August 16, 2024 • 32 mins
In our latest episode, we’re joined by a two-time Olympian and world champion who takes us through his incredible journey to the Olympics for a second time. He shares insights into the rigorous qualification process and reflects on his victory at the 2022 World Championships in Croatia. Tune in for an insider's perspective on earning a coveted spot on the USA Shooting Team, as well as a discussion about the Paris Olympics and all that comes with it.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(00:24):
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Speaker 3 (01:01):
My guest today is a two-time Olympian in trap, a
multi-time world champion and atwo-time sporting clays national
champion, just to name a few.
His achievements have made hima household name in the sport.
Please welcome to the show.
(01:36):
Hey, glad to be here.
Yeah, man, I'm glad to have youon.
I was watching you on TV itseemed like just about a week
ago and I think you did a prettygood job over there in Paris.
Yeah, you know, I can'tcomplain a whole lot.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Um, I, uh.
I went on a pretty big run justto get in that final and you
know, when you make a big runlike that it uses up a lot of
fuel.
I didn't have anything leftthere towards the end.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
What, so tell me how all this worked.
Okay, you first off.
Let's talk about how you gotthere.
We've talked about this before,but there's people listening
that probably didn't listen tothe other episode.
How did you get to the Olympics?
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Um.
The first step was we had towin a country quota slot.
Um, and I did that at the 22world championships in Croatia.
Um, and I did that at the 22world championships in Croatia,
Um.
When I finished in the top fourthere, that got us a spot for
our country to be represented atthe Olympic game.
Okay, and then from there I hadto become eligible for the
(02:38):
Olympic games, which meant I hadto start in two world ranking
points qualifying events, so aWorld Cup or World Championships
, continental Championships,anything that's basically ran by
the ISS.
I had to have two starts and atone of those I had to earn some
(03:01):
ranking points, which I didthat as well when I won the
world championships, Um, so thatthat made me eligible for the
Olympic games.
And then after that, I had towin our Olympic trial, which was
500 targets split over twomatches that were like eight
months apart, 10 months apart.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Hmm, that's way more complicated than sporting clays.
I mean, so you went to Croatia,won this championship that
earned the U S a spot, butdidn't earn you a spot and earn
somebody a spot if you didn'tmake it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yes, yep.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Wouldn't that make you mad, if you didn't go?
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Yeah, well, you know, on the other side of it, in
2020 for Tokyo, I took someoneelse's quota that they had won.
Ah, so it kind of it.
It works both ways.
Yeah, so if, if we just let youkeep the quota that you earn,
then I would not have gone toTokyo.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, that's true.
Well, that's just, that's crazyhow that works and how it all,
how much you have to shoot andtrap just to get, just to win
something.
You know, we we talked aboutthis the grand American.
I mean, how, how how manytargets do you have to straight
to win the grand?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Um, if you're talking about the clay target
championships, which is the 16yard single championship, um,
it's gone as many as like 900and some targets straight.
It's crazy.
So it's totally different gamethan olympic track, for sure,
yeah, but um, you still stillgot to shoot a lot yeah, so you
(04:41):
get over to paris.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And have you been to paris before?
Yeah, okay.
So I guess you kind of knewwhat to expect as far as paris
is concerned.
But what about the olympics hat?
When you got there, what didthey have like a welcoming
committee standing by theairplane?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
when you got off, um, kind of they had.
Uh, when we got off the planewe had a uh, our own route that
we followed.
That walked us to where we gotour credentials certified and,
uh, that credential was ouraccess to anything involved with
the Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I guess that's.
That's kind of a welcomingcommittee, I mean you get you
know.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
And then once once I got through that and did the
passport check and all that goodstuff um then S Olympic
Committee, they had a guy thereto help us find all our bags and
help us with any lost bags oranything like that.
So we did have a team there tohelp us through with all that
(05:37):
stuff.
And then from there we went tothe Welcome Center for Team USA
and that's where we did thewelcome experience, where we got
to try on all the outfits andstuff that we were given by Nike
and Ralph Lauren for openingceremonies, medal ceremonies,
(06:01):
all that kind of stuff, whichwas really cool.
We didn't get to do that inTokyo because of COVID, yeah, so
that was a really, really coolexperience.
And they had they had mirrorswith holographic images in it
that said had your name andwelcome to welcome to the team.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
And I saw that online .
I didn't know what that was.
That a mirror?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, it was just a mirror that had little LEDs
lights in it.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
That's cool.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Now I know what it is .
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I don't know about the clothing being too cool, but
I mean, that's what you expectwhen you go to the Olympics.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
You know a lot of it.
This go-around was pretty goodand it's stuff that I'll wear
and use for quite a while, butthere is some of it that's
pretty hideous.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, yeah, I saw it.
I was like, oh, I don't know ifI'd have fit in any of that
stuff, but anyway, so you getover there and you go to the
welcoming committee.
What do you do then?
Do you have to like, do you goto your room and stay there for
a while, or you practice, orwhat do you do?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Yeah, so we got on a bus or a van and took a four
hour road trip to um, the townof shadow roof, where our the
range was at, in our satellitevillage, and uh, so then after
that, then the next day, we, uh,we were able to go out and
start practicing and all thatfun stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Yeah, I bet that's.
That's fun.
I mean, do you you get to talkto all the people that's in
there?
Well, if they speak English,I'm assuming all the people
competing with you.
I mean it's okay.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Oh yeah, yeah, for the most part, um, everybody can
communicate a little bitthrough English.
Yeah, so it's.
It's, but for the most part,everybody that's competing in
the current I don't know whatyou want to call it contingency
(07:51):
of shooters, they're allgenuinely pretty good guys, kind
of like Ford and Clay's here inthe US.
It's a good group of guys andeverybody's cordial and gets
along and everybody's cordialand gets along, and for the most
part they're not really afraidto talk about shooting or how
they approach things and it'skind of a nice environment.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Do you all hang out together over there?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Not a lot.
We will a little bit with theAussies or the Brits, but not a
too terrible amount.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah, so last, what was it in 2020 when you went?
Is that right?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yeah, it ended up being 21 because of the one-year
delay from COVID.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, so you finished where in 2021?
