Balsley hopes his aim for Rio Olympics is on target
This is the next installment in a continuing series of articles over the next year where we follow the progress of our local Olympic hopefuls.
Brad Balsley won his first competition at the South Connellsville Gun Club in 1998 and the Uniontown native has continued to find success with his pistol by winning a gold medal at the recent Pan Am Games in Toronto.
The 2006 Uniontown graduate is a Staff Sergeant and a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) based in Fort Benning, Ga.
The USAMU was established in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Initially, the unit’s purpose was to compete and win international competitions, especially with the Soviet Union in mind.
As time went on, additional duties were added to the unit, including research and development with arms and ammunition and providing marksmanship training to soldiers. The USAMU also became an effective recruiting tool.
That’s how Balsley was drawn to the unit.
“My dad was always into pistols. We’d shoot at the South Connellsville and East Huntingdon clubs,” explained Balsley.
Balsley, who played baseball for the Red Raiders, was recruited in the same manner as an athlete.
“I knew I wanted to pursue this more. I remember I was in my 12th grade English class and the Army came to talk with me,” said Balsley.
As with an athlete, the Army flew Balsley down to Georgia and he was sold.
“The (marksmanship unit) is a very unique unit. It’s like the paratroopers,” said Balsley. “I received orders to go straight to that unit.”
Balsley and the other members of the unit have a daily routine as do members of the service, although his is very job specific.
“I at the arms room at 7 a.m. to draw competition guns. I stop by the office and have a cup of coffee, then at 7:45 we’re shooting on the firing line. We have training plans for the day. We do one specific thing. There’s a lot of testing new ammunition,” said Balsley. “Our job is to be as still as possible. We do our own PT (physical training). It’s modified to the specific muscles we use.”
Such monotony of daily task can be taxing to mind and body, but Balsley said, “One of the things we implement in training is not to get bored.”
Balsley and others in his discipline are no different than runners or swimmers as they prepare for a major competition.
“We taper off to prepare for a competition,” explained Balsley.
Balsley’s pistols come from a manufacturer, Pardini, in Italy.
“Your personal preference is up to you after it comes from the factory. (The pistol) has a wood grip and you can form it to your grip,” said Balsley, who is looking forward to a trip to the manufacturer in Italy for a more personalized pistol.
There are five shooting events in pistol, including Balsley’s specialty, the 25-meter rapid fire pistol.
The pistols used in 25-meter rapid fire are .22 caliber semi-automatic with open-iron sights that use .22 caliber long rifle bullets.
All competitors in any of the pistol competitions are standing and in ready position.
“The pistol is held at 45 degrees (in ready position) and the judges make sure. The rule book is super thick,” said Balsley. “We are sideways to the target and the pistol is in line with the shoulder.”
The competition is divided into two stages over two days. Each stage has a string, or five targets, 25 meters from the individual shooter. Each competitor shoots two eight-second strings, two six-second strings and two four-second strings. The center of each target is worth 10 points and rings worth 9, 8, etc., radiate out to the edge of the target.
In the opening two stages, eight competitors shoot at a time. Above the targets are red lights, signaling the competitor to prepare to shoot. Then, green lights are lit below the targets to open the string, be it in eight, six or four seconds.
“There is no benefit to get done faster. We use the time,” said Balsley.
The maximum score for the first two series is 600 points, with 582 points considered a world-class score. The best six scores advance to the finals with all shooters starting back at zero.
“Usually, you have to score at least 583 points to make finals,” added Balsley.
The targets are changed to values in decimals from the center ring of 10. The six shooters shoot four initial strings in four seconds with the lowest score eliminated from the finals. The lowest score is successively eliminated through the sixth string with the bronze medalist the lowest score in the seventh string.
The eighth string determines the gold and silver medals.
Balsley has two gold medals from USA Shooting national championships and a team bronze medal at the 2010 World Championships, but had no international individual gold medals until the 2015 Pan Am Games.
But, that was in doubt after the second stage. Balsley finished with 565 points and was on the outside looking in as he had to wait for the remaining competitors to finish the second stage.
“I screwed up the four-second series,” said Balsley.
Balsley qualified in the sixth and final spot, 11 points behind the fifth-place finisher.
“You have to be kidding me. I’m still alive,” Balsley said of his reaction when he learned he had advanced to the finals. “At first, I was a little mad, but I sat down with our sports psychologist (Sean McCann). After 30 or 40 minutes with him, he put everything in perspective.
“I had to stay on what i was on doing. That’s when tragedy sneaks up.”
Balsley held a two-hit lead over Brazil’s Emerson Duarte going into the final series. Balsley had three hits to end for a Pan Am Games Finals-record 32 hits. Duarte hit his final four, but finished with 31.
Balsley not only won a gold medal with his victory, but also secured the United States a second quota place in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
USA Shooting teammate Emil Milev tied the Pan Am Games qualification point total with 582 points. Milev finished in fifth place.
Balsley was the odd man out for the 2012 London Olympic Games, finishing third with two spots available.
Balsley hopes he will turn those fortunes around in 2016 as part of the USA Shooting team qualifying for the games in Rio de Janeiro.