Junior Shooters

Posted By admin on December 15, 2020

By Tim Tucker (17)

Ever since I can remember, the opening day of duck season has been a holiday to me. A time that I longed anxiously for throughout the long summer months. Something that fills my mind with anticipation every single day of the off-season. This year’s opening day was even more special though. It was the first duck hunt that my friend, Carly, had the opportunity to experience. The scouting and preparation was done well before the hunt, and it was finally time to get out and hunt waterfowl.

As the two of us drove out to the pond early that morning, I could hardly contain my excitement. Once we arrived at the pond, I quickly began setting up the decoys. Mimicking the amount and location of the birds that I had seen when I scouted the pond, I set out 3 dozen decoys. Our breath could be seen coming from our mouths in the light of our headlamps. The work was done, and now waiting for shooting light was all that we could do.

Beautiful orange hues began to become visible on the horizon as the sun began to rise. As I was pouring my last cup of coffee from my thermos, I heard the first distant call of a hen mallard, and just like that the show began. Mallards began to fall into our decoy spread. It was a beautiful sight to behold, as dozens of birds splashed down into the water against a magnificent orange sunrise background. I couldn’t help but watch Carly as she watched the birds put on a show right before our eyes. The pre-dawn show those mallards put on is the reason I duck hunt, and to be able to share that with someone else was very special for me.

I checked the clock on my cellphone just as it hit 7:25…. shooting time. The birds that had splashed into our spread had left about three minutes before legal shooting time, but I knew that there would be more on the way. Almost immediately after shooting time came, I noticed a group of about twenty mallards in the distance. To my surprise, they turned right towards us on the first quack I threw at them through my duck call. As they approached our spread, they did exactly what I was hoping for. With wings cupped, they sailed right into to our decoys. With my two-year-old yellow lab, Hank shaking violently with excitement, I called the shot for Carly. She stood up, put her shotgun to her shoulder, and downed the big drake mallard that was leading the flock. The rest of the flock flared at the sound of the gunshot, and Carly’s second shot was off the mark. I sent Hank out to retrieve the downed bird. Carly and I high fived as Hank came bounding back with the beautiful drake mallard in his mouth. This was the first duck that Carly had harvested. It was a special moment to watch her as she looked at the bird with amazement and stroked each feather of the beautiful bird in awe.

As soon as we all got settled back in the blind, we almost immediately had more birds working the spread. This time it was my turn to pull the trigger. My calling tricked a group of 3 mallards into setting their wings and sailing right into the decoy spread. I shouldered my shotgun and picked out the only drake mallard that was in the group. My finger hit the trigger and the bird folded instantly. Excited to get my hands on my first bird of the year, I waded out into the water with Hank. As I approached the bird floating in the water, I couldn’t believe what I saw. I waded through that pond water to that bird quicker than I ever had before. I finally got to the bird and picked him up. Sure enough, his leg was heavy! The beautiful drake mallard was banded! So many emotions filled my head. After a long and relentless pursuit of almost nine years, I had fulfilled my dream of harvesting a banded duck.

The first person that I had to call was my dad. He was at work and unable to join us on the hunt that morning. As soon as he answered the phone, all I could get out was “I finally got my band”. As a duck hunter in his 20^th season of waterfowl hunting, and someone that has been with me in every step of my relentless pursuit, my dad knew just how monumental that moment was for me. Still in shock, I hung up the phone, and Carly and I continued hunting. Birds continued to trickle in throughout the morning. At about 10:30, the flights of birds slowed down, and we decided to pick up the decoys and take some photos. We were blessed to finish the morning with seven birds. The next hour was spent taking photos. With so many memories that were made during this hunt, I wanted to have good photos that we could look back on and remember that special morning.

I can honestly say that this hunt was one of the most special hunts that I have been apart of in my nine years of waterfowl hunting. Having the opportunity to share my love for waterfowl hunting and the tradition that comes along with it is something that was very special for me. To be able to watch Carly as she watched all those birds come in and decoy is something that I will never forget. That hunt was the start of new beginnings for Carly. The beginning of a new passion. A passion for the art and tradition of Duck hunting. Having the opportunity to harvest a banded duck was also one of the most special moments that I have been blessed to experience in the duck blind. That band was more than a piece of metal around a duck’s leg. It was a reminder of the memories and pursuit I experienced in order to harvest that bird. That band now sits on a shelf in my room, and everyday I get to look at that band, and remember just how special that hunt on opening morning with a great friend was.

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Category: Hunting, Plinking Fun, precision shooting | No Comments »
Tags: bird hunting, competitive shooting, duck season, Hunting, hunting waterfowl, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, mallard hunting, Olympics, plinking, shooting, shooting sports, Tim Tucker, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on December 9, 2020

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is set to reward deserving student-athletes for the 2021-2022 school year in their future endeavors through the annual CMP Carolyn Hines Memorial Scholarship – with an increased monetary amount now offered to recipients.

