Never Too Late

There probably aren't too many gymnasts out there that go from the balance beam to the rifle team.

But, well, I happen to be one of them.

I loved gymnastics, but I sustained quite a few injuries while competing, including breaking my back. At that point, with the injuries piling up, I decided to retire from gymnastics.

For the sake of my physical health, it was an easy decision, but my mental health was certainly impacted.

Gymnastics was what I knew and loved.

I felt lost without it.

Fortunately, growing up, I was heavily involved in 4-H. There are many different areas to participate in through 4-H, but I always was fond of recreational shooting and had quite a bit of experience doing so.

Shooting was a fun hobby for me, but it quickly turned into something much more.

My athleticism in gymnastics and experience in 4-H helped me pick up shooting pretty quickly, much earlier than I expected. And colleges started to take notice and recruit me, despite being introduced to the sport so late.

I was grateful, but I was still very green.

I needed to find the right college that would take a hands-on approach and work with me to fulfilling my potential.

I had great scores, especially for a relative beginner, but there was so much more I needed to learn about the sport to take my shooting to the next level.

Lock and load in Lincoln

 

There were quite a few schools that offered me a scholarship coming out of high school, but what ultimately led me to Nebraska was the coaches.

Not only did I hear amazing things about this coaching staff, but as I said before, I needed someone to help guide me in this sport.

It's not that I needed my hand held, but I didn't have the technical knowledge like my peers who had been shooting competitively for much longer than I had. 

And if I didn't shoot well, I needed to be surrounded by coaches who were there to support me and let me know what adjustments to make to improve my scores.

Nebraska has been all of that and then some since my arrival in 2020.

The coaches and my teammates made me feel at home almost immediately, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much of a seamless transition it was for me.

Being a Division I student-athlete for the first time, I didn't really know what to expect. I quickly discovered that I was better prepared to be a student-athlete than I initially thought.

With my involvement in gymnastics, I was used to practicing six or seven hours a day, so balancing the workload was not an issue for me.

I was also homeschooled for my entire schooling prior to college – learning on my own and being self-taught wasn't anything new. 

And this came in handy during my freshman year with Covid and classes being moved online, so I wasn't overwhelmed or panicking about any of that stuff as we were all navigating those crazy times during the pandemic.

As a junior now, Nebraska has been everything I dreamed it would be.

My coaches have given me the knowledge and skills I was seeking to be a better shooter, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

 

Learning at Worlds

 

Since I started shooting, a big goal of mine was to compete internationally and join Team USA. I was able to accomplish that goal this past fall when I was able to qualify and compete at the World Championships in Egypt. 

It was difficult for me to travel during the middle of the semester, but I also knew it was an opportunity that I had to take advantage of.

The match itself at the World Championships was an unbelievable learning experience for me.

For starters, in college, we shoot indoors and don't have to worry about the wind or weather conditions at all.

In international competitions, we shoot outdoors and from farther distances, so I knew going into the match that I was at a bit of a disadvantage.

At the same time, though, the World Championships were a great opportunity for me to watch some of the best shooters in the world compete at the highest level, and the ability to learn from this environment and experience.

I didn't end up shooting as well as I would have liked, but I placed 22nd out of 63 shooters. Not bad for my first international competition.

I also ended up learning so much, and I know that's going to carry me forward and set me up for success in any future international competitions I'm fortunate enough to be a part of.

Cecelia Ossi placed 22nd out of 63 shooters this weekend at the Rifle and Pistol World Championships! We are so proud of her and the work she put in. Go Big Red! pic.twitter.com/4C2jRxlVin

— Nebraska Rifle (@NebraskaRifle) October 16, 2022

A grateful target 

 

Gratitude is a word I associate myself with quite often these days. 

Whether it's the amazing support of my coaches and teammates or being able to compete on the world stage in Egypt — I consider myself blessed to be in the position I am and how far this sport has already taken me.

Another thing I'm grateful for is the ability to give back.

Going back to my time in 4-H, I've always felt the importance of contributing to something that's bigger than me.

Nebraska does an incredible job of creating opportunities for us student-athletes to engage with the community and serve and inspire others in everything they pursue. 

As a Division I athlete, having the platform to reach people and make a difference is by far my favorite component of being on the rifle team at Nebraska.

I think it's easy to focus on negative thoughts, especially if I have a bad shooting day or am stressing out about a homework assignment I don't want to do.

But I always try to remind myself of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I was given.

I'm shooting for a Division I program, representing my country, and receiving a degree along the way. 

So, it's only natural to me that I'm using my platform to give back and inspire others to never give up on their dreams, even if they have a late start like I did.

When times are difficult and challenging, these are the things I try to remind myself of. 

In five, ten, and fifteen years from now, I'm not going to remember a competition I didn't shoot well at or a homework assignment I hated completing.

What I'm going to remember are all the amazing experiences and people at Nebraska that have impacted and changed my life in all the best ways.