Speaker 4 (08:42):
24.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And now you're fifth.
You finished fifth.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah, let's go around .
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So let me ask you this Is there plans going
forward to do it again?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
You know I was already kind of planning to do
it another four years, becausein 28 it's in LA.
So that was kind of the endgoal initially anyway, was to
try and and compete it at threeOlympics, the last one being at
LA.
Um, but as close as I got thisgo around, it wouldn't have
(09:16):
mattered where where the gameswere at I was, I I'd be out
there trying it again.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it sounds like you'remaking some progress, for sure.
What did you learn, uh, thistime, versus what you did last
time?
What was a difference?
Were you more comfortable ordid you figure something out?
What was the difference?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I was definitely more confident.
I had built a lot of confidenceover the last two or three
years in my ability to competeat the world level and I think
that was the biggest differencefor me was having that
experience of winning at theworld level.
It was like knowing that, hey,I can go do this.
(10:03):
So that was the biggest partfor me.
And then having my family there, that was really awesome and it
kind of gave me that extralittle boost that you need
sometimes to compete at yourbest.
Um it just knowing that theywere back there watching you
(10:24):
kind of don't want to, you know,you don't want to miss because
you don't want to let them down,kind of thing, you know, even
though they're just happy to bethere watching, um, it was
definitely a little extramotivation.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, did you do anything else while you were
there other than shoot?
Did you go see anything else?
Speaker 4 (10:46):
We walked through the Louvre and around kind of the
main Olympic Village area alittle bit went to the Team USA
house um the day before we leftand that was kind of cool.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
What is that?
Speaker 4 (11:00):
It's a, a building that the U S Olympic committee
rented, um using sponsors to uhto have just a house dedicated
to team USA, um, that peoplecould buy tickets to go visit
and they had their own floor andit had a store with Team USA
gear, and then there was anupper story that was for
(11:22):
athletes and their guests thatthey brought in and they had
food and drinks.
You know, it was just a coolexperience, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, it sounds like it, and you're going to get to
do it again, or try to do itagain at least.
So, is competing at a Olympiclevel.
Is there how much?
I don't know if you candescribe it or not, but how much
more pressure is it on, saylike world fee task?
Is there a big difference inthe pressure?
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I think there is Um and I think it stems from you
know it's a once every four yearpossibility at best, um, to get
that opportunity to win Olympicmedals.
So it's such a small number ofopportunities that you might
have in a career, Like if you doit for a long time you might.
(12:13):
You might get six opportunities.
Yeah, um, you know there's afew people that have done done
more than that, but um, it'sjust such a limited amount of
times you get to go that it's.
It adds a whole nother level ofpressure yeah, um, we were
talking about this also.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Uh, trap, like you go shoot trap at a gun club
somewhere, how much differentwhat you're shooting is versus
ata trap.
Kind of describe thedifferences real quick on what?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
you're shooting in ata.
So ata is just a single trapthat oscillates side to side.
It's always the same height andalways the same speed, roughly
40-42 miles an hour.
In Olympic trap.
The machines are set atdifferent heights and you have
angles as wide as 45 degrees tothe left and 45 degrees to the
(13:10):
right, and then yourstraightaway target is plus or
minus 15 degrees depending onthe setting, and the target base
has to go 76 meters at theheight that it's set at, and
that could be anywhere from 60to 65 66 miles an hour,
depending on where in the worldyou're at.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, you got me when you said I didn't know that
they changed elevations yeah,yeah, they're not all the same
height, oh well, yeah, I'd havebeen out first target, I'd have
been out.
Uh, the guy on tv was sayingthat you know, some of these
guys figure out the pattern.
Maybe am I saying that right ofthe targets um, yes and no.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Um, you know, over the course of a round you're
going to get two less two rightsand one straight away off each
post.
Now you shoot a target androtate, so it's kind of hard.
You can't really just sit thereand remember the due process of
elimination unless you try andkeep track of the whole round,
which can get to be a lot.
Um, and you should, in theory,know your last five a lot of
(14:20):
times.
If you really keep in track,you'll know like seven of your
last 10.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Hmm, I don't know how you would know that, especially
over there.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Yeah, you know, it's just you like.
For me, if one post has areally really hard wide angle
target, um, I can usually keeptrack of that.
No, when I either got that leftor that target is gone and so
that gives by process ofelimination, I'll I'll kind of
know what some of my last passthe targets are, but I don't I
(14:53):
don't fret too hard about tryingto keep track other than the
really hard ones the, the lastday that I watched you shoot.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Uh, what did you miss ?
What target did you miss?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
um, that was, uh, it was like a 20 degree left, um,
so not a very wide angle.
The very last target um, thatwas my 30th target in the final
um put me in a tie with the guyfrom guatemala and I lost the
tiebreaker to move on yeah well,hey, you got fifth and there's
(15:31):
not a lot of people say they did, they can't even go the
olympics.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So I mean you know that's the Olympics.
So I mean you know that's.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
I think it's a great job.
So you know, one cool thing is,I was the first American to
make the final at the Olympicgame since 2004,.
Uh, when Lance Bade did it Um.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
I want to say they said that.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah, so he.
So Lance is the last Americanto make a final until I did in
men's trap.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I didn't realize that that was the case.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Yeah, we've had more or less 20 years of kind of
sucking hind tit, I guess.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Who is there?
A dominating country in trap Isthere a dominating country in
trap.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
You know, um, for a long time the Italians were
pretty good, but pretty mucheverybody in Europe, um, is
pretty, pretty hard to beat.
Yeah, um, it everybody's gotone or two guys that, at any
given time, can pop you a bigscore.
Yeah, can get hot in the final.
Um, yeah, which is really whatit takes.
Um, you gotta gotta getlightning in a bottle If you, uh
(16:42):
, if you really want to want towin the final, I mean,
everything has to fall, justperfect for you.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah.
So, the guy that won uh, Ididn't know this, but everyone
that shoots sporting claysprobably knows who his relative
is yeah, what so the guy thatwon?
What's his name?
Uh nathan hale and he's relatedto john woolley yeah, he is
john woolley's nephew how aboutthat that's crazy.
(17:12):
He was on it too.