Since the program’s beginning in 2005, the CMP has annually offered $1,000 one-year scholarships to current high school seniors, based on merit and rifle and/or pistol marksmanship participation. The CMP has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships through the years to thousands of outstanding youth marksmanship competitors.

Along with the $150,000 of awarded scholarships set for the 2021-2022 school year, the CMP will present a $5,000 scholarship to the top graduating senior who best embodies the well-rounded values of Dr. Hines.

In 2020, the Garand Collectors Association (GCA) generously donated an additional $10,000 to the CMP to use toward qualifying applicants to the CMP Carolyn Hines Memorial Scholarship. The GCA again enhanced the scholarship program for 2021 – tripling its donation to $30,000, which will provide $3000 scholarships to the top 15 applicants, as determined by the CMP Scholarship Committee headed by retired Army Lt. General Joe Inge.

The CMP is dedicated to its commitment to youth marksmanship and safety programs..

RULES:

TO BE CONSIDERED, applicants must turn in a list of past and present rifle or pistol competition history, awards, involvements and future expectations for the sport. Proof of participation, including match bulletins, photos or CMP Competition Tracker printouts (from the applicant; CMP will not look up Tracker info), MUST be presented in order to be considered for the scholarship. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Those interested must also provide academic information such as GPA (3.0 or above – anything below 3.0 will not be accepted), test scores and a list of extracurricular activities. Additionally, an official transcript must be provided, along with a letter explaining why the applicant is applying and what future plans the money will fund. A nomination/recommendation letter from a coach or instructor is also required.

Incomplete applications will not be considered, so please check that all required information is sent. Applicants may call a few weeks after their application is sent in order to confirm all required info is met.

Because the CMP takes great care in personally reading each application, all mandatory information (including forms and other necessary materials) must be sent to the CMP in its entirety. Staff members are eager to recognize praiseworthy student-athletes for their hard work – so please take extra precaution in sending all application requirements.

DEADLINE:

The deadline for application submission is March 20, 2021. Scholarships may be used to pursue post-secondary education or vocational programs for the upcoming school year.

Application forms and other scholarship information can be found by visiting https://thecmp.org/youth/cmp-scholarship-program/. For specific questions, please contact Kathy Williams at 419-635-2141, ext. 709 or email kwilliams@thecmp.org.

 

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Category: Associations, Clubs & Teams, CMP, Events, Scholarships | No Comments »
Tags: 2021 scholoship, Ashley, Ashley Brugnone, Ashley Brugnone CMP writer, Civilain Marksmanship Program, cmp, competitive shooting, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, Olympics, plinking, scholarships, shooting, shooting sports, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on November 23, 2020

By Gary Anderson, DCM Emeritus

CMP Competition Rules for the 2021 competition season have now been approved by the CMP Rules Committee and are posted on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/. The 2020 competition season was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and many 2020 events were cancelled, so the CMP still has a substantial inventory of printed 2020 rulebooks. In addition, the changes adopted for the 2020 competition season were not thoroughly tested, plus there was only a small number of changes for 2021. As a result, the CMP decided not to publish new rulebooks for 2021. 2020 Rulebooks will continue to be used and Errata sheets are being provided for each rulebook. The rulebooks posted on the CMP website have been updated with 2021 changes are labeled as “2020-2021” rulebooks.

The options match sponsors and competitors have for using 2020-2021 CMP Competition Rules are:

• If you already have a 2020 rulebook, download the Errata for that rulebook at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/ and note in your 2020 rulebook where those changes apply.
• If you keep your rulebooks on your computer, notebook or cell phone, or want to print your own rulebook, you can download the updated 2020-2021 rulebooks that are posted on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/.
• Rulebooks that will be issued during CMP training courses or at competitions will be 2020 versions of the rules and they will be issued with printed copies of the Errata for that rulebook.

When reading the 2020-2021 editions of the rulebooks, note that 2020 rule changes are displayed in black underlined text. 2021 changes are displayed in red underlined text. There were not a lot of changes that were approved for 2021. Those changes do, however, include the addition of a new CMP Service Revolver Match in the Pistol Rules and the addition of F-Class and AR-Tactical Mid- and Long Range Matches in the Highpower Rifle Rules. The CMP plans to offer competitions in both of these new disciplines in the 2021 National Matches. Another significant change, which has already been announced because it applies this year, is the authorization that competitors may fire a sixth EIC match in years like 2020 when the National Trophy Individual Match is not held.

