"Follow your heart!"

I compete in three Olympic shooting events and one group of NRA events:
- Air Pistol
- Free Pistol
- Free Rifle Prone (English Match)
- NRA Outdoor Prone (Conventional & Metric)

If I Stand Tall,
It is Because I Stand...
On The Shoulders of Giants:

Several people have assisted me in the ongoing "journey" toward higher level competition. Though I have a very, very long way yet to go, I have already journeyed far. Their friendship and efforts on my behalf are most gratifying. Anything I have or may accomplish in the sport could not have happened without their help. At the risk of overlooking someone vitally important to me and my development as a shooter, at least these deserve special mention:

My Family
Deanna and the girls often miss me due to my involvement in this sport. They know how much I love the sport and their support and understanding are most important and appreciated. Years ago, my father introduced me to shooting as a very young boy which started my love of the sport.

Alfred Perrot-White
- Englishman, served in French Foreign Legion in both World Wars.
My very first coach, Al immediately introduced me to the thoughtful side of the sport. From the start, in the summer of 1971, he loaned me a full set of equipment, including one of his excellent Anschutz target rifles. Al patiently worked with me (as an unfocused teenager!) for about one and a half years until his death. His widow refused to allow me to return his rifle and other equipment until the school shooting season had ended, six months after his death. Godspeed my friends.

Gerry Faust
- Football Coach, Univ. of Notre Dame & Cincinnati Moeller H. S.
Gerry inspired and taught high ideals and ethics. He also taught young people how to be winners. As the student video tape manager, then photographer as an alumni, I was privileged to be a part of his high school football program as he built it into one that earned multiple state and national championships. I learned much about sport and life from him.

Tom Suswal
- 4th overall at 1991 (?) Camp Perry US Championships (NRA) & 1st in Numerous Regionals.
Tom took me under his wing in 1990 when we both competed exclusively in NRA Outdoor  Prone events. He patiently worked with me to develop my skills and work on the technical aspects of the game. Most importantly, he taught me how to begin to think like a top competitor. This skill, how to think correctly, is the "essential oil" that many competitors, even some at the international level, underestimate or overlook. Tom understands how my mind works, and through our friendship has been able to guide me to a greater understanding in this sport.

The Coaches
- Wanda Jewell - US Team Rifle Coach (2000-)
- Dan Durben - US Team Rifle Coach (1997-2000)
- Bill Krilling - International Rifle Coach - US Army Marksmanship Unit (retired)
- Frank Briggs - International Pistol Coach - US Army Marksmanship Unit
All have been very supportive of my involvement in this sport in all three of my roles. Each has gone out of their way and taken time away from other duties to work with me and provide encouragement, positive suggestions, and even a bit of training. Each has also helped me to become a better resource for junior shooters, as mentioned on the Coach page.

The Doctors Ciafone
- Wellness For The Whole Patient
Drs. Rob & Jenny Ciafone, strong believers in patient education, have helped me learn a great deal and open a fuller awareness of the body and health. This has allowed me to better understand and use the body's physiology in creating stable shooting positions and improve other aspects of my physical performance. Rob's gentle chiropractic and deep massage work, especially for my injured back and shoulders, have made all the difference in my ability to maintain the very fine motor control that shooting demands. Don't automatically rush to drugs and surgery - sometimes the body can heal itself with knowledgeable help - even when you "know" it can't.

The "Kids"
- Smiling Faces
Keeping up with their development continually reminds me of the fundamentals and keeps me sharp. They are a great bunch of kids. Read a tiny bit about them on the Coach page. Special thanks to "Cousin Luke", a rifle shooter from the US Naval Academy at Annapolis (Class of 2002), for his encouragement, assistance, and friendship through the years. Darned "kid" still shoots rifle better than I do! Ha!

Home: http://www.america.net/~jpoc/