Over a decade ago, Sporting Clays saved my life.  The first time I picked up a shotgun as an adult was at the age of 45.  Of course, we won’t count the very first time, when I was a 12-year-old Boy Scout at Goshen's PMI Summer Camp.  Half my patrol ended up on their backsides because a misguided adult found it amusing to watch kids fire a heavy hunting load out of a 12-gauge, only to have us stagger under the recoil of a gun we were unprepared to fire.

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As an adult, decades later, I was a new father to twins, launching a healthcare technology company, and struggling to process the loss of two family members to early onset cancers.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, Sporting Clays would provide me with a vital journey of growth, healing, and camaraderie from some of the most extraordinary people one could ever imagine meeting and ultimately, having the good fortune to become friends with.

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What appears on this site, and everything associated with ShotgunFACTS, I dedicate to those very people: coaches, training partners, students, fellow competitors and shooters, many of who have become close friends and allies in this effort to improve our shooting.  We are all in this together.  Sporting Clays is fundamentally about improving our shooting skills, and for many as preparation for hunting, where in the field we would all share in our harvested quarry.  So whether out at the range or in a registered competition, my mindset is that I celebrate every target any of us hit, just as if we were hunting together and you were helping to feed my family, and as I would happily help feed yours.

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My competitive journey in Sporting Clays began with scores in the teens and twenties, humorously leading some people to contact my office, because my scores were more than fifty targets less than the next lowest competitor's, to inquire “is Dr. Perillan ill or infirm?”  Unbeknowsnt to me, I'd jumped head-first into one of the most difficult shooting pursuits imaginable, shooting my first NSCA event a week after purchasing a shotgun, also ignorant that tournament results were publicly posted online and ravenously followed by true fans of the sport. 

 

My professional and academic background includes training and working first as an engineer (Electrical Engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) for Ford Motor Company, Westinghouse (Nuclear Propulsion Group: Sea Wolf Program), and GE Aerospace, before ultimately going to medical school.  There, I earned an MD and PhD (in neuroscience, pathology, and electrophysiology) as part of the Neurosurgery Department program at the University of Maryland and Shock Trauma in Baltimore where I spent over a decade training and working, focusing my clinical and research interests in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). 

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Back in 2013, when I simultaneously discovered Sporting Clays and realized I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, I quickly sought out the best coaching available in my area. I found two Hall of Fame coaches, Bruce Ney and Anthony Matarese Jr., within driving distance, and I’ve been fortunate enough to train with both of them for over a decade. Along the way, I have also had the opportunity to meet, learn from, compete, and train with other extraordinary individuals, all of whom have massively contributed to making this wonderful journey possible.

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Having said all that, what follows on these pages, while heavily influenced by some of the best in the business, is my own interpretation of how to apply that knowledge base, along with the integration of knowledge and experience from other fields (e.g., engineering, physics, physiology, neuroscience, and psychology) and high-performance athletic pursuits and coaching in other domains (e.g., golf, hockey, skiing, tennis, motorcycle and motor racing), to our game of Sporting Clays. If what I say and present is either confusing or unhelpful, I’d ask that you focus on what other well-established coaches like Bruce and Anthony teach.  We have many highly-qualified instructors and coaches in the game, many of whom I know personally. If what I present differs from what they say, I’d stick to what they are coaching you. Also, if you don’t have a coach, get one.  This game is too much fun, too costly, and too rewarding not to make the most of the journey by finding yourself a terrific coach to help guide you.

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Finally, I want to thank you for your interest in what is presented here. If you have any questions or would like to follow up on the material, I encourage you to reach out to us at support@shotgunfacts.com, and I will do my best to get back to you personally.

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Thank you,

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/PRP

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Pablo R. Perillan MD, PhD

NSCA Life Member #631001

NSCA Certified Instructor

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2023 Benelli Invitational HOA Champion

2023 Maryland State 28 Gauge Champion

2023 Master Class (80.54% Annual Average)

2022 Orvis Hill Country HOA Champion

2017 duPont/Krieghoff All State Team

2017, 2016, 2015 Maryland All State Team

2015 First Master Class Punch-Up at Nationals

2015 Benelli Invitational First Place Team

2015 Benelli Invitational Third Place Overall

2014 C1 Lifetime Member National Champion

2014 C3 Overall National Championship Trophy

2013 NSCA E-Class (47.66% Annual Average)