MANDATORY EYE PROTECTION RULE

One of the most important 2020 rule changes was a requirement that highpower rifle and pistol competitors must wear eye and hearing protection when they are on firing lines. Virtually every shooter knows that repeated exposure to gunfire sounds causes hearing loss and they always wear ear plugs and/or earmuffs while firing. A big majority of experienced, knowledgeable competitors now agree that protective eyewear is a must for highpower rifle and pistol shooting, but unfortunately this safety precaution has not been as universally accepted. Incidents involving highpower rifle and pistol shooting where eye injuries occurred or could have occurred are more common than many realize. This is well-confirmed by the CMP’s evaluation of several such incidents that have been reported to it.

The CMP’s concern in adopting a rule requiring eye and hearing protection stems from the responsibility inherent in its enabling legislation (federal law) that authorizes the CMP “to promote practice and safety in the use of firearms.” The CMP strives to act as a model shooting sports organization and national leader in making the safety of its competitors one of its highest priorities. The CMP Board and staff have carefully evaluated the pros and cons of this safety requirement and have concluded that mandating the wearing of eye and hearing protection is a wise policy that is a necessary part of fulfilling its responsibility to promote “safety in the use of firearms.”

After this rule was introduced, a vast majority of competitors complied with its letter and spirit. The CMP thanks them for their cooperation in implementing an important new safety rule. Unfortunately, there were a few competitors who did not comply. Some wore shooting glasses to the line and then lowered or removed them while firing. A really strange attempt to evade this rule involved cutting a hole in the part of the shooting glasses lens where the competitor looked while aiming. A few simply refused to comply.

After evaluating experiences with this new safety requirement in 2020, the CMP is taking these additional steps to facilitate compliance in 2021:

1. Rule 3.6.2 (both Highpower Rifle and Pistol) has been clarified to clearly require that “two complete lenses” be worn in front of both eyes while firing. Obtaining shooting glasses or prescription eyewear that complies with the ANSI Z87.1 safety standard is “strongly recommended.”
2. Pre-match safety briefings in 2021 will include specific instructions about the requirement to wear eye and hearing protection while on the firing line.
3. Match officials will give warnings to any competitor who is not in compliance. Refusal to comply with a warning is grounds for disqualification.
4. Match sponsors are advised that their match officials need to monitor and enforce this rule and that results from EIC or other matches where this rule was not enforced may not be accepted.

The CMP is committed to providing competition rules and competition administration that take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone who participates in its competitions. The CMP thanks the many competitors who are already in compliance with this safety rule and it appeals to all competitors to do the same in 2021.

2021 RULE CHANGES

Here is a summary, by discipline, of rule changes adopted for the 2021 competition season:

• Pistol Rules (Events for Service Pistol, Match Pistols [2700] and Revolvers).
  • Added a new CMP Service Revolver Match, expanded rules for revolvers, with the expectation that Revolver Matches will become key events in 2021 and future National Matches programs. P1.4, P4.1.5 and P5.2.7
  • The requirement that Pistol EIC Matches must have turning targets was dropped. Turning or electronic targets are still required for National Matches and National Championship Pistol events. P3.7.3
  • 22 Rimfire Pistols can now have fiber optic or light-enhancing front sights (same as for Service Pistol). P4.1.6
  • Disabled pistols can now be replaced with any pistol that is legal for the match being fired. P4.3.5
  • The 1000-point National Service Pistol Aggregate was modified to allow the firing of a second 30-shot individual National Match Course in lieu of a 30-shot team match. P5.3.1
• 

  The 2021 CMP Pistol Rules include rules for a new CMP Service Revolver event that will be featured in the 2021 National Matches.

  CMP Games Rifle and Pistol Rules (Events for Vintage Military Rifles and Pistols).

