| Mike Seeklander | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born |
1971-1972 |
| Hometown |
Owasso, Oklahoma |
| Occupation |
United States Shooting Academy |
| Competition information | |
| Team | |
| Place |
16th |
| Episode eliminated | |
| [Source] | |
Mike Seeklander was a Top Shot contestant of Season One and a member of the Red Team.
Personal life
Seeklander is from Owasso, Oklahoma, and formerly served as a United States Marine. Among being a Marine, Mike has also been affiliated with the U.S. Federal Air Marhsalls, law enforcement, and is the senior instructor at the United States Shooting Academy. He has shot competitively with hand guns, rifles, and compound bows.[1]
Top Shot
Week One
- "I'm 38 years old and I've been training to do something like this for twenty years of my life. I'm going to perform very well because I'm good with everything."
- ―Mike Seeklander upon entering Top Shot.[src]
Mike had entered the Top Shot competition as a member of Red Team in Season One's first episode, where he had met up with J.J. Racaza, of whom he had known for at least 10 years due to involvement with USPCA. During practice, and after practice, Mike took charge of the Red Team, deciding on the four weapons to be used in the first Team Challenge.
Mike and Andre during the Team Challenge.
During the first Team Challenge, Mike and Andre Robinson were the first people to fire their weapons, starting with Andre firing the M1903 Springfield and Mike sighting for him. After Andre made his shot, Mike began shooting at his 100-yard target, firing against Iain Harrison and Tara Poremba of the Blue Team. Mike had let off several shots, but kept missing the target, allowing Iain and Tara to finish the first part of the challenge, then Caleb Giddings and Blake Miguez on the second part, followed by J.J. Racaza and James Sinclair on the third, and finally Adam Benson and Chris Cerino on the final part of the challenge, sending no shots into his target, and causing the Red Team to ultimately lose the first challenge.
Before heading to the Nomination Range, Mike requested to be sent to the Elimination Challenge due to being unable to finish the first part of the Team Challenge for the Red Team. Mike had fired at the target of Kelly Bachand, and had received a total of three votes, along with three votes to Kelly, and two to Brad Engmann, making Mike compete for his spot in the house against Kelly.
Mike during the Elimination Challenge.
Before the Elimination Challenge, Mike and Kelly went to practicing with the Remington 700, the weapon they were using for the challenge under supervision by Craig Sawyer, who called off the location of Mike's shots. During the Elimination Challenge, both competitors had to decide on a spotter, of whom Mike decided was Bill Carns, while Kelly chose Peter Palma. Mike hit his 20-yard target only moments before Kelly, but failed to shoot his 400-yard and 600-yard target, because Kelly had hit his own 600-yard after shooting his 400-yard, thus causing Kelly to win the challenge, and making Mike lose the challenge.
After elimination
One of Mike's red shirts.
After Mike was eliminated, the fifteen remaining contestants discovered a red shirt Mike had accidentally left behind. After Mike's departure, it was decided that when someone left the competition, they would hang their shirts up honorably.
Appearances
References
- ↑ Mike Seeklander. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 5:43, April 20, 2011, from http://www.history.com/shows/top-shot/bios/mike-seeklander.