Calamity Jane

[Calamity Jane]

Tell Yourself What You Need To

I've got a lot to tell and I'm not sure how to tell it. So I guess I will begin with the results and my interpretation of them. Here is how I saw it this morning on the USPSA web site.

High Lady Stage Wins on:

Stage 3

Stage 9

Second High Lady on:

Stage 16

I put the top 10 Lady Competitors in a spread sheet and this is what I saw:

• Jane had more stage wins then Donnie, Kay, Lisa, and Eva.
  
• Megan F. finished 7th overall on Stage 1 !!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!
  
• Rebecca finished 3 stages in the top 20 overall!!!! WOW!!!!!!!
  
• In the game of IFSC....I would have crushed my competitors on Stage 10 and had another stage win IF I would have seen the mike I had as I transitioned from the clam shell to the first target.
  

Rebecca and Megan really ROCKED this match. My congrats to both of them!!! Well done ladies!!!

There is more to tell. I want to talk about my squad, my husband and Dave RE, the first day, the last day, the ride home in the car, and where I'm going from here. But right now...I think I'll go to the mall and shop.

I can tell you this, yesterday I:

• went to church and thanked God for making me who I am
  
• watched 3 hours of TV with my boys
  
• shared my sister's prize winning pie with my family and Dad (it was my Dad's bday yesterday)
  
• played cards with my boys (my sister taught my teenagers to play poker while we were gone...thanks sis!)
  
• bubble bath and finished a book I've been reading for the past 6 weeks
  It's good to be home.
  

Edited September 15, 2008 by Calamity Jane

[Thomas Moore]

You guys should come out and shoot Area 2, I gaurantee you'll have great time. This will be my third year in a row and I love it!!!

[Calamity Jane]

You guys should come out and shoot Area 2, I gaurantee you'll have great time. This will be my third year in a row and I love it!!!

That would be great!! However, we are out of $$$! I wish we could do it all

If you guys get to ride in a roller coaster again this year, I'm really going to be sorry I missed it!

Enjoy it!

[Calamity Jane]

Registration Day

When we arrived on walk through day we had the opportunity to stand in line with Kay and Jerry. Kay and I chatted and one of the things she said to me was that she wanted to be sure to sight in her gun. We talked about the match and how important that was. Kay has taught me several lessons from her experience. I didn't know at the time that this was going to be another valuable lesson. Ofcourse, I always have to learn the hard way

Day One of Nats

We arrived at the range with XRE in tow. XRE is thumbs up in my book and I'll be talking more about him later. XRE said he wanted to sight in his gun. OK, one of the lessons we are trying to teach our boys is to PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU! Now I've heard Kay say it and XRE doing it so I decided to follow along and sight in my gun as well. Function fire had a beat up steel plate and a beat up piece of paper with a bag on it. XRE stepped up and shot at the beat up steel and was satisfied with what he saw. I didn't know how I was going to see exactly where my hits were with that beat up piece of steel. It needed paint and I didn't see any. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I COULD HAVE PAINTED THE TARGET!!! I've never been to function fire before. I didn't know how it worked. Anyway, I took some shots at the steel and it went ding, but I couldn't hit a head shot. Now I had a choice....do I start monkeying around with my scope before the first stage at a National competition when I checked that sight 48 hours before?? The correct answer is YES!!! But my hard head said NO! I was in trouble either way because my confidence in the gun was compromised. Remember when I've quoted Bull Durham, "You've got to play this game with fear and arrogance"....well arrogance didn't work out for me to good this time

The first stage had some long distance poppers. It took me several extra shots to get them down which isn't like me. Now I knew I had a problem but I didn't know exactly what to do about it.

Lets all remember...this is my first Nationals with an Open gun. This is my first FULL season with an Open gun. I don't have EXPERIENCE with what can happen to a C-more etc.. Now I know.

