Meteoric Rise:
Corey Cogdell didn't waste any time securing a spot on the 2008 USA Olympic Shooting team. She only started serious competition in 2006, started earning medals in 2007, and placed first against many veteran shotgunners at the 2008 Women's Trap Olympic trials.
Born in 1986, this Alaska native surely demonstrates how being raised in the great outdoors with a strong hunting background, combined with some luck and talent, can hurl a young shooter to the top of her sport.
Early Beginnings:
Corey began shooting around age 3, and like many of us she recalls plinking at whatever safe target presented itself. She also began hunting with her father around that time, gratefully receiving the companionship and peaceful experiences that he was able to provide. With the help of a local 4-H shooting program, she discovered a love of shotgun shooting and honed her trap shooting skills. From there, she continued to steadily improve, often thriving in windy conditions which can bring other shooters to their figurative knees.
Other Stuff She Does:
Corey isn't limited to outdoor activities like shooting, hunting, skiing, rock climbing, and hiking, although they seem to be her first love. She has also learned to love rebuilding old cars and Jeeps, and while in cooking school she traveled to Italy in order to learn authentic Italian cooking.
2008 Bronze in Beijing:
As the only member of the USA's women's trapshooting team, Corey got down to business in Beijing, securing the Bronze medal by winning a four-way shootout for third place. This was the first medal in shooting for the USA at the 2008 Olympics.
This young lady has a lot of talent, and may well go far in women's shotgunning. Let's hope so, anyhow.
