About Me

I started shooting at school and was lucky enough to be introduced to the Great Britain Junior Squad in the late 1980’s. I trained and competed domestically and internationally with them until my last year as a Junior. Shortly after that, I paused my shooting to concentrate on my university studies and subsequently, my career and young family.

I returned to shooting later in life, training with the South East Regional Pistol Squad, Team England National Squad and Great Britain. I competed internationally at major and minor internationals but in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics developed an injury that, over the course of the following years, led to my retirement from shooting.

As I was walking off the range from my last ever competitive shoot in 2017, I bumped into the GB Head Pistol Coach at the time who asked if I would like to work with British Shooting. I coached the British Shooting Emerging Potential (South) squad in 2018 alongside Paul Taylor and I continue to work with him, along with Margaret Thomas and Andy McGee as part of the England Academy Squad coaching team. In 2023 I was also appointed as the 10m coach for the Army’s Troops to Target program.

As of 2023, Troops to Target has been my principle focus, although I continue to work with a small number of UK & International elite athletes and the England Academy Squad. My home range is the at the Lord Roberts Centre on Bisley camp, near Guildford.

I have an extended DBS check, NSRA Range Officer qualification, my own coaching insurance and ISSF National Coach certification.

Jim Newsome, August 2023