So I went to the next stage with the intent to shoot to the left of the target because I knew the gun was shooting to the right. The first part of the course of fire was right on pace with my ability and then I came to the 25-30 yard poppers. I aimed to the left but could not get a popper down. I had to change my mag. To get the poppers down I HAD TO AIM TOTALLY OFF THE TARGET! I knocked down 25-30 yard poppers down by NOT shooting at them!!!! That was the most bizarre experience I've ever had with an open gun. Now I'm really shaken up. I don't know what to do. Do I sight in the gun...Do I go to my back up gun??? I don't know what to do!!

Sooooo I go back to function fire with my tools. Billy Abbate spray paints the target because he wants to sight in his gun also. Billy opened my eyes that you can paint the steel! Duh!! I sight in the gun and return for yet another stage not knowing what is going to happen.

The next stage has the opportunity to knock down a popper on the draw. I decide that is what I need to do for my confidence. So I do. On the draw...BAM...popper goes down. It was shocking to me! OK...now I think I've got a gun to work with

Get through next stage...don't really recall any problems with the exception of a few unexpected mikes

Next stage was 15 "Go Back" It had 4 long distance poppers that required you to go back and forth through ports. The poppers activated drop outs with no shoots. I did pretty well untill the last 3 targets. As I was going into a port taking a shot at an open target I lost my dot. I took an extra shot at it (usually that will bring the dot back) but NO DOT! So I moved on and shot the 2 drop outs with no shoots without any dot. During the unload and show clear I see that my lense is out of my scope. NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE!!!!!!!! Amazingly, I got all my hits and did not tag any no shoots

Now I'm free to go to my back up gun. You may remember that I posted that I thought maybe I was shooting that gun better my 38 super comp. So I did have confidence in that gun. The only compromising part about my 40 cal open gun is magazine capacity. My big stick only holds 24 rounds and the other mags 19. No big deal really...but it is a factor.

I go to the back up gun and shoot 16 Milk and Cookies. I didn't really know where the gun was going to shoot at long distances. So I let er rip...took 2 extra shots on the long range head shots just to be sure and did pretty well. I finished 2nd high lady on that and I wonder if I could have captured a stage win IF I had not taken the 2 extra shots. I love the word IF!

I had a Coach in college tell me, "If, if and buts, were candy and nuts, what a Merry Christmas we'd have."

OK..day one did not go very well but I'm proud of it. I'm proud I didn't cry, feel sorry for myself, or make excuses. I said I was going there to face fear and I DID!

Day one gave me the opportunity to gain something that I lack....EXPERIENCE.

I walked off the playing field with a smile on my face because I had won the battle within myself that day.

[Nik Habicht]

Remember when I've quoted Bull Durham, "You've got to play this game with fear and arrogance"....well arrogance didn't work out for me to good this time

Day one gave me the opportunity to gain something that I lack....EXPERIENCE.

And experience will lead to confidence --- which I think beats fear and arrogance all week long. My best performance at Nationals came the fourth time I went --- it was the first year I had confidence in myself, my equipment, and had nothing to prove to anyone, including myself. I was just there to see what I could do --- on those days, on those stages, against those competitors.

OK..day one did not go very well but I'm proud of it. I'm proud I didn't cry, feel sorry for myself, or make excuses. I said I was going there to face fear and I DID!

I walked off the playing field with a smile on my face because I had won the battle within myself that day.

And that's one heck of an accomplishment right there. If that was the extent of your achievement --- no stage wins, no brilliant runs --- wouldn't that have been a really good experience already? To realize that you'd transformed yourself right onto a higher plane of personal evolution? Way to go!

[Calamity Jane]

Day Two

We shot in the afternoon. The Oklahoma sun and wind graced us for a few hours which was a relief from the rain we experienced on Day One.

I said to XRE several times in the morning, "I just want to shoot." I was crippled the day before by gun problems and on Day Two I just wanted to shoot. It was a good day but I made some mistakes. I choose inferior plans on Stages 1 Quickie and Stage 2 Charge N Cross and I messed up the timing on Stage 4 Triple flip.