Let me tell you.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yeah, you know.
So he.
He also holds the world recordin the final Um.
Last year in Italy he broke 49out of 50.
Um, to set the world record fora final.
And then what do you have?
48 out of 50.
It's at the Olympic record.
Yeah, it's crazy.
I think the pre the previousOlympic record was 43.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Wow, when was that set?
Do you have any idea?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Tokyo.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Okay, that's a big difference too, man you think
about it.
Yeah, it's a huge difference,especially in trap.
Well, you know, by the time youwere doing all this, I kept
seeing ads pop up on Facebook ofa signature edition shooting
glasses.
I guess you work with AriRanger on what's, what's all
that about.
Tell me how that came about andwhat it is about.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
You know when, when I started talking with him about
about using their product, um,the one thing that I told him
that I really liked to have is acouple of different colors,
different colors that were notin their normal lineup, and so
they came up with the idea.
They said, hey, why don't wejust make a Derek mine signature
series and you develop the, thenew colors, with our engineers?
(18:26):
And so we came out with the,with the dark amber and the
light amber, and they're uh,they're a brown with kind of a
red base, whereas the otherbrown lenses that ranger had
were more of an orange base okay, so you can, can you?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
how do you get these lenses in these?
So if you buy like a just astandard set of rangers, you're
going to get their standardlenses, but you have to buy buy
your edition to get thedifferent colors.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, I think at this time you have to buy my
signature kit.
Okay, they were going to usethat as kind of a test run to
see how they went in the market.
So far I think it's been a homerun.
Everybody I've talked to that'stried them has absolutely loved
them, so I would assume thatmoving forward it will become a
(19:18):
part of their normal lineup.
But yeah, at this moment intime they're available in the
Falcon Pro, and so it also comeswith a blue case and then a
custom lens cloth that has aDerek mine logo as well as my
signature on it.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Is it your real signature, Derek?
I saw that.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
It is.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Does it come with blinders, cause I noticed you
were wearing those too.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
No, it doesn't come with blinders.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Does that help you out that much?
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Um, for me I have, uh , if I get light shining in
backlighting my right eye, um it, for whatever reason, it causes
my left eye to take over.
So that's that's why I wear theblinder when I'm shooting trap,
just to eliminate that fromhappening.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Ah, my son asked me.
He says why do they have thosethings on their glasses?
I said he don't want to see theperson next to him.
I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Most of the guys are wearing them because at
Crapfield, all we faced wasnorth.
What it does is it allows youto wear a lighter lens and keep
it dark enough around your eyesso you're not squinting, which
will allow you a more clearpicture of what the target is
doing.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Yeah, um, so that that's why most of them will
wear blinders I don't know man,66 miles an hour going away from
me, I don't know that I can.
I guess you have to have allthe advantages you can when you
look into something like that mygosh yep.
So not only did you have thisRanger deal come out, you also
have something with eliteshotguns going on now.
(20:58):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yeah.
So, um, we, we kind of workedout a deal where, um, I'm
working as a consultant for theVero beach uh play shooting
sports, uh club as well as eliteshotguns, just uh, helping use
my knowledge that I've gainedover my years in the sport
shooting sports club, as well aselite shotguns, just helping
use my knowledge that I'vegained over my years in the
(21:21):
sport to help them better servetheir customers.
And we're really lookingforward to to working at the
club Some helping out with likethe Caribbean classic.
So that's that's kind of wherethat gig is going to be is
helping them get everything upand running better and make
(21:42):
things better, especially forour big signature Keep the
Caribbean class down there.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
You going to do any coaching down there, or are you
still coaching?
Speaker 4 (21:50):
I do a little bit of coaching, not a lot, my schedule
doesn't really allow it a wholelot.
Yeah, um, once the once I kindof get settled in.
Um, I might, might try and plana day or two to teach down
there at Vero when I travel downthere.
But um, at this point in time Ihaven't made any plans to do
that.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah, well, good, what is what has it been like
since you've been back fromParis?
I mean, have you had a lot ofpeople want to talk to you?
You had a lot of phone calls,what's interviews, yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Yeah, I've done.
Uh, this is actually my secondinterview today.
Um, I did one with uh, actuallywith with Zach's cousin.
Um, rick Carrera.
He was a baseball guy, baseballanalyst or something.
He's got a show on AffinityRadio that's going to air
(22:43):
sometime this weekend.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Are you talking about Zach Keenbaum?
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Yeah, I met him maybe 8-, 10 years ago, um, but uh,
he he's a really, really niceguy.
Um, did uh, done uh, three orfour other ones.
Kind of slowed down a littlebit now, but I've had a lot of
(23:10):
people calling me how, how proudthey were to know me and tell
me I did a good job.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Oh yeah, I'm sure.
Um, we were talking about thisbefore we started recording this
episode.
What about Vince Hancock?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Uh, I mean, he's an animal, he's a machine.
I mean you.
You can't coach what he has.
Um, you know he's so dedicatedto his craft that nothing's
going to get in his way If hesets his mind on it.
He's going to do whatever hehas to to do it to get the job
(23:47):
done.
And I, you almost can't beat aguy like that because he's not
whatever he has to to do it toget the job done.
You almost can't beat a guylike that because he's not
nervous or anything like thatwhen he starts doing it.
He's worked so hard at it thatyou can't screw it up.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, I mean if somebody wanted to get into
international skeet and head forthe Olympics, I mean he's been
there, he's done it, he's won it.
I mean I just like you said,how do you beat somebody like
that?
You?
Speaker 4 (24:17):
know, I mean you.
I don't know that you can, butif we're going to learn that
game, you about got to go to him.
His student I mean his studentswon two medals over there.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I mean his students won two medals over there.
Yeah, what about if somebodywants to get into what you do?
What is the route they have totake?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
You know, the best thing to do is just go on USA
Shooting's website and findwhere there's a club close to
you and find some shoots to goto.
That's really the best way.
Usa Shooting will have twoselection matches every year
that are always posted on thewebsite when they're scheduled.
There's really not much otheropportunity other than that,
(25:04):
really.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Well, what you got going on next here.
Now that you're back andsettled in, what do you?
What are you going on here?
