USA Shooting marks a historic milestone this month as it celebrates 30 years as the National Governing Body for international shooting sports within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
“These three decades represent not just organizational longevity, but a remarkable journey of athletic excellence, grassroots development and competitive innovation,” Kelly Reisdorf, the CEO of USA Shooting said. “From our humble beginnings to becoming a global medal powerhouse, we’ve built a legacy that honors precision, discipline and the uniquely American competitive spirit that defines our sport.”
Since its founding, USA Shooting has guided American marksmen and markswomen to 36 Olympic and Paralympic medals, representing both consistent excellence and the organization’s commitment to developing world-class talent across all shooting disciplines.
USA Shooting took over the reins from the National Rifle Association of America as the chartered National Governing Body for international shooting sports in April 1995.
The current U.S. Olympic and Paralympic shooting medal count stands at 127, establishing the United States as a historical powerhouse in a sport that has been part of the Olympic program since the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.
“The trajectory of American competitive shooting has been defined by both winning at the highest levels and developing tomorrow’s champions,” Tim Rupli, chairman of USA Shooting said. “What makes these 30 years truly special is how we’ve cultivated American talent while championing the values of precision, discipline and patriotic excellence that our shooting sports represent on the world stage.”
A LEGACY OF CHAMPIONS
The organization’s three-decade journey has produced shooting sports legends whose accomplishments transcend the sport itself. Olympic icons like Kimberly Rhode, a six-time Olympic medalist competing across six different Games, and Vincent Hancock, who made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first shooting athlete to win four gold medals in the same event, have established American dominance on the international stage.
The legacy extends to pioneering coaches like Lloyd Woodhouse, whose 23-year leadership of the U.S. shotgun team produced 10 Olympic medals across four Games and earned him recognition as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Coach of the Year in 2003—the only shooting coach ever to receive this honor.
Most recently, USA Shooting athletes demonstrated their continued excellence at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, securing six medals—including gold for Hancock in Men’s Skeet, silver medals for Sagen Maddalena in Women’s 50m Rifle Three-Position, Conner Prince in Men’s Skeet, Austen Smith and Hancock in Mixed Skeet Team, bronze for Austen Smith in Women’s Skeet and YanXiao Gong in P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1—the first Paralympic pistol medal for the U.S. since 1984.
FROM AMATEUR ACT TO GLOBAL FORCE
USA Shooting’s formation traces back to the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, which initially established the National Rifle Association of America as the governing body for shooting sports. The mid-1980s saw the establishment of the U.S. Olympic Shooting Center and Olympic Shooting Park in Colorado Springs, creating a permanent home for the U.S. Shooting Team. By April 1995, USA Shooting was officially chartered as the independent National Governing Body, beginning its three-decade journey.
LOOKING AHEAD: THE LOS ANGELES 2028 OPPORTUNITY
As the organization celebrates its past, USA Shooting remains focused on the future—particularly the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will mark the first Summer Olympics on American soil in more than three decades.
“Having the Summer Games return to the United States presents an unprecedented opportunity to showcase our sport and athletes to a home audience,” Reisdorf added. “With our pipeline of both emerging talent and veteran competitors, we’re positioning USA Shooting for its most successful Olympic cycle in our history.”
USA Shooting will be commemorating its anniversary throughout 2025 with special events, social media giveaways and initiatives designed to further expand participation in competitive shooting sports nationwide.
For more information about USA Shooting’s 30th anniversary celebrations, visit usashooting.org.
Most Popular
