5th Place – Carrie Jamrogowicz
Women’s Production Champion at Area 1, 2 & 3
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on your Top 5 finish! What was it like to compete for the first time on the Ladies Super Squad?
Carrie – It was a pretty neat experience. I am used to being the only female on my squad, if not in the whole match, so shooting with a whole group of talented lady shooters was a lot of fun.
WoUSPSA – What were your goals for this year’s Production Nationals and how do you feel you performed in the match?
Carrie – My main goal was to try to relax and have fun. I know I shoot better when I can relax. It was my first time shooting on the ladies’ squad, and my first match wearing a sponsor logo, so I was expecting to be nervous and distracted, and I just wanted to keep that to a minimum. I was happy with how I did on ten of the stages. I didn’t necessarily place well on ALL of those, but I can say that I did the best I can do at this stage in my shooting career. I had ammo troubles that resulted in a zero score on one stage, and the other five, I just wasn’t able to keep my head in the game. Overall, I placed where I’d expected to.
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day by day account of your match?
Carrie – We started on stage 9, which was a shoot house, and I was glad for that because I was nervous enough already, at least this way I’d know no one but the RO could see me if I did something goofy. : )
I think we shot four stages that first day, and once I got the butterflies out of my system, I was able to settle in a bit.
The second day was kind of a bummer for me. The first stage of the day, stage 13, was actually my best stage of the match. Stage 14, though, I was the first shooter on the squad and I was super nervous, got a little mixed up and made some mistakes. I tried to let it go and focus on the next stage, but then I had an ammo problem and zeroed that stage.
Day three, we started on stage 1, where I hit a no-shoot and didn’t see it; stage 2, I hit a no-shoot, and did see it, but couldn’t decide whether to make it up or not…. this was where my teammate noticed a pattern to my mistakes and pointed it out to me. I was able to fix it, and didn’t hit any more no-shoots that day, or on day four!
WoUSPSA – Can you describe your best stage, and why you think you did well?
Carrie – My best stage was lucky number 13, where I placed 50th, with 70% of the stage winner’s score. It was actually the stage I was worried about the most, because there were targets you could see only from certain positions, and there were a lot of wide transitions to go with that, which is a good opportunity to completely miss a target if you’re not careful. I think I did well just because I spent so much time thinking about it, and really had my plan down pat.
WoUSPSA – What was your most difficult stage, and why it was difficult?
Carrie – The most difficult one for me was the one immediately following my best stage. I had to go first on stage 14…. I had a plan, but didn’t think it through enough, and it failed. I didn’t have an alternate plan, got flustered and tensed up and made mistakes.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Carrie – They were challenging for me, because instead of long shots (which I am pretty good at) there were lots and lots of no-shoots (which make me nervous). The props were fairly simple, compared to other big matches I’ve shot, but I think they did well enough with what they had to set up a variety of challenges for us.
WoUSPSA – Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations once again on your Top 5 Finish!
>4th Place – Dianna Liedorff
2nd Woman at the 2008 USPSA Production Nationals
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! As a law enforcement officer, do you find that competing in matches like this one helps you hone your skills for work?
Dianna – Absolutely… I believe that a match can put similar stresses on you that you might experience in the real world. Training my mind to think through the stress has to be beneficial. The amount of time I’m behind a gun improves my skill set and gives me the confidence to win the fight with my gun if need be.
WofUSPSA – What were your goals for this year’s Production Nationals and how do you feel you performed in the match?
Dianna – I really wanted to beat Randi!!! I had improved and actually prepared for this Nationals, so I was hopeful I could give her a run for her money… But she’s improved too!!!
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day by day account of your match?
Dianna – I can, but it’s painful! I started on the fast, “simple” stages and I bombed them. I’m a field course girl, and I have no confidence in the shorter, faster stages. By the fourth day, I had the field courses and I was a happy girl!!!
WoUSPSA – Please describe your best stage, and why you think you did well.
Dianna – One of the field courses… The one with the window that was activated with the foot pad. I just feel more comfortable with the field courses and it was the 3rd or 4th day, so I had settled down a bit.
WoUSPSA – What was your most difficult stage, and why it was difficult?
Dianna – The speed courses ate my mental lunch.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Dianna – I thought the courses the year before were a bit more challenging. This is my second nationals, so I don’t have a lot to compare to!
