November/December 2010: Volume 18, Number 6 - USA Shooting

(Athlete Spotlight)Christopher HudockPardini. Morini. Tesro. These are considered typicalmodels of .22 pistols that one would see on the Men’sRapid Fire shooting line. Walther GSP Conversion: Thisis what the Citadel Pistol Club has dubbed the gun thatthey created for member Christopher Hudock. When theRapid Fire rules changed from using a .22 short barrel, hair triggerto a Standard Pistol, the cost was too great for the club to make thechange. Instead, the club gunsmith built weights on the bolt, createda long barrel out of a Douglas barrel blank and added new magazines,a heavier spring and a new trigger. Thus, the Walther GSP Conversionwas created and Hudock was approaching the Rapid Fire line inunique style.Currently a junior at the Citadel and a Political Science major, Hudockfirst began shooting when he was about five years old. With apellet gun his parents gave him, Hudock shot at cans in his backyardbefore transitioning into competitive rifle shooting after encouragementfrom Boy Scout instructors. Hudock fine-tuned his skills andwas offered a position on the Citadel’s intercollegiate Rifle Teamduring his senior year of high school. Later followed by a scholarshipoffer, Hudock was on the path to becoming a successful collegiaterifle shooter.After rifle practice one day during his freshman year, Hudockdecided to attend the Citadel Pistol Club’s tryout and “wowed” clubcoach Dr. Joel Sexton. Making the team, Hudock found more personalsuccess against other collegiate pistol shooters than he saw inrifle. With that, he decided to transition full time into pistol shooting.A talented rifle-shooter turned pistol athlete, Hudock is climbing the ranks asone of the U.S.’s top junior shooters.Hudock participated in the 2009 National Junior Olympic Championshipsfor the first time in pistol and placed fifth in Junior Men’sFree Pistol and 19th in Junior Men’s 10m Air Pistol. In the 2010event, he placed second in Junior Men’s Sport Pistol and seventh inJunior Men’s 10m Air Pistol. Hudock went on to compete in the 2010USAS National Championships where he finished second in JuniorMen’s Air 10m Pistol, second in Junior Men’s Free Pistol and third inJunior Men’s Sport Pistol. His National Championships performancesearned him a spot on the 2010 World Championship Team, wherehe finished in the middle of the pack in Munich, Germany.In only his third year of competitive pistol shooting, Hudock’sphilosophy of “practice makes perfect” has propelled his early successand development. Hoping to attain his Distinguished Pistol badgefrom the Civilian Marksmanship Unit this coming year, Hudock willbecome Double Distinguished, already honored as a DistinguishedRifleman.With another school year left at the Citadel, Hudock looks toventure back into rifle training while continuing his efforts incompetitive pistol shooting. Upon graduation, Hudock will join thepercentage of Citatdel cadets who are commissioned into the U.S.Army. Chasing a slot as an officer in the infantry, Hudock not onlylooks forward to a bright future with the U.S. Army but also withUSA Shooting.■ Nicole LevineHudock was also the champion of the national M-9 match.www.usashooting.org 17Nov-Dec Issue 2010.indd 1711/8/10 9:22 PM