Springfield Armory® Captain Rob Leatham Claims Top Senior Honors At USPSA Single Stack Nationals
Team Springfield™’s Youngest Shooters Place In First Major Match
GENESEO, IL, June 14, 2016 – (ArmsVault.com) – Team Springfield Armory® competitors young and ‘almost as young’ made a strong showing at the 2016 USPSA Single Stack Nationals Saturday, May 6, with Team Captain Rob Leatham finishing third overall and first in the senior division. Springfield Armory®’s newest team members, Jalise and Justine Williams finished 9th and 10th overall in the women’s division and 4th and 5th in the Junior Division.
After the shooting had finished, Leatham observed, “It’s hard to believe I am categorized as a ‘senior’ now in USPSA. It still feels like yesterday that I shot that first Single Stack Classic in Milan, IL. It’s bittersweet to have lost the championship overall, but I’m stoked that I won the Senior title. I feel very fortunate and a little amazed that I can still compete with the new generation of shooting talent. There are some exceptional competitors out there, and it’s good to be in the running.”
While Springfield Armory® Team Captain and championship shooter Rob Leatham has competed in this match before – 22 times – new team members Jalise and Justine Williams, age 13 and 11, respectively, entered the USPSA Single Stack Nationals for the very first time.
Proving that the 1911 platform is viable for just about anyone, Jalise and Justine competed using Springfield Armory® 1911 Range Officer® pistols, both chambered in 9mm.
Leatham commented, “Our Williams sisters, Jalise, 13, and Justine, 11, worked extremely hard in preparation for the Single Stack competition. This is the first nationally sanctioned event they have attended sporting our uniform. I am super impressed with the way they handled the stress and the limelight of a high-level match like this. I am very proud of their commitment, demeanor, and performance.”
Hosted by the 1911 Society, the Classic Nationals matches aim to celebrate skill and tradition with the classic 1911 single-stack pistol design. According to Match Director Richard Heinie, “The 1911 Society’s mission is to ensure the preservation, promotion, and perpetuation of the Classic Government Model 1911 Pistol.”
Springfield Armory® is proud to support the next generation of shooters. That the Williams sisters enjoy showing the versatility or the 1911 Range Officer® is icing on the cake. Springfield Armory® CEO Dennis Reese states, “This is the type of activity that’s going to spread our traditions to the next generation. We’re looking forward to the Williams sisters continuing the tradition of Team Springfield™ shooters competing at this long-running National event.”
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About Springfield Armory®
“The First Name in American Firearms,” Springfield Armory® was founded in 1777, when George Washington ordered the creation of an armory to store ammunition and gun carriages during the American Revolution. In 1794, the armory began to manufacture muskets and spent the next 150 years supplying firearms for every major American conflict. The original armory closed in 1968. In 1974, the Reese family took ownership of the Springfield Armory® name and began making the M1A™ rifle. Today, Springfield Armory® develops many products loyal to the company’s heritage, like the 1911 pistol, while ensuring its future with innovative products, including the XD®, XD® Mod.2™ XD(M)® and XD-S® polymer pistols.