{"id":7412,"date":"2010-11-24T12:11:42","date_gmt":"2010-11-24T17:11:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.downrange.tv\/blog\/?p=7412"},"modified":"2010-11-24T12:11:42","modified_gmt":"2010-11-24T17:11:42","slug":"uspsa-handgun-nationals-%e2%80%93-getting-to-know-your-top-8-%e2%80%93-eva-micklethwaite-7th-place-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.downrange.tv\/blog\/uspsa-handgun-nationals-%e2%80%93-getting-to-know-your-top-8-%e2%80%93-eva-micklethwaite-7th-place-open\/7412\/","title":{"rendered":"USPSA Handgun Nationals \u2013 Getting To Know Your Top 8 \u2013 Eva Micklethwaite, 7th Place Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtesy of our friends at the Women of USPSA blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Congratulations, Eva,\u00a0on your TOP 8 finish at the S&W USPSA Open National Championships!\u00a0\u00a0As a match director yourself, what did you think of the stages at this year\u2019s Nationals?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> We are actually just course designers that offer setup assistance, but I did think the stages were much better than in the previous years.\u00a0 The stages this year definitely tested the accuracy<\/strong> of this sport, had a good blend of speed<\/strong>, and were more technically<\/strong> involved<\/strong> with the props.\u00a0 I would personally like to see more stages that provide the shooters multiple options<\/strong> to shoot the course of fire, which then also test the mental capacity.\u00a0\u00a0Otherwise, kudos to David Hyden and Desert Sportsmen for stepping it up this year.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Just<\/em> course designers?\u00a0: ) \u00a0Word on the street is that you and Russell are darn good at creating stages!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many thanks for your contributions \u2026 so, did you have a favorite stage?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Eva:<\/strong> I don\u2019t think I necessarily had a favorite.\u00a0 I enjoyed Stage 2 because of the variety of shooting positions<\/strong>, Stage 17 because of the speed<\/strong>, and Stage 3 because of the amount of thought<\/strong> that had to go into this stage to set it up.\u00a0 I do have a least favorite, but do I really need to call that one out?\u00a0 : )<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> We\u2019ll just focus on the ones you liked.\u00a0 And, what do you think of the range\/match location?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I think Las Vegas is a great place for the match since I know a lot of shooters use the Nationals as their family vacation time and Las Vegas is relatively cost effective.\u00a0 It\u2019s a bonus for us because we can drive!\u00a0 It would be great if the range were more open as in Tulsa or Quincy so we have the opportunity of watching other stages. \u00a0At times you feel isolated from the rest of the match. \u00a0But, it is what it is, and it looks as if they may be in the process of making improvements.\u00a0 Could we put grass on that list of improvements by chance?\u00a0 : )<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> How would you describe your performance? Were you happy with your match?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I was happy overall with my performance, but disappointed with a few stages that really cost me a lot of match points.\u00a0 In the past, I\u2019ve typically been slower on the short stages, and have lost most of my match points on those stages.\u00a0 I\u2019ve worked on short stage execution and found I was more competitive this year because of it.\u00a0 But I have now flipped the scenarios and lost the most points this year on the stages I typically do well on, the running stages<\/strong>!\u00a0 Since the running stages usually carry the most match points, it showed on my overall placement.\u00a0 So, back to the drawing board we go!\u00a0 Is this what they mean by \u201cBalance\u201d<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Seems like we shooters\u00a0always have something to work on \u2026\u00a0\u00a0Did you learn anything about yourself as a competitor?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I\u2019m always learning something as a competitor.\u00a0 This year I\u2019ve learned I can definitely compete on the level I wish to compete. I now have the tools to do so, and hope to take it further and combine them with my personal strengths and abilities.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> We\u2019re guessing you\u2019ll do well!\u00a0 You\u2019ve been to several Nationals.\u00a0 Do you get nervous and if so what do you do to help calm your nerves?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I don\u2019t necessarily get nervous, but I do get excited and sometimes anxious.\u00a0 I have learned to channel that energy in my yoga<\/strong> and meditation<\/strong> practice.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> That sounds like a good diversion for that excess energy!\u00a0\u00a0Now, with the match season rather lengthy, how do you typically unwind after all the matches have settled down?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I take a winter break<\/strong> from shooting and do all the other things I don\u2019t get to do when the shooting season is full push.\u00a0 I enjoy my photography<\/strong> and find a great amount of solace when Russell and I are out poking through ghost town<\/strong> ruins.\u00a0 I play with our websites<\/strong>, take a few more road trips<\/strong>, and watch TV!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Sounds relaxing \u2026 Do you have long-term competitive shooting goals?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> We have a World Shoot<\/strong> competition coming up this next year.\u00a0 I have set personal goals as to how I\u2019d like to perform at the upcoming World Shoots and have implemented programs to work my way to those goals.\u00a0 One of the goals would be to get through the 5th<\/sup> day as if it were the 1st<\/sup> day.\u00a0 The 5th<\/sup> day on the past three World Shoots has been consistently where I\u2019ve lost most of my match points.<\/p>\n