The bright spot of the day was a really good run on Stage 3 which turned into a stage win for me. What's funny about that run is MY EYES were blurry during the entire run. For whatever reason it was like I needed to blink my eyes to clear my vision, but instead I just kept shooting. I ended up being down only 1 on that stage. Maybe I should shoot with blurred vision more often.

Looking at my times and points compared to the other ladies I was just a twitch off pace. I think it was more a matter of my stage plans than my pace of shooting that pushed me off pace from the other ladies.

I'm most proud that after I realized I had fallen off pace on Stage 1 and Stage 2, I picked myself up and made an aggressive run at Stage 3. I shot 7 out of 8 stages clean. It was a solid day.

Day two almost seems boring compared to Day one. There was no rain, broken C-mores, or shooting poppers by aiming at the berm. Sheesh, the day was hardly a challenge at all.

[Flexmoney]

And experience will lead to confidence --- which I think beats fear and arrogance all week long. My best performance at Nationals came the fourth time I went --- it was the first year I had confidence in myself, my equipment, and had nothing to prove to anyone, including myself. I was just there to see what I could do --- on those days, on those stages, against those competitors.

I like that, Nik. Good stuff.

Hi Jane.

[Calamity Jane]

Hey Flex!

I can't believe I forgot to talk about CHRONO on Day Two!!

Here are the chrono facts:

I minored at Nats last year with my limited gun

I was obsessed with my 38 super comp load this year because of that experience

I bumped up my load to ensure I would make major regardless of weather

I RESENTED bumping up my load to ensure I would make major

I performed MULTIPAL science fair projects on my ammo including sticking it in the oven and freezer and testing it to ensure I would make major

I meticulously loaded each bullet and weighed the powder about every 4th bullet while making my match ammo

I did not shoot the 40 cal open gun during the summer season

We were out of 135 grain bullets and the load we had with the 135 grain bullet was having some difficulties running through the gun

Dave whipped up a load with a 155 grain bullet and some VV 3N37 and ran it through chrono once or twice

The plan was to NOT use the back up gun so it wouldn't be an issue

SOOOOO when we went to chrono with the back up gun as my primary gun, there was a little tension in the back of my mind. Dave and I got a calculator out and he told me the magic number so I wouldn't be surprised. I was the last one to be chrono'ed. By now Greg and Ken had already seen A LOT OF ME!! The first 3 bullets through the gun were minor. That got the hubby's attention as he came out of his chair. My reaction was not wrath against my husband. My reaction was to start PRAYING HARD!!! I did and the next 3 bullets made major. Thank God....literally.

It's kind of funny that I spent all that time and energy on bullets that didn't even get chrono'ed. Oh, I offered my gun without C-more lense to Ken to shoot through chrono, but he passed on the opportunity.

So I successfully made it by Ken 3 times this year!!!! A6, A5 and Nats!!! Is it wrong to say....nan a nan a boo boo, I made it by you you

[Airedale]

Jane you've done great this year juggling all your tasks and accomplishing all that you have.

Don't forget your support crew. Dave has done yeomans work to keep you on track.

Buy him something pretty, take him out, and make him feel special!

Dave

[Calamity Jane]

Jane you've done great this year juggling all your tasks and accomplishing all that you have.

Don't forget your support crew. Dave has done yeomans work to keep you on track.

Buy him something pretty, take him out, and make him feel special!

Dave

You are so right about Dave. I could not have done any of this without him. I'm going to write about him soon. He gets his own special post.

It's coming....hang on.

We've got...Day three of Nats, The ride home, and THEN we get to the people thanking part

[Al Capizzo]

If I tell you understand what you went through at the chrono, you'll believe me won't you?

[davidball]

Jane you've done great this year juggling all your tasks and accomplishing all that you have.

Don't forget your support crew. Dave has done yeomans work to keep you on track.

Buy him something pretty, take him out, and make him feel special!

Dave

Some chocolates would be nice . . .

If I tell you understand what you went through at the chrono, you'll believe me won't you?

LOL. Yep, at least CJ didn't not have to use bullet #7 to get there!

