Greetings! Coming off a record-setting season for our program, I hope everyone had a restful and well-earned summer break.

As I mentioned in the Spring, I was deliberating on my personal path forward. After careful consideration, and discussion with Rebekah and a few others, I have decided to retire from the Head Coach role.

Four and a half years as HC is a long run. We have accomplished many things in that time, and our program has expanded and thrived in ways some of us didn’t think possible. Many of you have asked me what I am most proud of. Some would expect me to say it’s the on-field accomplishments:
• Winning numerous state and national team and squad awards across Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays
• Winning numerous Iowa SCTP league team awards across Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays
• Three All-State Trap Team Captains, 11 All-State Trap team members, and 4 All Around All State Trap team members across both male and female
• 1 High Overall All-State team member
• 10+ Hawk Squad members
• At last count, 8 collegiate scholarship athletes
• 1 US Junior Olympic team member

Others might expect me to say it’s the program’s operational maturity and development:
• Establishing our Program’s Philosophy and Guiding Principles which guide all we do
• Creating our Leadership and Coaching structure which gave us form and function
• Establishing our standard shooting philosophy\curriculum, and our Shooting Instructor roles
• Expanding formally into Skeet at the state and national level, and informally expanding into Sporting Clays
• Developing a balanced fundraising strategy to help give immediate, near and long-term benefits to athletes, This included:
o Raising over $125,000 in new monies for operations; Adding in matching dollars for foundation funds, we raised over $250k
o More than doubling our Midway Foundation Fund which sits at just under $285k; This provides us an annual endowment of over $14k a year for the life of the program
o Covering all shooting-related expenses for our SCTP Nationals team each year, and having funds available to have focused training practices and those athletes who may be in need

All of these are amazing TEAM-ACHIEVED accomplishments, but what I am most proud of is the well-rounded culture that has been formed. More specifically seeing our athletes excel and develop into well-rounded men and women who think team first, and individual success second. To me, this is what it is all about. I run into former team members all the time show share how being part of our program has shaped them for the good.
….btw a close second for me is watching athletes develop from not having shot a gun before, to making all-state teams 😊

I want to say a very special thank you to my wife Rebekah. Given the time commitment for the Head Coach role, she took on many family and other responsibilities over those 4+ years, and exhibited amazing support and patience for me. Our family has also had to endure through off the field challenges\impacts as unfortunately not all decisions and outcomes are well received. As many of you have heard me say before, the Head Coach role is really a 2nd full time labor of love, of which the work is done across many late nights and weekends. It becomes a sacrifice of time for both spouses, so we all owe Rebekah a huge debt of thanks.

It’s been an amazing run and one that I will not forget. There are many, many coaches and volunteers throughout the years to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude, as, without them, none of our success would have been possible. It has been my privilege and joy to be the Head Coach of this program. I intend to stay as involved in the program as my work schedule, USA team coaching, and other commits allow. I will also remain on the AHSS foundation board until succession planning can complete its course.

I look forward to working with the new Head Coach and seeing what new heights this program can achieve.

Coach LB