WoUSPSA – Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations once again on your Top 5 Finish!
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3rd Place – Randi Rogers
2008 USPSA Production Champion and IDPA Ladies National Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! Going into this year’s Nationals, how did you prepare to defend your 2008 Ladies Production Title?
Randi – To prepare for this year’s nationals I practiced a lot. The 2009 shooting season was pretty busy for me. I would practice about 2-4 times a week and I shot as many local matches as I could. I would also dry fire on any day I didn’t practice and just tried to work on all the basics.
WoUSPSA – Competing in so many different shooting sports throughout the year, how do you think it affects you in USPSA?
Randi – I think that competing in many different sports is good for a shooter. Cross training keeps me excited about all the different sports. If I work on one thing too long I tend to get bored and don’t try as hard. Changing things up keeps me excited and it’s challenging, making me want to work that much harder.
WoUSPSA – What was your goal for the Production Nationals?
Randi – My goal for the Production Nationals was to to shoot my best. I had hoped that shooting my best would result in a win. At the 2009 nationals I didn’t feel like I shot my very best, and the results reflect that.
WoUSPSA – Who did you feel would give you your greatest competition?
Randi – My teammate Jessie Abbate is an incredible shooter and I feel that she is a great benchmark to compare to.
WoUSPSA – This is the one USPSA match that both you and your teammate Jessie competed against one another. Do you find that there is more pressure to do well when shooting against one another, especially as the defending national champion?
Randi – I always feel pressure. It doesn’t matter who I shoot against or what match I am at. My goal ultimately is to do the best I can. It doesn’t matter if I am shooting against one person or one hundered, I still feel pressure. I just try to shoot what I can shoot, after that the chips fall where they fall.
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Randi – I don’t feel like I shot my very best at this years Production Nationals. I had a bit of bad luck, I let it get to me and I made some mistakes. Every time I think I have learned it all the range gods remind me that there is no mastering the sport.
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day by day account of your match?
Randi – I arrived in Las Vegas on September 11th. I went to registration and went out to the range to look at the stages. For the most part I thought the stages looked good. Saturday September 12th was the first day of shooting. I shot early on Saturday. It was warm in Vegas, when we woke up it must have been 80 degrees. We started on stage 9 and shot through 12. The first stage was a little rough for me. I had a mike on the bobbing target in the back. Stage 11 was also a little rough for me. A popper and I had a little disagreement. I had some drama associated with that and because I wasn’t focused on my shooting I had another mike on stage 12. After the first day things got better. I shot the rest of the match clean. Overall I thought the stages were really good. I had a good time and did my best. It was a long four days but I learned a lot and took those lessons into the next match.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Randi – I had a couple of good stages at the Production Nationals. Stage 16 was my best overall score. I was 26th overall on that stage and everything went well for me. It wasn’t my very best stage but another stage I did well on was stage 7 with the star. I only had one pick up shot on the star and it just felt really smooth for me. It was also a kick to shoot!
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Randi – My favorite stage was the star. It was challenging, exciting, and a little bit scary. I like a good challenge.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Randi – Overall I thought the stages were ok. I have shot three nationals and I think this year was third place in all those years. It might have been me but it seemed that all the stages were similar in nature. They all seemed to be mid range round count, there was never very much movement, and there was hardly any decisions. They were all very straight up which makes it pretty easy to shoot, but I personally enjoy the challenge. I was disappointed to not see standards or any hard cover. I think standards are important, especially one handed and I feel they should be included at a national match.
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Any comments you would like to add?
Randi – I would just like to say that if you haven’t come to a nationals for whatever reason everyone should go. You don’t have to be top level shooter to enjoy the challenge and unique experience of shooting a national championship.
WoUSPSA – Congratulations once again on your Top 3 finish!
Continuing coverage of the 2009 Back to Back USPSA Nationals with the Top 8 Women in Production Division…
8th Place – Cindy Noyes
3-Time Area-6 Limited-10 Ladies Champion & 4-Time Area-6 3-Gun Tactical Ladies Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8 Women! What was your goal for the Production Nationals?
Cindy – To finish in the Top 8.
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Cindy – Not as well as I should have. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had a tooth going bad and had to get an emergency root canal the Wednesday between the matches.