[Al Capizzo]

I was thinking when reading Jane's post about the chrono, she was "praying hard", I was muttering and cussin'. Both approaches apparently work!

[Sgtsvi]

Jane, It was a pleasure to shoot with you and Dave at the nats. We had a good mix of people in squad 10 and everyone kept positive and worked hard to get the stages reset for the next shooter. You fought through alot of adversity and came out looking like a champl. Your hard practice and dedication reflected in your shooting once your equipment problems were resolved. I would squad with you guys at any match without hesitation and I hope all of us Texans made a positive impression with you and your other half. Keep up the good work and I hope to see you guys soon.

[Calamity Jane]

Jane, It was a pleasure to shoot with you and Dave at the nats. We had a good mix of people in squad 10 and everyone kept positive and worked hard to get the stages reset for the next shooter. You fought through alot of adversity and came out looking like a champl. Your hard practice and dedication reflected in your shooting once your equipment problems were resolved. I would squad with you guys at any match without hesitation and I hope all of us Texans made a positive impression with you and your other half. Keep up the good work and I hope to see you guys soon.

It was great to meet you and shoot with you. Dave and I enjoyed Squad 10 very much! You've inspired me to go ahead and post what I wanted to say about Squad 10.

The Mod Squad

I've met quite a few Texans and I can't think of one of them I didn't like. There is just something about people from Texas. If I didn't live in the Midwest, I think I would live in Texas. There is only one thing I lack…..a knife.

Anyway, I loved shooting with our Texas squad. They had the right stuff to endure difficult shooting conditions. There were no whiners or slackers in squad 10. There were a few jokers but that was needed comic relief to our water drenched tragedy.

Rhonda you are Texas tough! Holy Cow…6 hours in the rain with no coat or poncho and not even a frown on your face. That's tough!!

Al…I was so glad to see you join our squad. I'm glad you got to see the substance of the "self absorbed BS". It was good to meet you.

John…you were a gentleman for sharing your rain cover lens cap. Thank you!

Catfish…you're charming in your own unique way.

Dave T…you're all Texan. I enjoyed meeting you.

Jim…you're quiet, but when you speak, it's worth hearing

Robert…You did it right my friend. The last stage is the way to go. I've done the EXACT same thing.

Greg…I wouldn't have known when my turn was without you. You were the start of all my mental programs. Thanks.

David H…. you looked good for A-class. Don't tell yourself anything different!

Dave Re…you're going to get your own post.

Thank you squad 10! You guys were great!

[Calamity Jane]

Day Three

The Wardrobe: Bob Vogel Black

Congrats to Bob Vogel, 2008 USPSA Production Champion! It's no surprise to us folks in the Midwest that Bob won that title. We've been watching him for years creep closer to it. He's got game! Well done!

For those who know Bob, you know that he is soft spoken and notorious for wearing black. I was surprised to see him in tan pants at the Indiana Sectional Championship this past June. I commented that I really liked seeing him in tan pants. He softly said, "It's what my sponsor sent me". I smiled and told him he looked good. When I saw him in Tulsa after he won Nats, I couldn't resist congratulating him and telling him "I think the tan pants pushed you over the top!" He smiled, shrugged his shoulders and quietly made his way away from my presence.

So why the Bob Vogel black on Day three of Nats? 60% chance of rain and the only other shirt I had was white….do I need to say more?? I'm no Misty May!

Day three had its own unique challenges. Water and mud was one challenge. The other challenge for me was to finish the match strong.

The first stage was basically under water. The start position was in a deep puddle and the footing…well…it was lady mud wrestling texture. I shot solid with the exception of some make up shots on the poppers which cost me a little time.

The next stage was Stage 7 Pick One. It had 2 doors to pull. I had a mental mistake which I can't account for on this stage. I had mentally programmed pulling the second door before shooting the array on the outside, but I DIDN'T DO it that way. I went to the outside array and then had to come back and pull the last door. I seriously don't know why I did that because I never even considered doing it that way. It's a mystery.