Speaker 4 (25:13):
um, I'm gonna go shoot the coonpecker open.
Um, you know that's, that'sbecome one of my favorite events
of the year as it's got to be.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
You know, gary's asked me to come up there a
hundred times and he's justtired.
He's tired of asking me becauseI never go and he's like you
need to come.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
It's just a really good time.
You know it's a neatcompetition because you shoot a
little bit of everything.
But just the environment isvery laid back, kind of retro to
what we had in the 90s in thegame of sporting plays before we
blew up and started having allthese 1,000 people shoots and
2,000 people nationals.
(25:53):
It's just kind of a laid-backsmall group that has a really
good time.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Oh, I'm sure You're going with Gary.
Yeah, you've got to have a goodtime.
I don't know how you couldn't.
Y'all are really good friendstoo, aren't you?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah, I thought I don't know how you couldn't.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Y'all are really good friends too, aren't you?
Yeah, yeah, he's kind of like abrother.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, what's after that?
Um, I'll go to nationals.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You're not doing the regionals.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
No, I've got other things scheduled.
Um uh, I guess the Hopkins isthis weekend, isn't it this week
?
Yes, it's coming up.
Yeah, so I this weekend, isn'tit.
This week, yes, it's coming up.
Yeah, I wasn't ready to starttraveling again, just wanting
some time at home, yeah, andthen I've got some other stuff
here going on here around homeduring the regional down at
(26:41):
Travis's place, and then theweek after that we've got our
bunker national championships upin Michigan.
So I'll go shoot that and thenthe got our bunker national
championships up in Michigan.
I'll go shoot that, then theCoonpecker and then national.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Yeah, the next I guess, four years, until this
comes around again in LA, areyou going to be hitting sporting
clays pretty hard.
Are you going to ease off, orwhat are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Yeah, I imagine next year you'll see me at quite a
few sporting shoots.
I'm going to take it easierfrom a travel standpoint on the
Olympic track, maybe go to acouple World Cups next year, but
I'm not going to hit it hard,mainly because there's nothing
really next year that helps youget to the next Olympics.
(27:31):
It's kind of what they call theoff year in the Olympic cycle.
So kind of take it easy on thatto kind of refresh and regroup
and get ready to hit it hard thetwo years after that to win
quota slots and get eligible andget ready to win another
Olympic trials.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Did I see a long time ago that you have a trap field
at your house now?
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Yeah, so we, uh, we got one built, um, actually got
an operational the day before Ileft for Croatia in 22.
Okay, um, we uh, we've justabout got all the concrete
poured finally.
So it's been a been a slowprogress, but it's it's really
been a blessing in uh in mydevelopment and uh getting me to
(28:19):
a spot where I'm competitiveday in and day out.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Yeah, that's what I was going to say.
I mean, you know, having that,I guess it's in your backyard,
or at least right there close toyou.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, so it's actually down at the farm where
I grew up.
It's about an hour drive fromwhere I live.
It's kind of nice.
It keeps me from burning myselfout.
It's one of those things thatPromatic stepped up and really
helped me with.
It really helped me further myOlympic dream.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
So is there's not one close to you either?
Either, is there.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
No, before we got that one built, um, I was having
to drive to St Louis or to FortWorth to practice, which is six
hours six hours to St Louis andseven to Fort Worth.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You really want to shoot some trap?
Yes, you do.
Yeah, so that could I mean.
You know, now that you've gotthat, there's no telling what I
mean.
The sky's the limit.
Now you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
So no excuses.
Yeah, you can't have an excusenow.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
So but uh, I guess I'll see you at Nationals man.
I mean you've been all over andI was going to say, if you're
going to be at one of theseother shoots, I'd probably see
you, but if you're not going tobe there, I'm not going to be at
Coonpecker.
I'm going to go to that one day.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Yes, you got to.
It's a good time.
Yeah, just kind of something tothink about and look forward to
at Nationals is, um.
I'm not sure what day we'regoing to do it yet, but we're
going to set up something withRanger and Elite in the Elite
Shotguns building um one one dayat Nationals um to showcase my
(29:58):
uh, my signature series, as wellas be available to uh to meet
and greet.
Um so that's something that'llbe on the horizon there at
Nationals.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
You talked about so Ranger and Elite Shotguns and I
heard you mention ProMatic.
Who else has helped you out inyour venture in shooting?
Speaker 4 (30:17):
My family has helped tremendously my wife and
daughter as well as my mom anddad.
But Federal has been a big, bigplayer as well.
They keep me stocked with uh,with him, um, the paper
ammunition and uh hard to beat,getting to shoot those all the
time.
Yeah the smell.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
They smell good and you know I was your wife posted
a picture of your daughter.
I could not believe how, howbig she's gotten Right.
I can't believe he's eightyears old no, I remember when
she was walking in, weatheringher like a, like a newborn I
mean yeah, well, I mean, she waswhat?
Speaker 4 (30:56):
four or five weeks old, at the cany creek, at the
mud fest us open yeah, eightyears ago.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
It's crazy, time flies man.
Yes, it does crazy.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
um they, I tell you the uh.
The other group that's helpedme out a lot is Ultimate
Shooting Accessories andCastellani, yes, and then Bill
down there at Pure Gold Chokes.
He keeps me well-tuned with mychoke tubes as well, you were
shooting.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
I think I saw those, had them hanging at you.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Champion Series.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Yep, yeah, yeah the champion series Yep, oh yeah,
you shot those for a while too.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Yeah, I think I've been shooting those for six
years now.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I think you, if I'm right, you helped him develop
them.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Yeah yeah, that was something when I started
pursuing the Olympic crap.
I needed a shorter choke tomake my porting legal, and so we
developed the champion seriesI've been really happy with it
Well good.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Well, derek, I know you have things to do.
I just wanted to get you onhere real quick, talk to you
about your, your you know yourtrials and and I appreciate you
having me the Olympics andeverything you've done.
I mean, you know we're alwaysproud of you over here, so uh,
but I'll uh surely check you outat nationals for sure.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
All right, we'll look forward to seeing.
All right, derek We'll see you,buddy.
All right, take care.
Thank you.