WoUSPSA – That’s no fun, way to hang in there. What was your best stage?
Cindy – Stage 14, Swing Around.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Cindy – Stage 14, because I shot it well and I enjoyed all the activated targets. Plus, it was ‘Run ‘n Gun’.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Cindy – I thought the stages were fun and required a good mix of skills.
WoUSPSA – Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything you would like to add about the match?
Cindy – The Nationals are always fun for me because I get to renew old friendships and see so many people that I don’t get to see otherwise.
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7th Place – Tammy L. Sharp
Tammy shoots both USPSA and IDPA: 2009 High Lady Badlands, Carolina Cup, AR State, and NV State IDPA Matches
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8 Women! What was your goal for the Production Nationals?
Tammy – My goal for the nationals, after I tore my calf muscles, was to finish the match and do the best I could without causing further damage.
WoUSPSA – We’re sorry to hear about your injury. How do you feel you performed in the match despite it?
Tammy – I did not perform to my best abilities physically, but mentally I excelled because I had to look at it from the limited standpoint of my left leg.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Tammy – My best stage was stage 11 (Quick But Not Easy) because there was not a lot of movement and I was mentally there.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Tammy – My favorite stage was 14 because you had to be on the game both mentally and had to break down the stage just right or it could go so wrong.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Tammy – Some of the stages were great because they had so many different ways to shoot them, but then there were some that just felt like they were just there to fill the match. I know every match has couple of stages just for this purpose or they are there to give the shooter a mental break – something that is not expected at Nationals.
WoUSPSA – Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations once again!
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6th Place – Julie Williams
2008 Area-3 2nd place Production C Class & 2007 Area-5 2nd place Production C Class
We’ve contacted Julie and as soon as we hear from her, we’ll be sure to post her responses. In the meantime, check out Julie’s profile at WomenofUSPSA.com.
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Stay tuned for remaining interviews from YOUR TOP 8 WOMEN in Production!
Wrapping up our coverage of the Top 8 Ladies in the Open Division, here are our interviews with Rebecca T. Jones and Megan Francisco.
2nd Place – Rebecca T. Jones
2008 Ladies Open National Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on your second place finish! Going into this year’s nationals, how did you prepare to defend your title?
Rebecca – Prior to the Nationals, I shot a lot of matches this year. I won high lady at every match with a lot of A class wins leading up to the Nationals. The pressure of a match, even local matches, is the best form of training for me. Match experience is crucial. In order to take time off from work to attend matches, my live-fire practice was often limited.
WoUSPSA – Who did you think was going to give you your biggest competition?
Rebecca – I knew all the ladies would be tough competitors. But after shooting with Megan all year, I had a feeling she and I would be neck and neck, as usual!
WoUSPSA – You shot exclusively USPSA this year and opted not to compete in Steel Challenge or other events. Do you think that helped or hurt you for this match?
Rebecca – Much of the reason I shot exclusively USPSA was due to time constraints. Having to take time off work forced me to pick and choose the matches I attended. USPSA is my favorite type of competition and I wanted to concentrate on that this year. It’s tough to compare USPSA to Steel Challenge; they are two totally different games that I train differently for.
WoUSPSA – We understand you came to Nationals sick. Sorry to hear that! What was it like competing when feeling less than 100%?
Rebecca – I had been sick with bronchitis and pneumonia for about a month prior to the Nationals. I tried to find a balance between getting myself well and training for the Nationals. Unfortunately I went downhill just before the match. Being ill and on meds definitely made it difficult for me to focus and shoot to my potential.
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day-by-day account of your match?
Rebecca – Day 1 started off well for me – my first two stages were strong. But I was slow with a no-shoot on my third stage, which cost me about 20 points. Day 2 was a strong day for me. The stages were accuracy-intensive this day, which I like. Out of the five stages I won this year, two were on this day. Day 3 brought my second no-shoot of the match. I was “off” on a couple of stages, which kept me back from Megan about the same as I was at the end of Day 1 & 2 – about 15-17 points back. I finally started feeling better on the last day of the match. On Day 4 I shot well, but with only 3 stages to go, there just weren’t enough points for me to catch up. Despite giving it my all on the last stage with a good time, I was too many points down on the bobbers. I ended up gaining about 10 points on Megan on that last day, keeping me only 7 points behind her in the end. She shot a very consistent match and that’s how you win.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Rebecca – My best stage was Stage 1. It was a deceivingly hard stage with some tight shots and tough set-ups. Being 14th overall on a stage at the Nationals was very exciting for me.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Rebecca – My favorite stage was probably Stage 8. Accuracy and proper footwork were very important on that stage and it would have been easy to drop a lot of points. You really had to stay focused for the whole stage.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Rebecca – The Nationals should be our premier venue and I thought the stage design lacked a bit of creativity. I don’t think there was enough movement or distance shots, and everyone typically shot each stage the same. I did like seeing so many no-shoots, believe it or not!
