{"id":7425,"date":"2010-11-30T10:21:11","date_gmt":"2010-11-30T15:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.downrange.tv\/blog\/?p=7425"},"modified":"2010-11-30T10:21:11","modified_gmt":"2010-11-30T15:21:11","slug":"uspsa-handgun-nationals-%e2%80%93-getting-to-know-your-top-8-%e2%80%93-debbie-keehart-6th-place-limited","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-debbie-keehart-6th-place-limited\/7425\/","title":{"rendered":"USPSA Handgun Nationals \u2013 Getting To Know Your Top 8 \u2013 Debbie Keehart, 6th Place Limited"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Congratulations on your TOP 8 finish at the S&W USPSA Limited National Championships!\u00a0 What did you think of the stages at this year\u2019s Nationals?\u00a0 Did you have a favorite?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>I found them to be interesting and most challenging!\u00a0 I liked several.\u00a0 The draw bridge was pretty cool!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>What do you think of the range\/match location?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>Love having it in Vegas but the ricochets were way scary!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>There were a lot of zingers flying around weren\u2019t there?\u00a0 How would you describe your performance? Were you happy with your match?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>Eeesh, do I have to answer this?\u00a0 I struggled this year getting my mental game to make contact with the physical game.\u00a0 I had been doing well in practice so I was not too happy with my match performance this time around.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Sorry to hear that but you\u2019ve also had a lot of changes this year.\u00a0 You\u2019re flying new colors and\u00a0 have also<\/em> managed to hang on to your purple accessories!\u00a0 Have you enjoyed being a part of the Cameron\u2019s Custom Guns Team with Lisa Munson?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>Well, it has been a color challenge for me this year trying to blend my favorite color with my sponsor color. Not sure what direction I will take it for next season!\u00a0 I love, love, love being part of the Cameron\u2019s Team.\u00a0 I have a group of people supporting me which is very powerful and comforting.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t be happier with my new gun!\u00a0 Finally, having Lisa as an official teammate is chocolate icing on the cake!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>You guys make a great team.\u00a0 You are a veteran competitor at the USPSA Nationals.\u00a0 Despite your experience, do you get nervous for the Nationals and if so what do you do to help calm your nerves?<\/p>\n

Debbie:<\/strong> I absolutely get nervous before every Nationals.\u00a0 I get nervous at our club match right before Nationals.\u00a0 Getting the first stage behind me at Nationals calms my nerves.\u00a0 If anyone knows how to accomplish this sooner\u2026do share (LOL)!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA:<\/strong> Did you learn anything about yourself as a competitor?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>Wow, that is a loaded question for me.\u00a0 As a competitor you deal with performing for yourself, performing for a team,and performing for an audience.\u00a0 There are many situations you learn to work through and you learn how important your actions are and all those affected by them.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA:<\/strong> You have the opportunity to shoot some well attended and highly acclaimed local matches at Rio Salado Desert Sportsman.\u00a0 How does being a member of an active club help you prepare for major matches?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>At Rio there is no such thing as being a big fish in a little pond.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got some of the biggest fish in our pond, so I know what my competition is going to be like at bigger matches.\u00a0 Rio also designs some of the most challenging stages and they have the most intense swingers I\u2019ve ever seen.\u00a0 It\u2019s not too often that I see a stage more challenging than those in my own backyard!\u00a0 That alone is good preparation for major matches!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA:<\/strong> It is!\u00a0 As a Top 8 contender, do you feel you should always have the choice to shoot with whomever you like?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What are the pros and cons of shooting with another squad vs. the Ladies?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>I believe it is important for the top shooters to be squaded with the top shooters.\u00a0 Our media guys need to photograph the ladies which is very difficult if we are not all on the same squads.\u00a0 I believe our shooting conditions should be as equal as possible for all of us therefore, if we are all on the same squad, we have the same weather conditions, match pressure, and equal support of one another!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Was this your last major match of the year or do you still have more competitions on your schedule?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>I will be shooting Area 2!\u00a0 My favorite!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA<\/strong>:\u00a0 With the match season rather lengthy, how do you typically unwind after all the matches have settled down?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>I cut back on practice and local matches to do some weekend getaways.\u00a0 I will also pick up a shotgun and rifle and play with those a little. Never stop shooting completely though\u2026.I\u2019d go through withdrawls!<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Gotta love getting trigger time with the long guns.\u00a0 What are your long-term competitive shooting goals?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>I think I\u2019ve already been through the \u201clong-term\u201d at this point (lol), but I do continue to set short term goals to continue my presence in the shooting community, improve my skills each year and increase my coaching opportunities!\u00a0 I love sharing my knowledge and experience with other lady shooters!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WoUSPSA: <\/strong>You must be so proud to be able to teach women how to become better shooters.\u00a0 If you weren\u2019t a competitive shooter, what do you think you would be doing?<\/p>\n

Debbie: <\/strong>Probably some sort of competitive dancing!\u00a0 In purple costumes of course! : )<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>Of course!\u00a0 What kind of reactions have you had when you tell people that your hobby is competitive shooting?<\/p>\n

Debbie:<\/strong> When I lived in California.\u00a0 People would say, \u201cWow, really?!\u00a0 That\u2019s cool!\u201d, then run away.\u00a0 In Arizona they say, \u201cWow, really?! That\u2019s cool \u2013 I\u2019ve always wanted to try that!\u201d \u00a0\u00a0 But anywhere I am, people are usually surprised and say that they would never guess by looking at me because of the little girlie girl I appear to be.<\/p>\n

WoUSPSA: <\/strong>We think that women who shoot are SUPER cool!\u00a0 Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Debbie!\u00a0 Congratulations once again on your Top 8 finish!<\/p>\n

Take a look at some of Debbie\u2019s stage runs at the Limited Nationals \u2026<\/p>\n