Peter Meola

SCTP National Team Members Compete at US Olympic Trials – Part 1

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

After fifteen hot, dusty days in Kerrville, TX, USA Shooting has completed the first half of its process to select the 2020 Olympic Shooting Team. For most of the SCTP National Team (NT) trap and skeet athletes who took part in the competition at the Hill Country Shooting Sports Center, this was their first experience with an Olympic team selection.

2019 SCTP National Team Skeet athletes with Olympians Kim Rhode and Frank Thompson.

“It’s really hard to recreate the kind of pressure an athlete will feel in a match like this,” explained Head Coach Terri Dewitt. “It just feels different. More intense. Which makes the experience of competing here invaluable. I’m incredibly proud of these athletes and their performances.”

SCTP National Team Trap athlete Peter Meola.

Participating in the U.S. Olympic Shooting Trials Part 1 were current SCTP NT athletes Preston Bailey, Camron Burks, Sydney Krieger, Erin Lokke, Ella McLerran, Peter Meola, Jordan Sapp, and Kevin Whitehead. SCTP NT “alumni” were here as well: Heather Argue, Maddy Bernau, Meredith Bernau, Jay Bible, Heather Broski, Jack Brosseau, Emilio Carvalho, Monica Dale, Chris Freeman, AJ Nomina, Mark Shields, Madeline Taylor, and Matthew Wells.

SCTP National Team Skeet athlete Jordan Sapp breaks his first 25-straight in competition.

Significant results by SCTP NT athletes:

Trap
Heather Broski (2017 NT) – Junior Women, Gold
Meredith Bernau (2018 NT) – Junior Women, 6th
Emilio Carvalho (2018 NT) – Junior Men, 6th; High J2
Maddy Bernau (2017 NT) – Open Women, 5th; High Collegiate

Skeet
AJ Nomina (2017 NT) – Junior Men, Bronze
Gracin Anderson (2018 NT) – High Collegiate

USA Shooting will complete its Olympic Team selection with Olympic Trials Part 2 beginning at the end of February 2020 in Tucson, AZ.

About the SCTP NATIONAL TEAM
The SCTP National Team is made up of 15 athletes chosen annually from the SCTP International Championships. Twelve athletes, 3 girls and 3 boys from Bunker Trap and 3 girls and 3 boys from International Skeet plus 3 additional athletes chosen by the Head Coach and National Director make up the 15 SCTP National Team members.

The 2019/2020 SCTP National Team is sponsored by Winchester Ammunition.

Each SCTP National Team Athlete receives:

  • A custom made Castellani Shooting Vest (Castellani is the official vest supplier of the SCTP National Team)
  • Winchester “Goodie Bag” including hats, towels and other items
  • 2 Winchester Ammunition Shirts, 1 Polo and 1 T-Shirt
  • 7 cases of Winchester Ammunition
  • Fall Selection Match Fees paid and Ammo provided
  • Invitation to participate in 3-5 Training Camps lead by National Team Head Coach, Terri DeWitt.

SCTP National Team Members Sharpen Their Mental Game

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

In the pause between finishing their finals and finishing their Christmas shopping, members of the 2018/2019 SCTP National Team gathered at Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association in Cincinnati, Ohio to take advantage of an extraordinary opportunity to work with sport psychologist, Dr. Jason Selk. These International Trap and Skeet athletes alternated classroom time with live-fire training; in other words, learning, then applying, the fundamentals of Dr. Selk’s mental workout.
Dr. Jason Selk shares his mental workout with SCTP National Team members
“Our intent was to give these athletes the tools to develop a strong mental game before next year’s competition season begins. For most of them, that will be USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match at the end of February,” shared Coach Terri DeWitt. “Jason Selk is a dynamic speaker and his mental workout program is rock solid. We’re extremely grateful that we were able to have him here. I’m really excited for these kids next year,” she smiled. Assistant Coach Joe Buffa adds, “I really think Dr. Selk brings a different outlook on how to attain mental strength. He makes his students understand that they can train themselves to be mentally strong. I feel that if our shooting athletes implement his techniques, we will see their level of competition rise!”
Mental training camp – December 14/15, Cincinnati, OH
A little over 3000 trap and skeet targets were thrown over two days in spite of a persistent, bone-chilling rain on Saturday. But the weather was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of these athletes. Skeet team member AJ Nomina was pragmatic, saying, “Training your shooting mechanically is always a must before the next match. Everyone needs practice. However, this was the first time I learned what I can do to prepare myself mentally before a match. The mental preparation aspect of this camp was what I’ve been looking for.” Peter Meola, Trap team member, seemed to give voice to what everyone was feeling as the camp drew to a close on Saturday afternoon. “It was a great experience and I was happy to have the opportunity to participate in it,” he said.
Jay Bible, Josh Corbin, and AJ Nomina (left to right) training on the skeet range at Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association
The SCTP National Team will meet again in just two short weeks, this time in Gainesville, Florida in preparation for USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match in Tucson, Arizona.  

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