Mitchell Brooker-Smith on improving focus

It’s all about keeping your eyes on the target, as Mitchell Brooker-Smith improves his focus in more ways than one

(Photo: Gary Boyd)

I am now on half term, so I can fill my schedule with shooting! I’m trying to perfect my technique and find new methods that could give me an advantage. After returning home from the Grand Prix in Málaga, I learned that my eyesight is not as strong as it used to be.

I never realised how much my eyes had changed until I got my new prescription. While competing in Málaga I knew that I had struggled to see the targets, but I put it down to the fog that had come down. I didn’t hesitate to look into getting prescription inserts for my shooting glasses.

I contacted a friend who specialises in sports vision, Edward Lyons. Ed kindly helped me select my current Pilla lenses, so I felt confident that he was the man to ask.

I still can’t believe the difference! I am now shooting a sharp orange circle instead of a slightly blurred dot. After having consistent success with my new inserts, I had to take a day off training and travel up to Redditch for a meeting.

With new shooting glasses inserts, Mitchell hopes to take his shooting to the next level

The meeting was with a haulage company called Oakland International who were kind enough to support me in the previous competition season. I arranged a list of my achievements from 2018 and what I hope to achieve in 2019, and the goals I set seemed promising enough that Oakland has agreed to support me for 2019.

One thing I’ve learned is that if a business offers to support you, take it! Shooting isn’t a cheap sport and is a big investment depending on how far you wish to go, so any support is appreciated and I’m thankful for what I receive.

There were a few things I wasn’t able to do in 2018 so I’m treating the upcoming season as if I’m starting afresh. I would really like to get selected for the England team again, I can’t emphasise how much I enjoyed my first Home International so to do it all again would be fantastic!

I would also like to get selected for the Great Britain team as I just missed out last year. It was hard to accept coming so close, but it’s a new year and I’m determined to make it a positive one!

Mitchell Brooker-Smith is a promising young British shooter. He is 15 years old and comes from Gloucestershire. Having started shooting at the age of 12, he now shoots Olympic Skeet for England.

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