WoUSPSA – You shoot with Megan regularly. In her acceptance speech, Megan acknowledged you. Do you think you have an advantage being able to train with another lady that pushes you to be better?
Rebecca – I do think it’s an advantage to shoot with Megan throughout the year. We push each other and keep each other on our toes. There are quite a few really good shooters in our Area who push me to be better, and I feel fortunate to be able to shoot with them on a regular basis.
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to interview with us. Is there anything you would like to add?
Rebecca – I had an awesome squad at the Nationals this year! I got to shoot with a lot of good friends from the east coast and it was great to have their friendship and support.
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USPSA Ladies Open National Champion – Megan Francisco
This is Megan’s first Ladies Open National Title after placing a close second at the 2008 USPSA Open Nationals
WoUSPSA – Congratulations!!! Now that you have had some time to take it all in, how does it feel to win your first USPSA Nationals?
Megan – After shooting the sport for 6 years, it feels great to have reached my goal. Winning the national championship was something I have always thought about and to have achieved it is a great personal accomplishment.
WoUSPSA – Going into the nationals, what was your game plan for the year?
Megan – My mental game was the first aspect of training that I worked on. I was really strong mentally at the nationals in 2008 and I knew I had to do the same this year. That 2008 performance gave me the confidence to know that I was capable of winning the Open Nationals. I also made it a point the past two years to increase my cardio endurance and to be physically stronger. I did this by running an average of 15-20 miles weekly and lifting weights to increase my upper body strength.
Technique wise, I decided to focus a lot on improving my movement and ability to get into and out of shooting positions. The biggest change in my shooting was having access to a nearby covered outdoor range (Range82 in Midland, Va.). It enabled me to train almost daily, rain or shine and allowed me to set up specific drills that incorporated movement. Prior to 2008, I had only been able to train in a booth at indoor ranges. Wow, what a difference!
WoUSPSA – Who did you think was going to give you your biggest competition?
Megan – There are so many top lady shooters; you can never count any of them out. Doni Spencer, Athena Lee, Kay Miculek, Lisa Munson and Rebecca Jones are all capable of winning. Because I shoot with Rebecca regularly, I know her capabilities and her level of dedication. She is the one who I am always looking out for and she constantly pushes me.
WoUSPSA – Do you think you came in as an underdog?
Megan – I don’t think I did. Maybe the public thought so because they don’t know much about me, but I didn’t. I finished 5th in 2005 and 2007 and was 2nd place last year by only 3 points to Rebecca. So, I don’t feel like I came out of nowhere. After last years nationals I knew that I could win and that is what I set out to do this year.
WoUSPSA – How did you maintain focus throughout the match?
Megan – I just tried to focus on each individual stage. My main goal is to execute my plan without extra shots. Whether I was able to accomplish that or not, by the time I got to my next stage I had to have a clear mind and be ready to think about the stage in front of me and leave the past stage behind. My i-pod always helps with that. There is nothing like good music to relax you and clear your mind.
WoUSPSA – Could you describe your performance on Day 1?
Megan – On day one I shot stages 10-13. I started out the first stage (stage 10) of the match with a miss. I canted my gun and wound up shooting the wall. This made me re-focus and be much more mindful and deliberate on the next stage. This focus continued as I made no further errors throughout the rest of the day. I felt really good about my performance on Stage 12. I was able to execute my exact game plan by hitting my positions and I didn’t take any extra shots. I finished that day feeling that my performance was solid.
WoUSPSA – How about Day 2?
