CCS Junior Team at USPSA Production Nationals

I have mentioned before in these pages how proud we in the Columbia Cascade Section (CCS) are of the young men * in our Junior Team.

This team sent several members to the USPSA Open/Production National Match (starting October 11, 2006) at the new range in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and coach Mike "Mac" McCarter provides this description of their first National Match experience:

... we made it back safe and sound with two national champions; Chris
Cordoza and Andrew Wesley. In addition Chris only missed top Junior
Production by 20 +/- points.

Our trip included Jeff & Barb Cordoza, Nick Leonard, Mike Kennedy, 6 of the
Junior team and myself. Two of us got busted in the Portland Airport before
we ever got off the ground because we had glock magazines (unloaded) in our
carry on's. When they saw the xrays of the mags they called a red flag and
almost shut down the whole airport. After a little discussion and talking to
the Portland police we were allowed to check them thru with our other
baggage. The NW airlines website doesn't say anything about magazines which
TSA considers part of a handgun.

We landed at Tulsa in the rain but shot Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday in dry weather. Nick Leonard did the photography for the team and
we got team pictures with most of the big hitters, sponsors and coffee
girls. They (USSA Range People) had 6 or 7 blonde bombshells driving around
serving coffee and snacks. Needless to say we told the junior team that this
was the norm for national events.

The whole team had brand new Techwear Junior team shirts and represented our
section very well. I had multiple people come up to me and say how impressed
they were with the team. I have to say everything went well until the
shaving cream fight 1/2 hour prior to leaving for the awards ceremony; but
oh well! they are juniors after all.

We should have pictures out soon, Nick did video discs and picture discs for
each of the team members. You should see the range. At less than half
finished it already has 20 bays completely covered with turf, including the
berms. I believe it will have 45 bays when done including long range rifle
bays. The rumor is that Multi-gun Nationals and one pistol national will be
there next year plus the other pistol national in Missoula.

The match results are available in the USPSA Members' Area (unfortunately, not available to the general public, but you can try here.)

Comments:

This letter from Mac only mentioned the Class Winners from the CCS Junior Team, but I think we should also acknowledge the fine performances of the rest of the team.

In Open, both Ryan Leonard and Nathan Swan finished above 50% of Open Match Winner Chris Tilley's score. In a field of 239 competitors, that's at least as well as I have ever done in a National Championship.

Especially considering that there were no less than eight (8) Match DQ's in that division. I know there are some stories to be told, but I won't tell them.

I've competed against both Ryan and Nathan, often ending up on the short end of the stick. Nathan is competing in C-Open, and Ryan (Nick's son) in B-Open. Ryan has been competing for about a year longer than Nathan, and I'm sure the gap will narrow within the next year. We're looking forward to watching these two battle it out for top junior Open in the future, especially since Zac Bright (son of Norm the Ungrateful), another B-Open Junior and a similarly tough competitor, was unable to attend the Nationals this year.

It's not easy being a B-Open shooter in CCS. Especially when you are being beaten by competitors who are young enough to be your grandchild.

An unmentioned Production Division Junior shooter, Stephan Kemper, also ended up at over 50% of Match Winner Rob Leatham's score. Again, if I did that well against The Great One, I would be strutting around with great pride. Stephan is one of those shooters who impress spectators because he is always giving 110% in every stage. It will take a couple of years for his accuracy to catch up with his blinding speed, but I have great expectations for young Stephan. My only solace is that, while he can shoot faster than I can with a Production Gun, my beard is longer than his. (And greyer, too!)

Junior Justin Bagget obviously ran into some trouble on this match, which isn't surprising in the Nationals. He might be comforted by the knowledge that he beat a Grand Master, and was within striking distance of a B-Production shooter. We're glad Justin was there to represent Team CCS,


* Note: CCS now has a young woman in the Junior Team. She began shooting just a month ago, and was unable to participate in the Team effort at the National match this year. I join my friends and neighbors in hopes that she continues to shoot with us and will be eligible to participate in the 2007 USPSA National Match.