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Be OK with missing one or two here and there, and learn from it. That's what makes it fun, and it brings you back the next round to try to do a little better." RIGHT: ELLIOT T DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR CL AY TARGET SHOOTING EARLY IN LIFE. i n c l u d i n g f o u r A r m y C o m m e n d a t i o n Medals, a U.S. Distinguished Internation- a l S h o ot e r B a d g e , a n d t h r e e U. S. A r my Achievement Medals. Currently a member of the USAMU Shotgun Demonstration Team, he spends hours training every day f o r c o m p et i t i o n . A n d t h a t t r a i n i n g h a s paid off through the international success Christian has had over the years, which includes earning a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. It's the hard work and time spent on the gun as part of the USAMU that help him stay focused on the line during large, high-pressure competitions. "I find confidence brings me through a lot of adversity, and I gain my confidence from the amount of training time that I get here," he says. " When I step on the field, I've probably shot more or trained more than the guy to my left and my right." Looking ahead, Christian's hope is to q u a l i f y f o r a n d c o m p e t e a t t h e Wo r l d Championship in Greece at the end of the year. Making the Olympic Team has also been a long-time goal of his, and it's some- thing he is still pursuing to make a reality. Becoming a dad brought a new perspec- tive to Christian's life and career. When his son was born, he took a break from training. Coming off that break as a new parent, he says, has only fueled his hunger for success. "This is my career. It's what I love to do, but it's not everything. When I walk off the field, whether it's a bad round or a good round, I know my family still loves me," he says. "There's just a lot of trust in the process. It's ever changing, and you're always evolving." "Be OK with missing one or two here and there, and learn from it," Christian continues. "That's what makes it fun, and it brings you back the next round to try to do a little better." ✪ Some of you may get to the point of perfection, shooting 25 straight. But can you hit 100 straight? The only thing that's going to step in the way of that is your mental acuity. Acquiring some basic level skills of sports psychology—how to navigate the course of fire mentally and how to control negative thoughts—was something I found to be extremely useful. I think this sport offers a wonderful career path. So I would embed myself into USA Shooting events, and once again, sourcing a good coach is fundamental. varsity 24 PULLUSA MAGAZINE SPRING 2025