Megan – On Day two I shot stages 14-16 & stage 1. I started on Stage 14. I ended up having to re-shoot the stage due to a prop failure caused by the wind. I had to wait a really long time because the same thing happened to Kay (2 times) and it took a while for the RO’s to fix it. I generally do not mind re-shoots but I was getting anxious because there were two other squads backed up waiting for us to finish. I told myself that they didn’t care what I did, they just wanted us to finish so they could shoot. That helped calm my nerves. I was able to completely focus and shot well on that stage. The rest of the day was very steady, until we got to Stage 1, our last stage of the day. On that stage I lost my concentration and slapped a shot into a no-shoot. I was thankful that was our last stage for that day.
WoUSPSA – Half-way through the match, how was Day 3?
Megan – Day three I shot stages 2-6 and started with Stage 2. That stage had some swingers that you had to get the timing right in order to have a good time. I mostly wanted to come off that stage clean. I did shoot clean but had a slow time because I had missed the swinger and had to wait for another showing. Stages 3-6 I shot solid with good hits and decent times. I usually gauge myself based on how I stand against my husband Ron (I try to stay within a couple seconds of his time and still have good hits) and so I knew I had a solid day of shooting. I don’t ever look at the scores so I didn’t know exactly where I stood against the other ladies but I felt good about my performance up to this point in the match.
WoUSPSA – The final day?
Megan – Day four I shot stages 7-9. My plan for this day was to be conservative and safe due to the unpredictability of the props on stages 7 & 9. I started out my last day with the Texas Star stage. Usually I have no fear of a Texas Star, but his one was very tricky. If you didn’t hit the plates exactly right, they could disappear and you could give up a lot of time/points. Ron and I came up with a specific order in which to engage the plates, but I also knew that I couldn’t take any extra shots. The plan worked and I was able to hit them one for one. That was a big relief getting through that stage. Stage 8 was a field course and my priority was to hit my shooting positions and shoot clean. My time was decent but I shot a lot of C’s, and knew I gave up some points on that stage. The last stage of the match was stage 9. That was the house stage with the up and down bobbers in the back. Ron and I talked about it and I knew that those bobbers would be the key targets for that stage. I had to hit them on their first showing or it would cost me too much time. I didn’t feel too nervous starting the stage, but when I got to my first position I trigger froze and it put my mind in panic mode. I was able to get through the course and hit my key targets without extra shots, but I wound up dropping a lot of points because I was rushing. Then I was the most nervous of the whole match. Now there was nothing left that I could do. Ron told me that I had the lead by about 10 points over Rebecca. She hadn’t shot the stage yet and depending on how she shot could determine the winner of the match. She ended up shooting about the same as I did. She had a little better time which helped gain her a few more points on me. After she shot the stage she immediately came over and gave me a big hug, congratulating me. I wasn’t totally convinced that I had won just yet. Not until I saw the official scores did I truly believe it.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Megan – Stage 14 was my best which is a little surprising because it was the first stage of that day and I had a re-shoot on it. Re-shoots don’t usually bother me, but we had been waiting quite a while because of the work the ROs had to do with the props. By the time I shot, there were two squads backed up waiting. I saw them and just told myself all I had to do was execute my plan, nothing fancy, just shoot one for one and that nobody cared what I was doing. They just wanted me to finish so they could shoot. That calmed me down and I did just that. I was smooth; I nailed my positions, and didn’t take any extra shots.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Megan – I liked stage 6 “Check Please”. This was a good stage because it had a mix of targets; open and danger; static and moving as well as steel. It also allowed competitors different ways to shoot it depending on their shooting style.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Megan – Overall I thought the stages were a good mix of field courses and speed shoots. I like standards stages, so I wouldn’t have minded seeing one at the match. I also like big matches, so a few more stages would have been good for me.
WoUSPSA – You shoot with Rebecca regularly. Do you think you have an advantage being able to train with another lady that pushes you to be better?
Megan – I do think it is an advantage having Rebecca to shoot against regularly. I know that if I don’t practice and give 100% that I will have a tough time, because she is out there practicing and giving 100%. It is always better to have competition. That is the only way we improve. We have also become friends and are so comfortable shooting with each other. That level of comfort helps at the higher level matches.
WoUSPSA – How is it being able to share shooting with your husband?
