FRED CHRASTIL CORNHUSKER STATE GAMES 2021 SENIOR ATHLETE

Link to video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uSXKpqZRw

The Video interview was just under an hour long edited down to under 3 minutes, so, it left out a lot of things I would like to explain.  Post 3 American Legion Member.

 I never cared much for team sports, but competitive shooting really triggered my interest.  I read everything I could find on shooting, and that increased my interested in history, as we have a very rich history of firearms ownership in the United States that stands apart from the rest of the world. I was very blessed to get excellent training from the NRA, the Civilian Marksmanship program, and the Army Marksmanship Unit.  The highlight for me was going to Camp Perry (the mother church for shooting competition in the USA) in the 70s to the 90s. Unlike sports with a ball, rifle and pistol shooting does not require brute strength or a burst of speed, but rather endurance, stamina and good hand, eye coordination.   A typical pistol match can last 2 to 6 hours. Once you have mastered the fundamentals, they become part of your muscle memory, and it is all about sights and trigger squeeze.  Six hours of training a week will allow me to improve, but I rarely manage to do that time.  Match pressure is my worst enemy, so I never look at the scores until the match is over.  When I won the service pistol leg match in 1970 at the old Dodge Park Range in Omaha, it was because I did not think I had a chance to medal much less win, as there were military teams there from Offutt, Iowa, Fort Riley Kansas, Lincoln and even a Coast Guard team from Omaha!   Competitive shooting has taught me ethics, self-esteem, and personal responsibility.  I consider Bullseye shooting (now called Precision shooting) to be the hardest to excel in, but the easiest to train for.  If you keep yourself healthy and fit, don’t smoke, and stay away from caffeine drinks before a match, you can compete into your senior years. Competitive shooting as well as my interest in running and biking has allowed me to meet and gain hundreds of friends from all walks of life and backgrounds but, we have the same interest, the love of the sport.

Shoot safely, shoot often, and keep them in the ten-ring.