ITAA Athlete Spotlight: Gabe Querol

Welcome to the ITAA Athlete Spotlight!

Every couple months, we will shine the spotlight on a fellow ITAA member.  Whether they have performed well in a competition, supported the organization, or are just really, really good looking, this is a member you should get to know!

Our first installation features one of the top master recurve shooters in the nation, 2011 ITAA State Outdoor champion, and the current ITAA Treasurer:

Gabe Querol

1) What’s your favorite style of archery to shoot?

I have shot many styles and bow types. Currently, I’m shooting Olympic Recurve.

2) How did you get started in the sport?

I started in the late 1960’s as a kid with a fiberglass bow. I wandered into Midway Archery, in Menasha, Wi.  The proprietor, Denny Koerner, took an interest me,  let me use a shop bow, gave me lessons and got me shooting in multiple leagues. I was hooked. All though I put the bow down for a few decades, my son got me interested in the sport anew when he wanted to learn to shoot. It’s now something we do together.

3) What archery accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of having my son catch the archery bug. It didn’t happen all at once, but after he saw how much I enjoyed it, he came back to the sport with a new passion. A very distant second  is winning the 2010 USAA Outdoor Target Nationals as a Master.

4) What’s your most embarrassing archery moment?

That’s easy. Last year at the North Region Outdoor, I was privileged to shoot with Rick McKinney. I was so discombobulated by shooting with a legend  that I literally could not add 1+1 and come up with the appropriate answer. Every time we scored an end, I could sense the pleasure Rick was getting as I was fumbling around! Too funny and very instructive.

5) Any advice for your fellow archers?

My advice to fellow archers is to remain curious about your sport. This curiosity will lead to making adjustments in form, equipment and mindset. Without curiosity we calcify! Stay curious and you’ll have fun and continually advance.