You are now listening to the Shotgun Sports USA
podcast with your host, justinBarker.
We talk to shotgun shootersfrom all disciplines,
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and industry-leading companiesthat fuel the sport.
Make sure you subscribe to ourpodcast, leave us a review and
(00:24):
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You can also catch our episodeson ShotgunSportsUSAcom.
Shotgun Sports is brought toyou by Winchester Ammunition,
alamo Sporting Arms, clay TargetVision, esp, rick Hemingway's
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Speaker 3 (01:01):
My guest today is a two-time Olympian in trap, a
multi-time world champion and atwo-time sporting clays national
champion, just to name a few.
His achievements have made hima household name in the sport.
Please welcome to the show.
(01:36):
Hey, glad to be here.
Yeah, man, I'm glad to have youon.
I was watching you on TV itseemed like just about a week
ago and I think you did a prettygood job over there in Paris.
Yeah, you know, I can'tcomplain a whole lot.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Um, I, uh.
I went on a pretty big run justto get in that final and you
know, when you make a big runlike that it uses up a lot of
fuel.
I didn't have anything leftthere towards the end.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
What, so tell me how all this worked.
Okay, you first off.
Let's talk about how you gotthere.
We've talked about this before,but there's people listening
that probably didn't listen tothe other episode.
How did you get to the Olympics?
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Um.
The first step was we had towin a country quota slot.
Um, and I did that at the 22world championships in Croatia.
Um, and I did that at the 22world championships in Croatia,
Um.
When I finished in the top fourthere, that got us a spot for
our country to be represented atthe Olympic game.
Okay, and then from there I hadto become eligible for the
(02:38):
Olympic games, which meant I hadto start in two world ranking
points qualifying events, so aWorld Cup or World Championships
, continental Championships,anything that's basically ran by
the ISS.
I had to have two starts and atone of those I had to earn some
(03:01):
ranking points, which I didthat as well when I won the
world championships, Um, so thatthat made me eligible for the
Olympic games.
And then after that, I had towin our Olympic trial, which was
500 targets split over twomatches that were like eight
months apart, 10 months apart.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Hmm, that's way more complicated than sporting clays.
I mean, so you went to Croatia,won this championship that
earned the U S a spot, butdidn't earn you a spot and earn
somebody a spot if you didn'tmake it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yes, yep.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Wouldn't that make you mad, if you didn't go?
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Yeah, well, you know, on the other side of it, in
2020 for Tokyo, I took someoneelse's quota that they had won.
Ah, so it kind of it.
It works both ways.
Yeah, so if, if we just let youkeep the quota that you earn,
then I would not have gone toTokyo.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, that's true.
Well, that's just, that's crazyhow that works and how it all,
how much you have to shoot andtrap just to get, just to win
something.
You know, we we talked aboutthis the grand American.
I mean, how, how how manytargets do you have to straight
to win the grand?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Um, if you're talking about the clay target
championships, which is the 16yard single championship, um,
it's gone as many as like 900and some targets straight.
It's crazy.
So it's totally different gamethan olympic track, for sure,
yeah, but um, you still stillgot to shoot a lot yeah, so you
(04:41):
get over to paris.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And have you been to paris before?
Yeah, okay.
So I guess you kind of knewwhat to expect as far as paris
is concerned.
But what about the olympics hat?
When you got there, what didthey have like a welcoming
committee standing by theairplane?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
when you got off, um, kind of they had.
Uh, when we got off the planewe had a uh, our own route that
we followed.
That walked us to where we gotour credentials certified and,
uh, that credential was ouraccess to anything involved with
the Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I guess that's.
That's kind of a welcomingcommittee, I mean you get you
know.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
And then once once I got through that and did the
passport check and all that goodstuff um then S Olympic
Committee, they had a guy thereto help us find all our bags and
help us with any lost bags oranything like that.
So we did have a team there tohelp us through with all that
(05:37):
stuff.
And then from there we went tothe Welcome Center for Team USA
and that's where we did thewelcome experience, where we got
to try on all the outfits andstuff that we were given by Nike
and Ralph Lauren for openingceremonies, medal ceremonies,
(06:01):
all that kind of stuff, whichwas really cool.
We didn't get to do that inTokyo because of COVID, yeah, so
that was a really, really coolexperience.
And they had they had mirrorswith holographic images in it
that said had your name andwelcome to welcome to the team.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
And I saw that online .
I didn't know what that was.
That a mirror?
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, it was just a mirror that had little LEDs
lights in it.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
That's cool.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Now I know what it is .
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I don't know about the clothing being too cool, but
I mean, that's what you expectwhen you go to the Olympics.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
You know a lot of it.
This go-around was pretty goodand it's stuff that I'll wear
and use for quite a while, butthere is some of it that's
pretty hideous.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, yeah, I saw it.
I was like, oh, I don't know ifI'd have fit in any of that
stuff, but anyway, so you getover there and you go to the
welcoming committee.
What do you do then?
Do you have to like, do you goto your room and stay there for
a while, or you practice, orwhat do you do?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Yeah, so we got on a bus or a van and took a four
hour road trip to um, the townof shadow roof, where our the
range was at, in our satellitevillage, and uh, so then after
that, then the next day, we, uh,we were able to go out and
start practicing and all thatfun stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Yeah, I bet that's.
That's fun.
I mean, do you you get to talkto all the people that's in
there?
Well, if they speak English,I'm assuming all the people
competing with you.
I mean it's okay.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Oh yeah, yeah, for the most part, um, everybody can
communicate a little bitthrough English.
Yeah, so it's.
It's, but for the most part,everybody that's competing in
the current I don't know whatyou want to call it contingency
(07:51):
of shooters, they're allgenuinely pretty good guys, kind
of like Ford and Clay's here inthe US.
It's a good group of guys andeverybody's cordial and gets
along and everybody's cordialand gets along, and for the most
part they're not really afraidto talk about shooting or how
they approach things and it'skind of a nice environment.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Do you all hang out together over there?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Not a lot.
We will a little bit with theAussies or the Brits, but not a
too terrible amount.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah, so last, what was it in 2020 when you went?
Is that right?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yeah, it ended up being 21 because of the one-year
delay from COVID.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, so you finished where in 2021?
