Junior shooter sets high standards for self

daily nebraskan

National records are a dime a dozen: most hot dogs eaten (50 in 12 minutes), most figure eights with a kite (2,911) and the largest ball of twine (11 ft. in diameter).

But few of these arbitrary milestones carry much significance.

But one national record held by Ryann McGough, a junior on the Nebraska rifle team, would seem to buck that trend.

McGough earned the national record in 10-meter air rifle shooting while in high school.

Ask her about it, though, and she makes it sound about as exciting as the giant twine ball.

"It doesn't (hold much significance)," she said. "As a primary thing to focus on, I don't think that's very healthy to do."

Huskers coach Morgan Hicks thinks it carries a little more weight than McGough lets on.

"Any national record is huge," she said. "Doing that at such a young age is an amazing feat."

But not dwelling on past success is key for McGough, a psychology major who attributes improvements in her scores this season to visiting with a sports psychologist.

She said the psychologist helps her to concentrate on her next shot, while avoiding negative thoughts and outside distractions.

"There's kind of a cliche that shooting is 95 percent mental, and that's absolutely true," she said. "If you think you're going to shoot an eight, you're going to shoot an eight. If you think you're going to shoot a 10, you're going to shoot a 10."

Growing up in LaPorte, Colo., the 14-year-old McGough was immersed in volleyball and basketball.

Sure, she got a BB gun for her third birthday. But for most of her childhood, shooting was nothing more than a hobby.

A trip with her father to a rifle match at the nearby Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs changed all that.

"I fell in love with it," she said.

From then on, her efforts were concentrated on the shooting range.

And as her passion increased, so too, did the recognition.

She appeared on the National Rifle Association's Air Rifle Team, won a junior air rifle title in Colorado, took home a silver medal from the National State Games in smallbore rifle and, of course, captured the national record that almost escaped her memory.

All that came before her high school graduation.

Since arriving in Lincoln two years ago, she hasn't let up on that pace.

She was an honorable mention All-American in a sophomore season that saw her win five individual tournament titles.

Such consistency has left Hicks with nothing but positive thoughts.

"She's been great," Hicks said. "She's been rock solid. I can't say anything wrong about Ryann."

Christine Costello, a senior co-captain and a close friend of McGough's, is similarly impressed with her performance.

"She's strong. She's disciplined," Costello said. "You can just see the love of shooting in her."

Costello believes that McGough could eventually go on to the Olympics or national team.

While not ruling out the possibility, McGough says her current plan is to earn a doctoral degree in psychology (she has carried a 4.0 GPA in three of her four semesters at Nebraska) and pursue a career that combines psychology and her two minors, English and criminology.

But her current priority is the team's goal of improving its 5-1 record when it heads south to take on Texas-El Paso this weekend.

Just don't look for McGough to be too enamored with the fact that El Paso is home to the record for the most people doing the "YMCA" at the same time.

She doesn't put much stock in records.

mitchsmith@dailynebraskan.com