Stage 8 and Stage 9 were Weft and Wright. After the door incident I knew I needed to get it back together. I had dry fired this stage a gazillion times in the basement with various target positions around the wall. I knew I could and SHOULD let go on these stages because I was fully prepared. So I did. I had a mike (which I did see but didn't go back and make up) on Stage 8. I nailed Stage 9 to which I let out a victory holler!

Now we get to Stage 10 Wack Up. This was another stage that I had dry fired with various targets at various distances and configurations. I knew I also was ready to let go on this one. The question was….would I? Stage 10 represented the LAST stage of Nationals. The last shot fired would be the last of my season. I was starting to feel emotional about it. I had to pull Dave behind a berm so he could lay some words of encouragement on me and calm me down. My biggest fear was to shoot it safe and not let go. I'm sure my squad mates were wondering what happened to me. I was pacing, talking to myself, and not talking to anyone else. I turned into a totally different squad mate. I let er rip and it felt good. It was a good run with a good time despite taking an extra shot I didn't need to. I fell short of glory because I missed a shot transitioning from the clam shell to another target. I saw the shot and it went over the left shoulder…I thought it might have made a D hit…I was wrong.

After that last shot, there was no stopping the tears. I was crying because it was now OK to let it all out and I did. You should have seen the looks on the faces of my squad mates. Their faces had looks like "What is wrong with her?" "What happened to her?" I'm hugging people and blowing snot out of my nose. It was a scene!!

And that my friends, was the end of the 2008 Nationals. The long ride home was to follow.

[Calamity Jane]

What in the world ever became of sweet Jane

She lost her sparkle, you know she isn’t the same

Livin on reds, vitamin C and cocaine

All a friend can say is, ain’t it a shame

Grateful Dead

Truckin

On the ride home there was a moment when I looked at Dave unable to talk because I was choked up with so much emotion. When I was able to speak, I squeaked out these words, “I don’t think I can put the gun down”. My wise husband smiled and said, “You don’t have to put the gun down.” I choked out in between tears, “Yes I do.” It was at that moment I knew I had an addiction problem. I escaped drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, but I didn’t escape developing an addiciton to this sport! This moment launched us into a conversation about where we would go from here.

Getting high on shooting rocks! Coming down from a high….stinks! The 10 hour ride home was miserable!

The ride home was a mix of nausea and tears. When I wasn’t choked up with emotion and tearful I felt nauseated. Dave and I had talked about getting a piece of chocolate coca cola cake from Cracker Barrel. It was to be our special reward. When we finally got a piece on our drive home, I was unable to eat it because my stomach hurt so bad.

XRE texted us the results when we were around ST. Louis. More nausea and tears followed. I was enjoying texting XRE back and forth until Dave took the phone away from me. I guess it cost money to text. Who knew? I was just getting the hang of texting too. I totally see why teens are addicted to it.

So we get home around 12 midnight. It was good to see the kids and be home. I noticed my leopard skin peep toe pumps had come in the mail. I’m psyched because I wanted those shoes really badly. They are the PERFECT shoe for my awesome yellow dress. I open them up and slipped one on my foot and……it didn’t fit. They are too small. My mind says, I’ve got a big fat ugly foot that doesn’t fit! Once again I’m not Cinderella. I went to bed with a stomach ache, exhausted.

The next day I recovered somewhat and was beginning to think more positively. I thought about my new shoes that didn’t fit and occurred to me I need a bigger shoe. What I thought was perfect for me isn't the right fit. I need to look for something else. I’m not sure what the shoe looks like that can contain me, but I’m going to spend some time in the next few months trying to figure it out. You all know I'm not talking about shoes....right?

****I'm packing up for the wedding today but I'm going to try to post the rest of the stuff to wrap up Nationals.

[Nik Habicht]

It was at that moment I knew I had an addiction problem. I escaped drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, but I didn’t escape developing an addiciton to this sport! This moment launched us into a conversation about where we would go from here.

