LONDON – When Frank Thompson was 5, he started shooting arrows at the plentiful collection of rabbits and prairie dogs at his family’s sprawling ranch in western Nebraska.

He was accurate. Very accurate.

“Oh,” said Grover, Frank’s father, “he was a natural.”

After Thompson began shooting flying discs – or skeet shooting – at the family ranch when he was 15, the rabbits and prairie dogs were thrilled he found new targets. Their life expectancy increased immediately.

His diligent labor nearly carried him into the finals of Tuesday’s skeet shooting competition at the 2012 Olympics. Thompson finished eighth, only one shot short of a finals berth. Thompson’s American teammate, Vincent Hancock, won gold in the competition.

Grover and his wife, Vicki, traveled from Alliance, Neb., to watch their son compete. They were, as you would expect, proud of their boy.

But they’re not surprised to see him competing with the world’s elite. They saw this coming for years.

“Frank was always either shooting something or working,” Vicki said. “He’s always loved to work. That’s why he got here. He works and works and works until he gets something.”

Frank’s attention to detail almost propelled him to the finals. He struggled with his early shots, but soon made adjustments to get a clearer look at his targets.

These adjustments allowed him to finish with tremendous accuracy. He concluded competition with a round of 25 straight hits. He knew he needed to record perfection to have any chance of advancing. He came close. That will have to be enough until 2016.

This is typical of Thompson. In the Olympic trials, Thompson struggled early and seemed to have no chance for this trip to London. But he rallied late and made the team.

His means of celebrating his immense achievement might surprise you. Two days after becoming a member of America’s Olympic team, Frank drove to the family ranch. He did not return for a huge celebratory party.

He returned to help brand 470 of the family’s cattle.

Thompson’s rise is big news in Alliance, population 8,491. Hundreds gathered July 3 for a spaghetti dinner that served as a sendoff for Thompson. Banners of Thompson have adorned the town’s streets for several weeks. The banners feature a photo of Thompson alongside the words, “From Alliance to London.”

Years ago, it became obvious pursuing his shooting future meant Frank would depart Alliance and the family ranch. This wasn’t easy. He adores the peace and clear nights found on the ranch, which is 10 miles from Alliance.

He moved to Colorado Springs after high school graduation in 2006 to live in the dorms at the Olympic Training Center. Dorms are, by their nature, cramped. Thompson had never done cramped in his life.

“Our closest neighbor in Nebraska was three miles away,” he said. “To go from that to living in a dorm where your neighbor is 30 feet away – that was a big change.”

He takes the 5-hour drive home every chance he gets. Later this month, Frank will join Grover and Vicki for the family’s annual ritual of “putting up hay.” Frank will ride a family tractor through the ranch’s meadows. He will be taking some long rides. The family owns 16,000 acres.

After the meadows are cleared, Frank will return to the Springs and his dorm room, where he will start plotting a return to the Olympics.

“Oh,” Grover said, a big smile on his weathered face, “Frank will be back. He’ll be back in four years.”

Grover knows what the rabbits and prairie dogs on the outskirts of Alliance once knew. Frank is accurate. Very accurate.

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