Phil Gamble grew up in Lubbock, Texas, in a family that valued sports and competition at a high level. He played multiple sports during his youth but prioritized football above all others. Phil received a Division 1 scholarship to play football at Texas Tech, where he played for a couple of years until he suffered an injury. After his injury, Phil decided to take a different route with his career. He enrolled in Texas Tech’s law school, graduated in 1976, and became a felony prosecutor in the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office. After a few years, Phil transitioned to being a criminal defense lawyer, which he describes as a much different experience. In his spare time during the first decade of practicing law, he enjoyed playing golf.

Phil's interests expanded when he began reading magazines about pistol and action shooting. Intrigued, he went to a local club and got involved in International Practical Shooters Competition (IPSC). He traveled throughout the state and occasionally the country for these competitions, eventually rising to the rank of Master. Phil later transitioned his legal career again, moving into energy law. He relocated to Austin, TX, to work for the Railroad Commission, which regulates much of the industry, and has now been practicing energy law for almost forty years.

In addition, Phil learned about clay target shooting and purchased an instructional video to improve his skills. He found this sport to be quite different from pistol shooting; instead of focusing on the sights as in pistol shooting, with shotguns, the focus is on the target. Phil shot his first registered clay target in 2002, and the rest is history.

Phil has been a part of a total of 26 All-American Teams (and counting), including 12 Gauge and Sub Gauge Teams, with 13 of those being First Team All-American. In 2019, he shifted his goals toward potentially making the NSCA’s Sporting Clays Team / Team USA, even though it felt like a significant stretch at the time. In 2022, Phil finished 5th in both the Sporting and FITASC events in the Super Veteran category for Team USA, just one spot away from making the team as an alternate in both. In 2023, he secured the third spot on the Super Veteran Team USA in FITASC and traveled with the team to Hungary, where they earned the Bronze medal. Although Phil felt he shot reasonably well, he didn’t perform to his full potential and felt slightly disappointed, knowing he had more to offer. He used this experience as motivation to train harder and return stronger the following year.

Upon reflection, Phil acknowledged that while his goal in 2023 was simply to make Team USA, achieving that goal may have led to a mental letdown when preparing for the World Championship. However, he continued his streak of success later that summer by winning the Super Veteran title in the Main Event at the 2024 U.S. Open.

Phil refocused his goals for 2024, aiming not only to make the team again but also to win his concurrent at the World FITASC in Wisconsin. He dedicated himself to perfecting his process and becoming very process-oriented. Phil concentrated on mastering what he needed to do during competitions rather than fixating on the results that would follow. He sharpened his mental approach and crafted a detailed plan entering the competition hoop. By the time the World FITASC arrived in June of 2024, Phil’s confidence was high due to his thorough preparation and previous performances.

On the final day of the event, Phil found himself down five targets from the leading score in his concurrent category. After missing the same target twice at his very first peg on Sunday morning, he bounced back in dominating fashion by running the remaining seven pegs throughout the day, finishing with an impressive 48/50. He ultimately won the gold medal, feeling ecstatic about his achievement, but even prouder of how he handled the pressure and rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest. Phil not only secured the individual gold medal in the Master category at the 2024 World FITASC in Hudson, Wisconsin, but also led his team, alongside teammates David Cole and Jim Bellows, to the top step of the podium.

Question and Answer with Phil Gamble

Advice for Young and Up-and-Coming Shooters?

- Phil often observes that shooters become overly upset and frustrated immediately after a miss on the course. This frustration can lead to further misses on subsequent targets or at later stations. Phil points out that these feelings deter shooters from enjoying the experience, ultimately harming their performance. He has long used the saying “feast or forget.” He advises shooters to feast on the good moments and forget the bad ones quickly, allowing them to move on.

How do you travel with your shotgun when flying out of state or country?

- Phil uses a Negrini gun case that is only 36 inches long. This case allows him to break down his over/under shotgun and fit everything inside. The case has a canvas cover, making it easy to travel through airports and in and out of hotels. He finds it convenient to set the gun case on top of his roller suitcase.