USA Shooting Celebrates 30 Years as National Governing Body

“These three decades represent not just organizational longevity, but a remarkable journey of athletic excellence, grassroots development and competitive innovation,” said Kelly Reisdorf, chief executive officer of USA Shooting. “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.”

USA Shooting’s formation traces to the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, which 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, before April 1995 when USA Shooting was chartered as the independent National Governing Body.

“The trajectory of American competitive shooting has been defined by both winning at the highest levels and developing tomorrow’s champions,” said Tim Rupli, chairman of USA Shooting. “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.”

The organization’s biggest names include Kimberly Rhode, a six-time Olympic medalist competing across six different Games, and Vincent Hancock, who made history at the 2024 Games by becoming the first shooting athlete to win four gold medals in the same event. USA Shooting athletes won six medals at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.

“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.”