Expected and Somewhat Unexpected Successes for Alaskans

8 August 2012
11:09 PM

Sunrise at	5:16 AM	in direction	47°	Northeast
Sunset at	10:34 PM	in direction	312°	Northwest

Duration of day: 17 hours, 17 minutes (6 minutes, 56 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Among Olympic events happening, it's worth mentioning that two former University of Alaska, Fairbanks students won metals in shooting.  Matt Emmons, who won gold in 2008, took the Bronze for men's 50 meter, three position event while Jamie Gray captured the gold in the women's 50 meter, 3 position event. 

The UAF Rifle team is traditionally in contention for national recognitions. At the NCAA champions, 2012, they achieved their goal of being in the top 4 by taking bronze. Dave Johnson, Jamie's coach when at UAF, was recruited by UAF in 2000.  UAF puts takes shooting seriously and works to keep top coaches for the team.  Dave has since left to coach for the Olympic team for the last three summer Olympics.

It is not too much of a stretch to see why excelling in that sport would naturally appeal to residents of the Interior.  Guns are still very much a part of life on the frontier.  Many still provide winter food for their families by using their state permit for subsistence hunting  Excursions into the Alaskan wilds can mean a black bear or grizzly bear encounter that turns unfriendly.  The fit is a natural one for this region and this campus. 

What is not as expected is that UAA, University of Alaska at Anchorage, holds the number two spot for debate in the nation, right behind Yale.  That debate team is among the top debate teams in the world.  Steve Johnson, who has brought his passion for debate to the Alaskan Campus with the greatest number of undergraduates, speaks about his love of debate for APRN.

Excellence abounds in the 49th state.