Speaker 4 (08:42):
24.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And now you're fifth.
You finished fifth.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah, let's go around .
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So let me ask you this Is there plans going
forward to do it again?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
You know I was already kind of planning to do
it another four years, becausein 28 it's in LA.
So that was kind of the endgoal initially anyway, was to
try and and compete it at threeOlympics, the last one being at
LA.
Um, but as close as I got thisgo around, it wouldn't have
(09:16):
mattered where where the gameswere at I was, I I'd be out
there trying it again.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it sounds like you'remaking some progress, for sure.
What did you learn, uh, thistime, versus what you did last
time?
What was a difference?
Were you more comfortable ordid you figure something out?
What was the difference?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I was definitely more confident.
I had built a lot of confidenceover the last two or three
years in my ability to competeat the world level and I think
that was the biggest differencefor me was having that
experience of winning at theworld level.
It was like knowing that, hey,I can go do this.
(10:03):
So that was the biggest partfor me.
And then having my family there, that was really awesome and it
kind of gave me that extralittle boost that you need
sometimes to compete at yourbest.
Um it just knowing that theywere back there watching you
(10:24):
kind of don't want to, you know,you don't want to miss because
you don't want to let them down,kind of thing, you know, even
though they're just happy to bethere watching, um, it was
definitely a little extramotivation.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, did you do anything else while you were
there other than shoot?
Did you go see anything else?
Speaker 4 (10:46):
We walked through the Louvre and around kind of the
main Olympic Village area alittle bit went to the Team USA
house um the day before we leftand that was kind of cool.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
What is that?
Speaker 4 (11:00):
It's a, a building that the U S Olympic committee
rented, um using sponsors to uhto have just a house dedicated
to team USA, um, that peoplecould buy tickets to go visit
and they had their own floor andit had a store with Team USA
gear, and then there was anupper story that was for
(11:22):
athletes and their guests thatthey brought in and they had
food and drinks.
You know, it was just a coolexperience, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, it sounds like it, and you're going to get to
do it again, or try to do itagain at least.
So, is competing at a Olympiclevel.
Is there how much?
I don't know if you candescribe it or not, but how much
more pressure is it on, saylike world fee task?
Is there a big difference inthe pressure?
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I think there is Um and I think it stems from you
know it's a once every four yearpossibility at best, um, to get
that opportunity to win Olympicmedals.
So it's such a small number ofopportunities that you might
have in a career, Like if you doit for a long time you might.
(12:13):
You might get six opportunities.
Yeah, um, you know there's afew people that have done done
more than that, but um, it'sjust such a limited amount of
times you get to go that it's.
It adds a whole nother level ofpressure yeah, um, we were
talking about this also.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Uh, trap, like you go shoot trap at a gun club
somewhere, how much differentwhat you're shooting is versus
ata trap.
Kind of describe thedifferences real quick on what?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
you're shooting in ata.
So ata is just a single trapthat oscillates side to side.
It's always the same height andalways the same speed, roughly
40-42 miles an hour.
In Olympic trap.
The machines are set atdifferent heights and you have
angles as wide as 45 degrees tothe left and 45 degrees to the
(13:10):
right, and then yourstraightaway target is plus or
minus 15 degrees depending onthe setting, and the target base
has to go 76 meters at theheight that it's set at, and
that could be anywhere from 60to 65 66 miles an hour,
depending on where in the worldyou're at.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, you got me when you said I didn't know that
they changed elevations yeah,yeah, they're not all the same
height, oh well, yeah, I'd havebeen out first target, I'd have
been out.
Uh, the guy on tv was sayingthat you know, some of these
guys figure out the pattern.
Maybe am I saying that right ofthe targets um, yes and no.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Um, you know, over the course of a round you're
going to get two less two rightsand one straight away off each
post.
Now you shoot a target androtate, so it's kind of hard.
You can't really just sit thereand remember the due process of
elimination unless you try andkeep track of the whole round,
which can get to be a lot.
Um, and you should, in theory,know your last five a lot of
(14:20):
times.
If you really keep in track,you'll know like seven of your
last 10.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Hmm, I don't know how you would know that, especially
over there.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Yeah, you know, it's just you like.
For me, if one post has areally really hard wide angle
target, um, I can usually keeptrack of that.
No, when I either got that leftor that target is gone and so
that gives by process ofelimination, I'll I'll kind of
know what some of my last passthe targets are, but I don't I
(14:53):
don't fret too hard about tryingto keep track other than the
really hard ones the, the lastday that I watched you shoot.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Uh, what did you miss ?
What target did you miss?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
um, that was, uh, it was like a 20 degree left, um,
so not a very wide angle.
The very last target um, thatwas my 30th target in the final
um put me in a tie with the guyfrom guatemala and I lost the
tiebreaker to move on yeah well,hey, you got fifth and there's
(15:31):
not a lot of people say they did, they can't even go the
olympics.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So I mean you know that's the Olympics.
So I mean you know that's.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
I think it's a great job.
So you know, one cool thing is,I was the first American to
make the final at the Olympicgame since 2004,.
Uh, when Lance Bade did it Um.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
I want to say they said that.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah, so he.
So Lance is the last Americanto make a final until I did in
men's trap.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I didn't realize that that was the case.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Yeah, we've had more or less 20 years of kind of
sucking hind tit, I guess.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Who is there?
A dominating country in trap Isthere a dominating country in
trap.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
You know, um, for a long time the Italians were
pretty good, but pretty mucheverybody in Europe, um, is
pretty, pretty hard to beat.
Yeah, um, it everybody's gotone or two guys that, at any
given time, can pop you a bigscore.
Yeah, can get hot in the final.
Um, yeah, which is really whatit takes.
Um, you gotta gotta getlightning in a bottle If you, uh
(16:42):
, if you really want to want towin the final, I mean,
everything has to fall, justperfect for you.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah.
So, the guy that won uh, Ididn't know this, but everyone
that shoots sporting claysprobably knows who his relative
is yeah, what so the guy thatwon?
What's his name?
Uh nathan hale and he's relatedto john woolley yeah, he is
john woolley's nephew how aboutthat that's crazy.
