The Rapid Defense shooting team had another successful year as both sponsored shooters, Justin Moravec and Ricky Garza, competed hard with many strong finishes. We are proud of them both for not only their progress, but their shooting community involvement as a whole. Both guys are staunch supporters of the 2a and the wide variety of shooting disciplines.
Justin finished his 2nd year as an RD sponsored shooter and it was a busy one! He competed in his first USPSA Nationals, which is a weeklong commitment competing against the best shooters in the country. He also inched closer to Master Class while winning a number of local matches and placing top 5 in many more.
He frequently particpates in other local matches, including the RD sponsored Gold Star charity match. Justin represented us strongly by speaking on our behalf and giving away some prized free class spots.
"It was fantastic representing RD at the various matches and I can't wait to see what we bring to the local shooting scene next year!"
In the off season, Justin plans to continue directing a number of outlaw carbine matches which are growing in popularity. He even ran a low light match recently. He shoots ADM rifles for the most part, which are the best ARs out there.
Ricky also had a very full year! He shoots almost every local match in WI and IL that is within driving distance - competing in more than 50! That includes multiple Majors and the USPSA Open/PCC Nationals. Through it all he has met countless people and introduce many more to the sport. He enjoys helping others learn and is humbled by seeing them progress.
His highlights on the year include placing 3rd in his first run and gun, the Badger Trekker 5k. The Trekker is a demanding event and requires balance in physical exertion to not over do it. He competed with a strong mental mindset and shot very well. He also won't forget the Open/PCC Nationals. Ricky enjoyed catching up with old friends for a couple of days and shot with a great group.
"The Illinois Sectional match was the best match I have shotten in my life. Everything was dialed in to perfect balance, and I finished very highly."
Pacing himself was the biggest lesson for Ricky this year, learning how to make better shots behind the rifle and pistol when it was required. Sometimes going a little slower results in a higher score or faster overall time. He didn't meet all of his goals, but he did get closer to obtaining them. He learned how to match direct so he can run his own matches in the future and took on the Treasurer position of McHenry Shooting Sports.
This off season, Ricky will be focusing on speed and transitions, aiming to reduce split times and find opportunities for incremental improvements. He also looks forward to taking training classes more in the future to bolster his skills.
On behalf of RD, congrats to you both and we can't wait to see what 2024 brings!
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