Cuban Gunners: Democracy No. Marksmanship. Si.

Dave Johnson used to be the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle coach. He’s now the US Olympic Rifle team’s coach. In an article written a few years ago (lost even to the mists of the Internet), Johnson cited the excellence of a female Cuban shooter. She won the Pan-Am Games rifle competition with hand-me-down 30-year-old equipment and clothing. She had to borrow ammo from a fellow competitor. Johnson’s point: too often American shooters try to improve their scores by “turning the wrench.” Adding gee-gaws and doo-dads to their equipment, instead of focusing on fundamentals and proper mental mindset, like she did. So when I read [via cadenagramonte.cu] that Havana’s air rifle shooter and bronze medalist (skeet shooting) Juan Miguel Rodriguez “leads the Cuban team now training to obtain their  tickets in the World Sports Shooting Cup to be held in Concepcion, Chile, from March 1st through the 10th,” I smile. Go get ’em tigre!