(17:12):
He was on it too.
Let me tell you.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yeah, you know.
So he.
He also holds the world recordin the final Um.
Last year in Italy he broke 49out of 50.
Um, to set the world record fora final.
And then what do you have?
48 out of 50.
It's at the Olympic record.
Yeah, it's crazy.
I think the pre the previousOlympic record was 43.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Wow, when was that set?
Do you have any idea?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Tokyo.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Okay, that's a big difference too, man you think
about it.
Yeah, it's a huge difference,especially in trap.
Well, you know, by the time youwere doing all this, I kept
seeing ads pop up on Facebook ofa signature edition shooting
glasses.
I guess you work with AriRanger on what's, what's all
that about.
Tell me how that came about andwhat it is about.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
You know when, when I started talking with him about
about using their product, um,the one thing that I told him
that I really liked to have is acouple of different colors,
different colors that were notin their normal lineup, and so
they came up with the idea.
They said, hey, why don't wejust make a Derek mine signature
series and you develop the, thenew colors, with our engineers?
(18:26):
And so we came out with the,with the dark amber and the
light amber, and they're uh,they're a brown with kind of a
red base, whereas the otherbrown lenses that ranger had
were more of an orange base okay, so you can, can you?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
how do you get these lenses in these?
So if you buy like a just astandard set of rangers, you're
going to get their standardlenses, but you have to buy buy
your edition to get thedifferent colors.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, I think at this time you have to buy my
signature kit.
Okay, they were going to usethat as kind of a test run to
see how they went in the market.
So far I think it's been a homerun.
Everybody I've talked to that'stried them has absolutely loved
them, so I would assume thatmoving forward it will become a
(19:18):
part of their normal lineup.
But yeah, at this moment intime they're available in the
Falcon Pro, and so it also comeswith a blue case and then a
custom lens cloth that has aDerek mine logo as well as my
signature on it.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Is it your real signature, Derek?
I saw that.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
It is.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Does it come with blinders, cause I noticed you
were wearing those too.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
No, it doesn't come with blinders.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Does that help you out that much?
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Um, for me I have, uh , if I get light shining in
backlighting my right eye, um it, for whatever reason, it causes
my left eye to take over.
So that's that's why I wear theblinder when I'm shooting trap,
just to eliminate that fromhappening.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Ah, my son asked me.
He says why do they have thosethings on their glasses?
I said he don't want to see theperson next to him.
I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Most of the guys are wearing them because at
Crapfield, all we faced wasnorth.
What it does is it allows youto wear a lighter lens and keep
it dark enough around your eyesso you're not squinting, which
will allow you a more clearpicture of what the target is
doing.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Yeah, um, so that that's why most of them will
wear blinders I don't know man,66 miles an hour going away from
me, I don't know that I can.
I guess you have to have allthe advantages you can when you
look into something like that mygosh yep.
So not only did you have thisRanger deal come out, you also
have something with eliteshotguns going on now.
(20:58):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yeah.
So, um, we, we kind of workedout a deal where, um, I'm
working as a consultant for theVero beach uh play shooting
sports, uh club as well as eliteshotguns, just uh, helping use
my knowledge that I've gainedover my years in the sport
shooting sports club, as well aselite shotguns, just helping
use my knowledge that I'vegained over my years in the
(21:21):
sport to help them better servetheir customers.
And we're really lookingforward to to working at the
club Some helping out with likethe Caribbean classic.
So that's that's kind of wherethat gig is going to be is
helping them get everything upand running better and make
(21:42):
things better, especially forour big signature Keep the
Caribbean class down there.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
You going to do any coaching down there, or are you
still coaching?
Speaker 4 (21:50):
I do a little bit of coaching, not a lot, my schedule
doesn't really allow it a wholelot.
Yeah, um, once the once I kindof get settled in.
Um, I might, might try and plana day or two to teach down
there at Vero when I travel downthere.
But um, at this point in time Ihaven't made any plans to do
that.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah, well, good, what is what has it been like
since you've been back fromParis?
I mean, have you had a lot ofpeople want to talk to you?
You had a lot of phone calls,what's interviews, yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Yeah, I've done.
Uh, this is actually my secondinterview today.
Um, I did one with uh, actuallywith with Zach's cousin.
Um, rick Carrera.
He was a baseball guy, baseballanalyst or something.
He's got a show on AffinityRadio that's going to air
(22:43):
sometime this weekend.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Are you talking about Zach Keenbaum?
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Yeah, I met him maybe 8-, 10 years ago, um, but uh,
he he's a really, really niceguy.
Um, did uh, done uh, three orfour other ones.
Kind of slowed down a littlebit now, but I've had a lot of
(23:10):
people calling me how, how proudthey were to know me and tell
me I did a good job.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Oh yeah, I'm sure.
Um, we were talking about thisbefore we started recording this
episode.
What about Vince Hancock?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Uh, I mean, he's an animal, he's a machine.
I mean you.
You can't coach what he has.
Um, you know he's so dedicatedto his craft that nothing's
going to get in his way If hesets his mind on it.
He's going to do whatever hehas to to do it to get the job
(23:47):
done.
And I, you almost can't beat aguy like that because he's not
whatever he has to to do it toget the job done.
You almost can't beat a guylike that because he's not
nervous or anything like thatwhen he starts doing it.
He's worked so hard at it thatyou can't screw it up.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, I mean if somebody wanted to get into
international skeet and head forthe Olympics, I mean he's been
there, he's done it, he's won it.
I mean I just like you said,how do you beat somebody like
that?
You?
Speaker 4 (24:17):
know, I mean you.
I don't know that you can, butif we're going to learn that
game, you about got to go to him.
His student I mean his studentswon two medals over there.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I mean his students won two medals over there.
Yeah, what about if somebodywants to get into what you do?
What is the route they have totake?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
You know, the best thing to do is just go on USA
Shooting's website and findwhere there's a club close to
you and find some shoots to goto.
That's really the best way.
Usa Shooting will have twoselection matches every year
that are always posted on thewebsite when they're scheduled.
There's really not much otheropportunity other than that,
(25:04):
really.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Well, what you got going on next here.
Now that you're back andsettled in, what do you?
