By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published June 7, 2017 When I compete in sport shooting, I try to achieve complete peace in my mind. I work hard to remain focused and keep stray thoughts from creeping in. Some shooters like to socialize at the range, but that is...
Inspiration
Vera Koo and the Importance of a Random Act of Kindness
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published October 19, 2016 One of my daughters once asked me what I thought the most important virtue was that she should try to instill in her children. I answered: kindness. Certainly, kindness is not the only virtue for which to...
Twenty-Five Yards: Set Small Goals – For Shooting and Life
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published March 20, 2017 Twenty-five yards isn’t far to travel – unless, of course, your leg is broken. That’s the situation I found myself in during an April day in 2013 at the gun range near Columbia, Mo. I was training for the...
Retro WON: Climbing Your Personal ‘Mt. Everest’
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published May 17, 2018 People often wonder why I am still participating in the shooting sport. I will turn 70 later this year, and my performance in recent years has left something to be desired. However, I am not ready to walk away....
Vera Koo’s First Column in a Six-Part Series Inspired by the Writings in her Memoir
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published February 7, 2017 Some people only find enjoyment in hobbies they can share with others, but I have never found this to be the case with shooting. Since I began sport shooting in my 40s, I have found it to be a rewarding...
Love at First Shot: Vera Koo, the Shooting Sports and Mentoring
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published July 31, 2019 When NRA Women asked me to appear on an episode of the online television show “Love at First Shot,” I agreed to do it because I thought it was a chance to give back to the shooting sports. In particular, it...
How to Become a Public Speaker and Influencer
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, Published June 17, 2019 More than 20 years ago, my husband, Carlos, and I attended a self-improvement seminar. Probably 100 people were there, and we were all asked to stand up and say what we were afraid of. In an interesting twist,...
Vera Koo: Why College Matters
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, February 11, 2019 When I enrolled at San Francisco State after graduating high school, I do not think I realized just how valuable the next 4 years of my life would be. I attended college because my friends were going to college. It...
Vera Koo: Three Helpful Things to Make Your Dreams a Reality
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, January 8, 2019 What do you want your life to be about? What are your goals? What would make you happy? Have you ever thought about those questions? You should. Because you can make your dreams become reality. We can all be so much...
Vera Koo is Back in School
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, November 7, 2018 I am a college student again. Yes, at 71 years old, I returned to school. I enrolled this semester for a class called “Introduction to Digital Imaging” at Cañada College in Redwood City, California. It meets twice a...
Vera Koo: On Giving Back Through Writing
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, February 7, 2018 I remember attending a political fundraiser about 13 years ago and noticing how few Asian-American women were seated in the room. Asian-Americans make up a strong percentage of the population in the California Bay...
Squaw Valley Spartan Beast a Beauty of a Fait Accompli
By Vera Koo, Women's Outdoor News, January 17, 2018 Squaw Valley Ski Resort holds a special place in the hearts of my daughters, Christina and Shane. They spent winter days skiing there growing up, and it remains a popular gathering spot for my family. This fall,...