Getting high on shooting rocks! Coming down from a high….stinks!

There's a huge difference between drugs, alcohol and cigarettes --- all of which have the potential to harm you, without providing much, if any benefit --- and a sport that allows you the opportunity, hell that requires that you reach and stretch and grow as a person in order to be successful. I remember the feeling though --- of having to go to a match every weekend; and of what it felt like when Nationals ended. In fact, in 2004 Flex, Anderson and I were in a golf cart at PASA on a beautiful September day and Anderson says "wouldn't it be great if we could stay forever? If there'd be five new stages to shoot everyday?"

With time in the game, life priorities have a tendency to realign shooting into its place --- downgrading it from a craving into an event to be savored; one that is fully enjoyed when you participate, missed a little when you don't, but without the huge swings of up and down.....

At least that's been my experience --- and I've managed to shoot a single stage in the last six weeks. I did however beat Vlad, finished fifth and thoroughly enjoyed every moment, before having to leave.

What I thought was perfect for me isn't the right fit. I need to look for something else. I’m not sure what the shoe looks like that can contain me, but I’m going to spend some time in the next few months trying to figure it out. You all know I'm not talking about shoes....right?

****I'm packing up for the wedding today but I'm going to try to post the rest of the stuff to wrap up Nationals.

Whatever it is, you'll figure it out. I have complete faith in you --- you've worked harder than most people I know to get where you are.....

[Al Capizzo]

Shooting in competition may be an addiction, but its a beautiful addiction.

[Calamity Jane]

Shooting in competition may be an addiction, but its a beautiful addiction.

I have to agree with you Al!

Thank You Notes

I’ve always wanted to win a National Championship just so I could stand up and thank all of those who helped me get there. In fact, I’ve taken a thank you speech to each National competition I’ve ever competed in with the hope of one day getting my opportunity. I’m a hopeless optimist! However, this year I didn’t take a speech with me. There was no need because I memorized that speech in my head a gazillion times on the many dark mornings traveling to work. It ALWAYS makes me cry. I’ve finally realized you don’t have to win to thank the people who have meant so much to you.

When I think about those people ofcourse my husband comes to my mind first. I will be talking about him a little later in his own special post. In this post I want to talk about some of the less obvious people who have walked along side me during this shooting journey. The first person I want to talk about is Dave Re.

The simplest way to explain my relationship with Dave Re is to simply say, Dave Re is my friend. He has been my confidant, mentor, e-coach, psychologist, cheerleader, voice of reason and wisdom, soother, he’s been my friend. I’m so grateful for every word he has ever typed to me.

Shooting Nationals with Dave truly was a gift to me. I got to shoot with my friend. Fate had a part in putting us together but ultimately it was Dave’s decision not to be moved that made the gift possible. His decision made it very inconvenient on him….no ride to the range…shooting opposite of the super squad etc. Yet, he chose to stay. That right there speaks VOLUMES to who he is as a person. Thank you Dave. I’m all choked up as I’m typing this. You are first class all the way.

Dave didn’t have a great match. Yet he handled his performance with grace and dignity. No one would know by watching him how tough his match was going. There are a number of people in this sport who really exemplify character worth aspiring. Dave is one of those people.

Dave you have walked beside me as I’ve developed as a shooter. I am truly grateful for your mentoring and your friendship. Thank you.

Another person that comes to my mind is Aron….AKA Coach….AKA Royce Lowell Patton. He also has been by my side and had a hand in my development. I’m thankful to have a friend like him to push me, and challenge me. Thanks Aron.

The last person I want to mention is my brother John. He always has just what I need right when I need it. For example: the money he loaned me to buy my open gun, parts for my dillion press when it breaks, buying my old limited gun so I can buy an open back up gun (that came in handy at Nats!) etc… His support has been instrumental in keeping the ball rolling in a positive direction. Thanks Bro.

Last up is my husband. That’s going to be a very emotional post that I’m going to have to put off until after the wedding.

[Calamity Jane]

"You’re a better man than I, Gunga Din!"