What are you going on here?
Speaker 4 (25:13):
um, I'm gonna go shoot the coonpecker open.
Um, you know that's, that'sbecome one of my favorite events
of the year as it's got to be.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
You know, gary's asked me to come up there a
hundred times and he's justtired.
He's tired of asking me becauseI never go and he's like you
need to come.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
It's just a really good time.
You know it's a neatcompetition because you shoot a
little bit of everything.
But just the environment isvery laid back, kind of retro to
what we had in the 90s in thegame of sporting plays before we
blew up and started having allthese 1,000 people shoots and
2,000 people nationals.
(25:53):
It's just kind of a laid-backsmall group that has a really
good time.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Oh, I'm sure You're going with Gary.
Yeah, you've got to have a goodtime.
I don't know how you couldn't.
Y'all are really good friendstoo, aren't you?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah, I thought I don't know how you couldn't.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Y'all are really good friends too, aren't you?
Yeah, yeah, he's kind of like abrother.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, what's after that?
Um, I'll go to nationals.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You're not doing the regionals.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
No, I've got other things scheduled.
Um uh, I guess the Hopkins isthis weekend, isn't it this week
?
Yes, it's coming up.
Yeah, so I this weekend, isn'tit.
This week, yes, it's coming up.
Yeah, I wasn't ready to starttraveling again, just wanting
some time at home, yeah, andthen I've got some other stuff
here going on here around homeduring the regional down at
(26:41):
Travis's place, and then theweek after that we've got our
bunker national championships upin Michigan.
So I'll go shoot that and thenthe got our bunker national
championships up in Michigan.
I'll go shoot that, then theCoonpecker and then national.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Yeah, the next I guess, four years, until this
comes around again in LA, areyou going to be hitting sporting
clays pretty hard.
Are you going to ease off, orwhat are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Yeah, I imagine next year you'll see me at quite a
few sporting shoots.
I'm going to take it easierfrom a travel standpoint on the
Olympic track, maybe go to acouple World Cups next year, but
I'm not going to hit it hard,mainly because there's nothing
really next year that helps youget to the next Olympics.
(27:31):
It's kind of what they call theoff year in the Olympic cycle.
So kind of take it easy on thatto kind of refresh and regroup
and get ready to hit it hard thetwo years after that to win
quota slots and get eligible andget ready to win another
Olympic trials.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Did I see a long time ago that you have a trap field
at your house now?
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Yeah, so we, uh, we got one built, um, actually got
an operational the day before Ileft for Croatia in 22.
Okay, um, we uh, we've justabout got all the concrete
poured finally.
So it's been a been a slowprogress, but it's it's really
been a blessing in uh in mydevelopment and uh getting me to
(28:19):
a spot where I'm competitiveday in and day out.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Yeah, that's what I was going to say.
I mean, you know, having that,I guess it's in your backyard,
or at least right there close toyou.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, so it's actually down at the farm where
I grew up.
It's about an hour drive fromwhere I live.
It's kind of nice.
It keeps me from burning myselfout.
It's one of those things thatPromatic stepped up and really
helped me with.
It really helped me further myOlympic dream.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
So is there's not one close to you either?
Either, is there.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
No, before we got that one built, um, I was having
to drive to St Louis or to FortWorth to practice, which is six
hours six hours to St Louis andseven to Fort Worth.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You really want to shoot some trap?
Yes, you do.
Yeah, so that could I mean.
You know, now that you've gotthat, there's no telling what I
mean.
The sky's the limit.
Now you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
So no excuses.
Yeah, you can't have an excusenow.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
So but uh, I guess I'll see you at Nationals man.
I mean you've been all over andI was going to say, if you're
going to be at one of theseother shoots, I'd probably see
you, but if you're not going tobe there, I'm not going to be at
Coonpecker.
I'm going to go to that one day.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Yes, you got to.
It's a good time.
Yeah, just kind of something tothink about and look forward to
at Nationals is, um.
I'm not sure what day we'regoing to do it yet, but we're
going to set up something withRanger and Elite in the Elite
Shotguns building um one one dayat Nationals um to showcase my
(29:58):
uh, my signature series, as wellas be available to uh to meet
and greet.
Um so that's something that'llbe on the horizon there at
Nationals.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
You talked about so Ranger and Elite Shotguns and I
heard you mention ProMatic.
Who else has helped you out inyour venture in shooting?
Speaker 4 (30:17):
My family has helped tremendously my wife and
daughter as well as my mom anddad.
But Federal has been a big, bigplayer as well.
They keep me stocked with uh,with him, um, the paper
ammunition and uh hard to beat,getting to shoot those all the
time.
Yeah the smell.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
They smell good and you know I was your wife posted
a picture of your daughter.
I could not believe how, howbig she's gotten Right.
I can't believe he's eightyears old no, I remember when
she was walking in, weatheringher like a, like a newborn I
mean yeah, well, I mean, she waswhat?
Speaker 4 (30:56):
four or five weeks old, at the cany creek, at the
mud fest us open yeah, eightyears ago.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
It's crazy, time flies man.
Yes, it does crazy.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
um they, I tell you the uh.
The other group that's helpedme out a lot is Ultimate
Shooting Accessories andCastellani, yes, and then Bill
down there at Pure Gold Chokes.
He keeps me well-tuned with mychoke tubes as well, you were
shooting.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
I think I saw those, had them hanging at you.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Champion Series.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Yep, yeah, yeah the champion series Yep, oh yeah,
you shot those for a while too.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Yeah, I think I've been shooting those for six
years now.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I think you, if I'm right, you helped him develop
them.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Yeah yeah, that was something when I started
pursuing the Olympic crap.
I needed a shorter choke tomake my porting legal, and so we
developed the champion seriesI've been really happy with it
Well good.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Well, derek, I know you have things to do.
I just wanted to get you onhere real quick, talk to you
about your, your you know yourtrials and and I appreciate you
having me the Olympics andeverything you've done.
I mean, you know we're alwaysproud of you over here, so uh,
but I'll uh surely check you outat nationals for sure.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
All right, we'll look forward to seeing.
All right, derek We'll see you,buddy.
All right, take care.
Thank you.
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