Texas Shootout

Welcome to Texas!

Some of us from Tax Masters had the fortunate opportunity to meet some of our USA Olympic Archery hopefuls at the Doinker Texas Shootout & South Regional in College Station, TX that took place April 24 – 26. In attendance were Emily Blake, Kristin Braun, Megan Carter, Barbie Cyin, Tyler Domenech, Brady Ellison, Jake Kaminski, Peter Kelchner, Heather Koehl, Tyler Schardt, and Josh Smith. Escorting the hopefuls and keeping order were Coach Guy Krueger and Coach Ron Wolfe.

USA Archery Olympic Hopefuls at the Doinker Texas Shootout

Great Success in 2009

Coming off dominating outings at the Mexican Grand Prix in Tijuana and the AAE Arizona Cup in Phoenix, the hopes of the team were high coming into College Station. The team recurve competitions took place on Saturday and the individual meet happened on Sunday. Both events were held at the lacrosse fields on the campus of Texas A&M University.

Jake Kaminski, Coach Guy Krueger, and Brady Ellison Looking On

There was a stiff south wind blowing through the green fields of the Brazos Valley almost all weekend. The way the targets were arranged, most shots were made with the wind directly behind the archers, but the elements definitely played into the way the tournament unfolded.

Team Gold and Bronze for Women and Men

The team events ended very well for the USA hopefuls. The women’s and men’s teams both captured the gold and bronze medals in their respective competitions. The team details follow:

Women’s bronze winning team consisted of Emily Blake and Barbie Cyin
Women’s gold winning team consisted of Kristin Braun, Megan Carter, and Heather Koehl
Men’s bronze winning team consisted of Peter Kelchner, Tyler Schardt, and Josh Smith
Men’s gold winning team consisted of Tyler Domenech, Brady Ellison, and Jake Kaminski

Women Dominated Podium on Sunday

Heather Koehl Took Silver and Kristin Braun Bronze

On Sunday, the women dominated the podium, with Heather Koehl taking the silver and Kristin Braun winning bronze. Close on their heels was Megan Carter who finished 5th overall.

The men had a solid day albeit with less success than they had seen in previous meets. Brady Ellison and Jake Kaminski wound up going head to head in the final rounds and placed 5th and 4th respectively overall. While they were both disappointed in not reaching the podium, the two competitors both showed strong marks and consistency throughout the two-day event.

A Word About These Athletes

It is such a pleasure to be involved, even in a cursory way, in the lives of past and potential Olympians. Without exception, the athletes we have met are bright, articulate, and a real pleasure to be around. They are respectful and grateful and always ready to goof off without taking things too far.

We wish them all the best at the SI Cup and Youth World Championship Trials scheduled for May 1st through May 3rd in Carbondale, Illinois.

To learn more about the events, activities, and athletes training to become Olympians, visit http://www.usarchery.org/.