Megan – It is great having a built in training partner to practice with and travel with. If one of us doesn’t feel like practicing or dry firing, you do it anyway because the other person is doing it. He pushes me to do better and has taught me just about everything I know about the sport. I am always trying to keep up with him too, so that also helps me improve. Aside from all the “technical” benefits, it’s just fun. It is really nice to participate in something we both enjoy together. We always say we take mini vacations each weekend we travel to a match. That is the best part.
WoUSPSA – Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Do you have any comments you would like to add?
Megan – I would like to say thanks to some of the people who helped get me here. Mike Ahlfeld, my gunsmith for building me two flawless guns that I love and never let me down. Lee and Mark at Range82 were a huge help in allowing me access to their great facility to practice. My work agency for their support by giving me the time and funding to train and attend the US Nationals each year. Al Dvorak of Dvorak Instruments, who built an air recoil system for my open gun so dry firing could be more fun.
I have also had a lot of help and encouragement since I first started. From my very first club match I was surrounded by some of the best shooters in the nation. They took me under their wing and are all like brothers to me. My old shooting team “Team Shooters Paradise” Phil Strader, Todd Sindelar, Mike Seeklander, Eric Lund, BJ Norris and of course Ron Francisco were all instrumental in my development as a shooter. Another influence for me was watching the ladies. They all had different strengths I admired. Kay Miculek and her consistency, Athena Lee and her aggressiveness, Doni Spencer and her pure athleticism, Julie Goloski – Golob and her movement and ability to always look like she was having fun – even if she had a bad stage, Cheryl Cruz and her speed, Rebecca Jones and her accuracy. They have all made me work harder along the way. Lastly, I have to thank my husband Ron. Without him none of this would have been possible. He is my coach, my training partner, my ammo re-loader, my gunsmith, my travel partner and inspiration in everything I do. He is my best friend ~thank you~
For video links of Megan competing at this year’s nationals, check out Women of USPSA on Facebook.
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Thanks so much to all the women who took the time to interview with us! Congrats to the Top 8 and all the ladies who competed at this year’s Open Nationals!
Continuing coverage of the TOP 8 WOMEN from the USPSA Open Nationals…
5th Place – Athena Lee
2-Time IPSC World Shoot Ladies Open Champion & USPSA Ladies Open National Champion
WofUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! You didn’t have much opportunity to shoot this year. How many matches did you shoot leading up to the Nationals?
Athena – Two and both were local. The Space City Challenge and the Texas Open Championship. The shortage in primers really didn’t help me much. I had to conserve what little I had (under 5k primers!) and work with it. The economy didn’t help much either. By February, my broker had to lay off over 60% of his workers and it was painful to see friends and co-workers getting let go so I had to focus on work more as well.
WofUSPSA – What did you do to prepare even without having the trigger time?
Athena – I knew that I didn’t have the opportunity to work much so I concentrated on physical fitness. After pulling my back two weeks before the World Shoot Last year, I knew I had to do something to make sure that didn’t happen again so I started doing CrossFit. It is unbelievable how much it has improved my physical strength in such a short amount of time!
WofUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Athena – Considering my lack of trigger time, I wasn’t too disappointed with my finish. I felt strong but I think I let the close targets carry me away. When you think you want to go fast and when you think you’re going fast, that’s usually a sign of trouble and I fell into that hole. I ended up with way too many penalties because of that. I made a rookie mistake mind-set wise going into that match by thinking, “Oh!! Close up targets!!! Fun time!” and I paid for it. (LoL)
WofUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Athena – My best stage was Stage 2.
WofUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Athena – My favorite was, surprise, Stage 2 because there were complicated movements and timing involved. You started out engaging activators and 2 moving targets then finish by backing up and squatting/kneeling and then shooting at targets with big transitions.
WofUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Athena – Deceptively simple. It looked simple but if you approach it with the wrong mind set (OMG close targets!! MUST SHOOT FASTAH!), things usually don’t work out very well.
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything you would like to add?
Athena – Big congratulations to Megan and Rebecca and the other girls for such wonderful shooting. Though I wasn’t able to shoot with them, seeing their performance on paper told me that they were on top of their game. The field has opened up and the competition has never been as exciting. I love it! I’m looking forward to see how I do next year.
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4th Place – Grace Tan
IPSC Ladies Champion
We’ve sent out interview questions to Grace but unfortunately haven’t heard back from her yet. As soon we do, we will be sure to post her answers.
