Marcus Raab Tabbed as New National Rifle Coach for USA Shooting

USA Shooting’s New National Rifle Coach, Marcus Raab

Long-time rifle coach Marcus Raab (Van Buren, Ark.) has been selected by USA Shooting as its new National Rifle Coach. Raab replaces 1992 Olympian Dave Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo.),who had held the position since 2002 before being promoted to Director of Operations after the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Raab has been an active USA Shooting coach for nearly a decade having guided U.S. National, Development and Junior Team members at international competitions previously including both the 2006 and 2010 Junior World Championship Teams. Under his guidance, those teams earned six medals and broke two world records. Johnson credits Raab for much of the junior team’s success over several years, which culminated in the gold-medal performance by the junior women’s smallbore team at the 2010 World Championships.

“I’m very pleased to have Marcus on board,” said Johnson. “He has a long track record of developing athletes and helping them get to the podium. We have a great group of young talent on deck and an impressive group of veterans that will benefit from Marcus’s guidance, energy and direction.”

Raab also spent one year as the National Rifle Coach in Thailand from 1996-97. From 1976 -1980, he was a member and coach of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Rifle Team. He received his coaching certification from the National Rifle Association of America and helped develop and coordinate the NRA’s shooting coach education program in the United States.

Raab’s personal shooting accomplishments trace back to 1973 when he began shooting smallbore (.22 caliber) rifle. He holds many distinctions as a marksman and achieved High Master classification in the U.S. Army Reserves with the M14 service rifle in addition to the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1990. That same year, Raab was also a member of the National Championship Service Rifle Team. He won a 1000 yard (910 meter) High Power match at the United States National Championships in 1991.

Residing currently in Van Buren, Ark., Raab will continue to operate as National Rifle Coach in his present hometown, but will make monthly visits to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to meet with staff and athletes on a reoccurring basis.

“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to work alongside America’s top shooters,” said Raab. “The foundation for continued success within the rifle program is in place and I’m anxious to get to work with our team of coaches and capable shooters to ensure progress continues. I look forward to working with the entire staff of USA Shooting as we build upon the legacy of competitive excellence that USA Shooting is known for.”

Marcus is married to USA Shooting Board member Janet Raab, who is a former elite shooter herself and currently works for Walther Arms as Director of Sales & Marketing for Competitive Shooting.