Kippling

Trying to explain the journey Dave and I have taken to get to where we are now could be a diary in itself. We’ve covered a lot of ground together in the last 5 years. Here are some of the stepping stones Dave and I have crossed to get where we are now:

• Dave learns to shoot and starts going to matches without me

• I learn to shoot and go to matches with him

• We compete in different divisions

• We compete in the same division

• He takes a path to provide leadership and organization to the sport

• I take a path to become a better shooter

• I excel in shooting and he becomes my number one supporter

Shooting as a couple has been a tremendously rewarding experience, but those bullet points don’t capture the emotions that Dave and I have had to process to overcome the challenges a couple face as they shoot together.

Challenges like:

• handling the kids at the range so both can shoot

• competing against one another

• Dave trying to instruct me

• beating each other (either him beat me, or I beat him)

• listening to all the jabs from others about beating each other

A love for each other has allowed us to overcome the challenges and grow closer together as a couple. We’ve dealt with the issues that were causing tension in our shooting and found a place of peace and support for one another.

I could not have achieved anything without the support of my husband. He has sacrificed himself and his desires to help me obtain mine. The love and support from my husband has been the wind beneath my wings.

The intensity of the last 6 weeks of training was felt deeply by my family. When my youngest son Bryan hugged me good bye, he said, “When you come back from Nationals, I want my real Mom back.” I think Bryans comment reflects some of the craziness that went on around here. I would come home from work and put on my range clothes. Then I would either: dry fire, live fire, load, or clean my gun. I managed to get dinner on the table and the dishes in the dish washer but that was IT! Dave and the kids took all of this in stride and absorbed much of the household duties. They never once complained.

Dave’s support for me has been unwavering. I remember the moment I asked him if I could shoot 8000 rounds in 8 weeks. I was sitting on the side of our bed with my back to him. I was sitting with my back to him because I couldn’t look him in the eye. I was really asking if we could afford for me to shoot 8000 rounds. I knew I would respect his decision on the matter. He graciously told me he thought I could. I don’t know the exact amount of money that decision cost us, but I do know it cost. Dave is the one who writes the checks and his willingness to write that check is an expression of his love for me. He has been behind me 100% and for that I’m truly grateful.

He has: loaded my ammo, cleaned my gun, cleaned my Dillon loader, designed stages for me to shoot, developed practice plans, answered my questions, encouraged me after good and bad runs, cleaned my muddy mags, pushed my gun cart, loaded and unloaded the truck after matches, video taped runs, helped analyze video, financially supported me in whatever I needed, put my gun back together when I couldn’t, prayed for me, loved me to the point of putting me first always.

David Ball, thank you for loving me. Thank you for all you have done for me and the sacrifices you have made so I could pursue my dreams. It’s your expression of love for me that truly has been the reward to this journey. I love you.

[Thomas Moore]

you two are soul mates for life. you're very lucky to have such a close family.

[Calamity Jane]

you two are soul mates for life. you're very lucky to have such a close family.

Yep, I'm a lucky, blessed woman that is for sure Thanks for the post.

[rupie]

I read from your first post to your last post tonight, my bum is sore, I enjoyed your journey to this point, It read like a novel and I was inspired. The only thing missing in your "novel" is the ending chapter that says your A card came in the mail. Thanks for documenting your journey. When you reach the top, what ever that is, write a book and publish it for others to grow.

Scott

[m.e.t.]

I have been blessed to know Jane and Dave for many years. As I read some of the points in Jane's post. I had to smile at the memories of the past when Dave was coaching Jane and then when Jane moved past the coaching stage. We all saw the change. But Dave (God love him) was the last to know. You had to be there. It was a great joy to watch.

To say that I will miss these guys is a weak choice of words. One of the components of my love for this sport is the people I have had the chance to share it with. Jane and Dave will leave a void not likely to be filled. People of this character and passion are rare. What a gift that they found each other. A gift equally shared by both. True partners.

God's speed in all that you do.

Mike..