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3rd Place – Kay Miculek
9-Time USPSA Ladies Open National Champion & 13-Time USPSA Multi-Gun Ladies National Champion
WoUSPSA – Conrgatulations on placing 3rd! As someone who has a number of Open titles under her belt, what were your goals going into this year’s match?
Kay – My main goal this year was to be more aggressive and pick up my speed. My accuracy, not my speed, is what has kept me near the top in IPSC matches for the past decade. When both Rebecca and Megan beat me by over 70 points at the 2008 USPSA Open Nationals, I knew the bar had been raised. If I’m going to continue to be competitive against these ladies, I must get faster.
WoUSPSA – You shoot a wide variety of shooting sports throughout the year. Do you think this helps you prepare for the USPSA Nationals?
Kay – Actually, I think it hurts my performance at the USPSA Nationals. I’m often shooting a rifle or shotgun competition when I could be getting in some much needed practice with my pistol. But I enjoy the challenge and excitement of participating in a variety of shooting disciplines using a variety of firearms. I think it keeps my interest level up and keeps me from getting burned out.
WoUSPSA – Competing as a veteran in the sport, what do you rely on in your shooting to help you compete at this level?
Kay – At this point in my practical pistol career it’s my consistency that allows me to remain competitive. I finished 3rd and 4th respectively at the 2009 USPSA Nationals and the 2009 US IPSC Nationals even though I did not win a single stage in either match! Bottom line is, I rarely burn a stage down, but I just as rarely have a miss or procedural.
WoUSPSA – Tell us about your performance throughout the match.
Kay – I was squadded with Megan and Rebecca for the first time and after their performances in 2008 I wasn’t sure I could hang with those ladies in the speed department. They usually beat my times a little but I was pleasantly surprised to see they weren’t just leaving me in their dust. On Day 2 I continued to push hard on every stage to try to stay within striking distance of Rebecca and Megan. They were increasing their lead due more to the points I was dropping than the times. I knew I was giving up many more points than usual but my focus was on speed at this match so I didn’t back off. I faltered a little on the last few stages of the match and in fact received my only penalty of the match on the last stage when I tagged a no-shoot. But overall I was satisfied with my performance. I dropped more points in this match than I have in many years but I stayed aggressive until the last shot and that was my goal. I am now confident I can still hang with the younger ladies for a few more years. I look forward to proving that to them and myself in 2010.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Kay – My best stage was #16, Table Choices. It had the longest shots of the match with no-shoots on every target. You could choose to shoot some of the targets while retreating. Tough precision shoots and a chance to shoot on the move, two of my favorite things to see on a stage!
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Kay – I’d have to call it a tie between Makin Extra Money and Swing Around. To do well on Makin Extra Money you had to be very precise in your stage choreography. If you didn’t nail every set-up you were going to add lots of time having to scoot around to see targets. It also had some fairly long shots although they were wide-open targets. Swing Around allowed lots of shooting on the move. Maybe the real reason it sticks out in my mind is that I had to shoot it three times due to range malfunctions. Guess that just gave me more chances to run ‘n gun!
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Kay – Deceptively challenging. There were probably less than a dozen targets outside of twenty yards. The challenge was due to the fifty or sixty no-shoot targets spread throughout the stages. They humbled those who thought they could just spray and pray.
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Stay tuned for interviews from 2nd Place Rebecca T. Jones and Open National Champion Megan Francisco!
We have enjoyed bringing you coverage of the talented ladies at this year’s USPSA Back to Back National Championships and wanted to take the opportunity to ask each of the women in the Top 8 about their match performance. What better way to showcase the many different personalities in our sport then by asking them to tell us their experience in their own words? Without further delay, here are YOUR TOP 8 WOMEN from the USPSA Open Nationals!
8th Place – Lisa Munson
2009 USPSA Single Stack Ladies National Champion, Multiple USPSA Open & Limited Ladies National Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! What was your goal for the nationals?
Lisa – Since I struggled with a bad case of tendonitis in my right arm for the entire ‘09 season, my goal for the Open nationals was pretty much…survival. I wanted to turn in the highest percentage score possible in order to earn a spot on the next US National team.