I would also like to get more involved with promoting the sport among women, and helping the women shooters we do have realize their personal goals.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> That\u2019s great to hear.\u00a0 We welcome and look forward to your contributions!\u00a0 Was this your last major match of the year or do you still have more competitions on your schedule?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> I have one more major competition this year, held in our own back yard, Area 2.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Which you won last year \u2013 best of luck again!\u00a0 Living in Arizona, you have the opportunity to shoot some well attended and highly acclaimed local matches at Rio Salado Desert Sportsman. \u00a0How does being a member of an active club help you prepare for major matches?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Eva:<\/strong> Being a member at Rio Salado Desert Sportsman and Cactus Match League is one of the best training tools we have in The Valley.\u00a0 Where else can you shoot with so many of the best shooters in the country at one time and regularly test your skills against them?\u00a0 Plus, our Match Directors are phenomenal!\u00a0 Kyle Schmidt, Mike Lin, Paul Caudill, Joe Platt, Monte Mlekush, Steve Leach, Mickey Darren, Roger Forceville, John Hard, Kippi & Rob Leatham, Cody McKenna and our 2010 Limited Champion Nils Jonasson work very hard to put on high quality matches.\u00a0 I hope I haven\u2019t forgotten anyone!\u00a0 Being able to shoot National quality stages on a regular basis against National quality shooters is one of the best preparations a shooter can have before a major match.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> That\u2019s quite a lineup of talent \u2013 including you and Russell!\u00a0\u00a0 If you weren\u2019t a competitive shooter, what do you think you would be doing?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> Traveling.\u00a0 We miss so much of the cities that we travel to when we shoot, it\u2019s disappointing.\u00a0 Russell and I have recently tried to set aside a certain amount of time to actually tour the cities we go to and get to know the area and their history.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>What kind of reactions have you had when you tell people that your hobby is competitive shooting?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> Mostly disbelief<\/strong> and then intrigue<\/strong> are most of the reactions.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe in their mind sight that\u00a0I have the outward personality or stature of a competitive shooter, so when they find out what I do in most every spare minute I have, there is disbelief.\u00a0 Immediately the assumption is a \u201csharp shooter\u201d.\u00a0 Then when I explain the courses of fire, the diversity of the sport, the level of competitions, and the depth of IPSC, that\u2019s when intrigue kicks in.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>It can be funny\u00a0what people assume.\u00a0 : )\u00a0 <\/strong>You and your hubby Russell seem to be the perfect pair on the range in terms of general support. You were able to shoot together at the Open Nationals and the Area-5 Match earlier this year. \u00a0As a Top 8 contender, do you feel you should always have the choice to shoot with whomever you like?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> Absolutely, I believe every competitor should have the choice of shooting with whomever they like, including Top 8 contenders.\u00a0 Although I am very competitive and want to do the best I possibly can, I also want to continue to enjoy the sport and have fun, which means shooting with shooters of my choice.\u00a0 This is part of the combination that helps me reach the Top 8.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe anyone should be pushed into shooting in any particular squad\u2026..unless maybe someone else is footing the bill!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>What are the pros and cons of shooting with your husband vs. the ladies\u2019 squad?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Eva:<\/strong> The pros are I am shooting with my husband and other people who are encouraging and want to see me do well, and I mean this in no offense to anyone on the ladies\u2019 squad.\u00a0 I personally do better in a squad where everyone works together, breaking down the stages together and then encouraging each other to execute the stage to the best of their ability.<\/p>\n

I also have the opportunity to learn from a variety of other upper class shooters and am able to see different techniques and thought processes, which may or may not work for me, but it\u2019s a learning experience. \u00a0\u00a0Competition is competition, whether it\u2019s male or female.\u00a0 I strive to shoot as best as I can without any labels.\u00a0 I feel I can accomplish this with \u201cA\u201d and \u201cM\u201d class male shooters just as easy as \u201cA\u201d and \u201cM\u201d class female shooters.<\/p>\n

That being said, can someone tell me how the heck Athena shot the Golden Bridge in 20.43 seconds?? Smokin\u2019!\u00a0 : )<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Yeah, that must have been poetry in motion!\u00a0 Rumor has it, this may be your last Nationals.\u00a0 Is this true?<\/p>\n

Eva:<\/strong> First, I will say the Desert Sportsman club definitely made this decision more difficult.\u00a0 Since the upcoming year is a World Shoot year, we need to shoot as many major matches as possible.\u00a0 The economy in the state it still is, decisions have to be made.\u00a0 We have found the Area matches put on extremely well designed and well thought out stages, while still competing with the same competitors in the National competition.\u00a0 The only difference is, not all at once.<\/p>\n

The past few Nationals in my opinion have lacked in this level of quality.\u00a0 But, as I said this year has been an exception and may make me eat my words.\u00a0 We\u2019ll see what happens this upcoming year and where it takes us!<\/p>\n

On one last note\u2026I would like to give a special thank you to Eddie Garcia<\/strong> of Cameron Custom Guns for lending me Bang and Clang<\/strong>.\u00a0 Without his generosity, I would not have been able to compete this year at the Nationals.\u00a0 So one HUGE shout out to Eddie \u201cBad-A**\u201d Garcia!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Congratulations once again, Eva.\u00a0 Thanks so much for your taking the time to interview with us and good luck in 2011!<\/p>\n

Here are a few of Eva\u2019s amazing stage performances from the 2010 Open Nationals.<\/p>\n