Sonoran Desert Institute sponsored shooter KC Eusebio has been called a freak, a phenom, and just about everything else that is said about people with extraordinary talent. In the world of speed shooting, he is one of the greats. But to say he is a freak is far from the truth. Thousands of hours and exceptional discipline have created this shooter and he is a creature of his own design.
KC made the decision to start competitively shooting at eight years old. In fact, he grew up on the shooting range. “There’s pictures of my little bald head at the shooting range, sitting there eating rocks and chasing snakes,” he reminisced. His father was a masterclass competitive shooter and a professional gunsmith, and once KC decided he wanted to shoot competitively, his father took to coaching as well. Though just a boy, KC Eusebio began to do daily strength training, like pushups and squats, as well as various cardio exercises. Every night after school KC would practice drawing and dry firing his handgun 300 times. The gun was even loaded with a weighted magazine to make sure it felt like a loaded firearm. Tuesdays and Thursdays, KC’s father would pick him up in “the old Nissan King Cab” and take him to the range for training. Saturdays and Sundays were competition days and the entire family would pack up and drive to the nearest competitive shooting event. KC was responsible for collecting his brass and reloading all his rounds. At a young age, KC took on a lot of responsibility, but it was something he wanted.
His work paid off. At 10 years old, KC Eusebio was the youngest USPSA Master, by 12 the youngest Grandmaster, and by 15 he became the youngest person to win a speed shooting title. At 18 years old, thanks to the strict guidance of his father, KC said he was where he needed to be as a shooter. He decided next to enlist with the United States Army, joined the Army Marksman Unit, and served for the next four years.
Team Glock sponsored KC shortly after he got out of the Army and the spotlight soon followed with his appearance on the show Hot Shots. KC was entertaining on the show—famous for wanting to look cute in his lavender shirt and confident attitude. It did not hurt his reputation that he also won the championship in Season 2 of the show, and broke the world record during a showdown with shooter Max Michel.
KC continued to shoot for Team Glock until 2014 when his contract ended. That’s when Sonoran Desert Institute jumped to sponsor this young man. KC is currently competing year-round as well as teaching. His ambitions have shifted a little as he has grown and matured. As a young man, his primary focus was to win. He wanted to dominate the sport as a competitor. He has since broadened his goals and seeks to educate the public about firearms as well as spread the word of speed shooting. “You know, I’ve achieved everything I ever wanted to in speed shooting. I’m still competing but I really want to grow the sport.”
“I’m trying different things now. I practice using my left hand, different foot positioning during obstacle drills, or new ways to lean while acquiring a target,” said KC on his current practice schedule. Crediting his father’s strict discipline in making him the man he is today, KC has expanded on that. He is now a shooter of his own design and he is obsessive with perfecting his craft.
KC’s view on firearms is that they are tools that must be owned with discipline and responsibility. Even when it comes to introducing children to the safe handling of firearms, KC believes in absolute safety. “You know, it’s really dangerous to introduce firearms as a toy. I was not even allowed to point a toy gun near a person or it was a quick smack on the top of the head. I’m glad I was taught the responsibility of firearms. Kids need to know how serious it is.”
Having 20 years of experience has obviously made KC an excellent shooter. Watching him compete is incredible. While he is always innovating, he says the hardest part is the mental side of shooting. In a recent session with the U.S. Army, he had this to say, “There’s not much I can teach those guys regarding tactics. They are all very well trained by their instructors. I am there to teach them shooting fundamentals. The mental game. It’s the hardest part. I teach them to shut off their brain and use their training. It’s amazing how much more accurate and quick their shooting is when they learn to control the mental aspect of shooting.”
KC Eusebio is only 28 years old but carries himself as he is: a 20-year veteran of shooting sports. He is a fierce competitor and keeps a heavy regimen of practice, physical fitness, teaching, and competing. For SDI, having an affiliation with KC the last few years has been an honor and a privilege. We can’t wait to see what he does in the next few years as he continues to grow.
You can track KC’s stellar career through our updates at https://sdi.edu/blog or on KC’s homepage kceusebio.net .
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