USPSA Handgun Nationals – Getting To Know Your Top 8 – Eva Micklethwaite, 7th Place Open

Courtesy of our friends at the Women of USPSA blog.

WoUSPSA: Congratulations, Eva, on your TOP 8 finish at the S&W USPSA Open National Championships!  As a match director yourself, what did you think of the stages at this year’s Nationals?

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

WoUSPSA: Just course designers? : )  Word on the street is that you and Russell are darn good at creating stages!   Many thanks for your contributions … so, did you have a favorite stage?

Eva: I don’t think I necessarily had a favorite.  I enjoyed Stage 2 because of the variety of shooting positions, Stage 17 because of the speed, and Stage 3 because of the amount of thought that had to go into this stage to set it up.  I do have a least favorite, but do I really need to call that one out?  : )

WoUSPSA: We’ll just focus on the ones you liked.  And, what do you think of the range/match location?

Eva: 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.  It’s a bonus for us because we can drive!  It would be great if the range were more open as in Tulsa or Quincy so we have the opportunity of watching other stages.  At times you feel isolated from the rest of the match.  But, it is what it is, and it looks as if they may be in the process of making improvements.  Could we put grass on that list of improvements by chance?  : )

WoUSPSA: How would you describe your performance? Were you happy with your match?

Eva: I was happy overall with my performance, but disappointed with a few stages that really cost me a lot of match points.  In the past, I’ve typically been slower on the short stages, and have lost most of my match points on those stages.  I’ve worked on short stage execution and found I was more competitive this year because of it.  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!  Since the running stages usually carry the most match points, it showed on my overall placement.  So, back to the drawing board we go!  Is this what they mean by “Balance”?

WoUSPSA: Seems like we shooters always have something to work on …  Did you learn anything about yourself as a competitor?

Eva: I’m always learning something as a competitor.  This year I’ve 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.

WoUSPSA: We’re guessing you’ll do well!  You’ve been to several Nationals.  Do you get nervous and if so what do you do to help calm your nerves?

Eva: I don’t necessarily get nervous, but I do get excited and sometimes anxious.  I have learned to channel that energy in my yoga and meditation practice.

WoUSPSA: That sounds like a good diversion for that excess energy!  Now, with the match season rather lengthy, how do you typically unwind after all the matches have settled down?

Eva: I take a winter break from shooting and do all the other things I don’t get to do when the shooting season is full push.  I enjoy my photography and find a great amount of solace when Russell and I are out poking through ghost town ruins.  I play with our websites, take a few more road trips, and watch TV!

WoUSPSA: Sounds relaxing … Do you have long-term competitive shooting goals?

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

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.

WoUSPSA: That’s great to hear.  We welcome and look forward to your contributions!  Was this your last major match of the year or do you still have more competitions on your schedule?

Eva: I have one more major competition this year, held in our own back yard, Area 2.

WoUSPSA: Which you won last year – best of luck again!  Living in Arizona, you have the opportunity to shoot some well attended and highly acclaimed local matches at Rio Salado Desert Sportsman.  How does being a member of an active club help you prepare for major matches?

Eva: Being a member at Rio Salado Desert Sportsman and Cactus Match League is one of the best training tools we have in The Valley.  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?  Plus, our Match Directors are phenomenal!  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.  I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone!  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.

WoUSPSA: That’s quite a lineup of talent – including you and Russell!   If you weren’t a competitive shooter, what do you think you would be doing?

Eva: Traveling.  We miss so much of the cities that we travel to when we shoot, it’s disappointing.  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.

WoUSPSA: What kind of reactions have you had when you tell people that your hobby is competitive shooting?

Eva: Mostly disbelief and then intrigue are most of the reactions.  I don’t believe in their mind sight that I 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.  Immediately the assumption is a “sharp shooter”.  Then when I explain the courses of fire, the diversity of the sport, the level of competitions, and the depth of IPSC, that’s when intrigue kicks in.

WoUSPSA: It can be funny what people assume.  : )  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.  As a Top 8 contender, do you feel you should always have the choice to shoot with whomever you like?

Eva: Absolutely, I believe every competitor should have the choice of shooting with whomever they like, including Top 8 contenders.  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.  This is part of the combination that helps me reach the Top 8.  I don’t believe anyone should be pushed into shooting in any particular squad…..unless maybe someone else is footing the bill!

WoUSPSA: What are the pros and cons of shooting with your husband vs. the ladies’ squad?

Eva: 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’ squad.  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.

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’s a learning experience.   Competition is competition, whether it’s male or female.  I strive to shoot as best as I can without any labels.  I feel I can accomplish this with “A” and “M” class male shooters just as easy as “A” and “M” class female shooters.

That being said, can someone tell me how the heck Athena shot the Golden Bridge in 20.43 seconds?? Smokin’!  : )

WoUSPSA: Yeah, that must have been poetry in motion!  Rumor has it, this may be your last Nationals.  Is this true?

Eva: First, I will say the Desert Sportsman club definitely made this decision more difficult.  Since the upcoming year is a World Shoot year, we need to shoot as many major matches as possible.  The economy in the state it still is, decisions have to be made.  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.  The only difference is, not all at once.

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

On one last note…I would like to give a special thank you to Eddie Garcia of Cameron Custom Guns for lending me Bang and Clang.  Without his generosity, I would not have been able to compete this year at the Nationals.  So one HUGE shout out to Eddie “Bad-A**” Garcia!

WoUSPSA: Congratulations once again, Eva.  Thanks so much for your taking the time to interview with us and good luck in 2011!

Here are a few of Eva’s amazing stage performances from the 2010 Open Nationals.

Editor’s note:  Since this interview, Eva went on to successfully defend her Area-2 Title!  She had only one miss penalty in the entire match. Great shooting, Eva, and congratulations on your second consecutive Area-2 Championship!