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Lisa – I felt I turned in a very sub-par performance. My lack of practice with the Open gun really showed. The main problem was a lack of visual patience. I was trying to shoot faster than I could see my sight (dot), resulting in dropping too many points… and the occasional miss.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Lisa – My best stage, and only stage win, was #15. It was a 12 round course where you started with your loaded gun lying flat on a table. 4 poppers were engaged through a window at the table, then a retreat back in the shooting area until 2 targets on each side of the wall became visible.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Lisa – My favorite stage was #3 “Crossover Finish”. This stage utilized wide target transitions while moving down a center corridor. Learning to do fast target transitions is one of the key elements to improving your classification ranking.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Lisa – The stage designs were a little unusual for a National level match… all Comstock stages, no strong/weak hand, only a couple of targets out to 25 yds. Although it felt more like a couple of club matches combined, there were still some elements thrown in that were deceptively challenging.
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything you would like to add?
Lisa – I’m looking forward to the 2010 season…will spend more time shooting the Open gun next year, determined to turn in a better performance at the next Nationals!
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7th Place – Doni Spencer
11-Time Canadian Ladies National Champion and 2005 USPSA Open Ladies Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! What was your goal for the nationals?
Doni – My goal for the Open Nationals was to shoot my personal best at the US Nationals, and if I did that, I knew I could win the Ladies Open title and possibly win or place in A class. It sounds bold, but it’s necessary. The mental game can become very important during a match like this.
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Doni – My performance was too erratic at this match. I’ve been working on being more consistent, so this wasn’t what I wanted. I analyzed my stages against the other top eight ladies. I was in the pack and consistent for 9 stages; I had penalties, but was fast for 2 stages; I let 2 stages totally intimidate me (and in hindsight, they were no big deal), and 2 more where I was slow because I messed around taking extra shots – on steel, on movers, etc.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Doni – My best stage was Stage 14 – I was 23rd overall and 2nd to Megan in the Ladies, for the stage. It was a lot of fun. It had mid-range targets, shooting on the move, turning targets, steel, and Options!
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Doni – My favorite stage was a toss up between stages 2, 8 and 13. These stages were fun, full of options, and allowed us to use our skills. These stages had to be choreographed. You had to know where you were going to step, how far you had to lean, and where you were going to index. I liked it.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Doni – I think that most stages were good, I liked that they had a variety of field, medium and speed courses. I think that this year’s stages were deceiving – and the overall number of penalty targets hit in this match demonstrates that!
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything you would like to add about the match?
Doni – I didn’t understand why this was run in a half-day format…. until I got there. Then I was sooo thankful! I thoroughly enjoyed the heat, but I’m very happy that we only had to be out in it for half a day at a time.
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6th Place – Eva Micklethwaite
Member of the 2008 World Shoot US Gold Winning Ladies Team & 1999 Dutch Lady Open Champion
WoUSPSA – Congratulations on making the Top 8! What was your goal for the nationals?
Eva – To shoot a clean match, shoot to the best of my ability, and to finish in the Top 8.
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match?
Eva – I was happy with my performance. I had gear problems on one of the big stages which cost me a lot of points, but was able to stay positive, focused and finished as well as I could.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Eva – My best stage was Stage 13 – Makin Extra Money. To be able to win a stage amongst the caliber of Lady shooters that attended this National was an achievement for me.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Eva – I had a few favorite stages; Stage 13 – Making Extra Money and Stage 1 – Swing Around are two that come to mind. I enjoy shooting stages that not only challenge the shooter’s ability to shoot, but to also think about and solve the course of fire to the best of their ability. These stages required the shooter to think about target sequencing and acquisition, movement and placement, as well as accuracy, which I believe is a well-rounded test of the shooter’s ability.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Eva – I think for the most part the stages were ok, with the exception of a few that were excellent.
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything you would like to add about the match?
Eva – The match was run well and on time. We did not find ourselves waiting around. The match committee did a fantastic job at providing water on every stage, not once did an ice chest come up empty. The accommodations were affordable, friendly, and clean. I would be happy to see the Open Nationals return to Vegas. I would hope in the future, the club could possibly dress up the props a bit more; it makes it more appealing for the media and spectators. Otherwise, job well done.
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Check back for more interviews from 5th Place Lady all the way through this year’s Open National Champion!
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