  • Verifiers on electronic target ranges are now required to call out shot values to their competitors, unless the competitor instructs them not to do so. G1.8.7 d)
  • The M1923 military leather sling was added to the list of slings that are legal for use with Vintage Military Rifles. G3.6.1
  • The 2-minute pre-prep period (before the 3-minute preparation period) will be deleted when a new stage is fired in the same position as the previous stage.  G3.7.2
  • The 10.5 lb. weight limit for Unlimited M1 Garands was deleted. There is now no weight limit for Unlimited Garands. G5.2.6
• Highpower Rifle Rules (Events for Service Rifle, Match Rifle, Long Range Rifle and new F-Class and AR-Tactical Rifles).
  • Verifiers on electronic target ranges are now required to call out shot values to their competitors, unless the competitor instructs them not to do so. H3.2.7 d)
  • The prohibition against billeted AR15-Type uppers and lowers was deleted, with a proviso that lowers with integral trigger guards may not be used.  H4.1.1 b) ii)
  • Optical sights were authorized for M14/M1A-Type Service Rifles in 2020; the rule for this rifle now authorizes the attachment of a cheek pad or cheek-piece if optical sights are used. H4.1.3 g)
  • Optical sights and the attachment of a cheek pad or cheek-piece are now authorized for M1 Garands when fired in Service Rifle Matches. M1 Garands fired in As-Issued Military Rifle Matches governed by CMP Games Rules may not have optical sights. H4.1.4
  • The limitation on the number of EIC Matches that can be fired in one year (5 EIC Matches and the National Trophy Individual Match) was changed to provide that in years when the National Trophy Individual Match is not held, competitors can fire in six (6) EIC Matches. H9.2.2 b)
  • Detailed rules for Mid-Range and Long-Range F-Class and AR-Tactical Matches are included in the 2021 Rules. Those rules identify the events that may be fired with these rifles (Rule 1.5 and Rules 5.11-5.14), the rifles and rests that me be fired (Rules 4.1.7, 4.1.8 & 4.1.9), and the targets to be used (Rule 4.6.4).
• Smallbore Rifle Rules (Events for Smallbore Rifle Position and Smallbore Rifle Prone events).
  • Added a new rule that allows smallbore rifle competitors with disabilities to participate in the Distinguished Marksman program.
  • Allow competitors who are 55 years of age or older to use a second kneeling roll placed between the heel and buttocks in the kneeling position.

The new 2020-2021 Rulebooks and 2021 Errata are now ready to be downloaded from the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/. Anyone with questions regarding 2021 rule changes or other CMP rules may contact the CMP at competitions@thecmp.org or 419-635-2141, ext. 729.

 

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Category: CMP, High Power, Pistol / Revolver, Rifle, Safety, Smallbore, Tips For Shooters | No Comments »
Tags: Civilain Marksmanship Program, cmp, CMP Competition Rules, competitive shooting, eye protection, eye safety, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, Olympics, plinking, regulations, rules, shooting, shooting sports, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on November 15, 2020

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) is excited to announce the expansion of International Air Rifle, Air Pistol, and Sport Pistol disciplines to its youth shooting sports program. With these new additions, the SASP continues to pursue its mission of facilitating youth development through shooting sports. As the official youth feeder program for USA Shooting (USAS), SASP will form a SASP international team and continue to host Junior Olympic Development Camps to help identify athletes who have the potential to become USA Shooting National Team members and ultimately, Olympic champions.

 “As the youth feeder program for USAS, adding these new international disciplines expands opportunities for youth athletes with dreams of becoming Olympic athletes,” said Rick Leach, SASP National Director. “With these new disciplines, we anticipate working with additional program sponsors that are focused on supporting youth air gun sports. We look forward to working with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), USAS and other national shooting programs to grow youth shooting sports in the nation.”

For youth shooting sports sponsorship inquiries contact Rick Leach, SASP National Director at rick@mysasp.com

About the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.
 
The mission of the SSSF is to provide and enhance personal growth and development opportunities for student athlete members; become the premier authority in all things pertaining to firearm-related pursuits for youth; pass on to future generations the legacy of lifelong, safe, responsible enjoyment of the shooting sports. This includes serving as a feeder/pipeline for organized, sanctioned shootings organizations and teams.

Category: Action Pistol, Airgun, Associations, CMP, Events, precision shooting, SASP | No Comments »
Tags: air gun, air pistol, Airgun, competitive shooting, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, Olympics, plinking, SASP, Scholastic Action Shooting Program, shooting, shooting sports, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on November 7, 2020

By Andy Fink and Ashley Hunt (16)

Chiappa’s M9 is awesome! Built in .22 LR, it is a great gun for a mid- to large-size junior.

The Beretta 92 was designed in 1972, but its popularity didn’t come to be until after 1985 when the United States military replaced the M1911A1 .45 ACP pistol with the Beretta M9, the Model 92, which is still in service today.

The action is double-action/single-action with the first cartridge being fired in double-action mode unless the hammer is pulled back first. It is now available in several variations and calibers, but the M9 came in 9mm with a factory standard 15-round magazine. Chiappa’s M9 .22 LR is the spitting image of the U.S. military’s M9 9mm. It comes in .22 Long Rifle with a 10-round magazine and weighs in at 2.3 pounds. With a MSRP of $259, this gun is fun to shoot and very accurate.

Here is what one of our juniors thought about it:

Ashley:

Shooting firearms is so much fun! I always love to try out new guns. The other day my coach, Andy Fink, let me shoot a Beretta 92 .22 LR. The pistol was made by Chiappa, and it’s a good-looking pistol. At first sight, the pistol has an attractive speckled pattern that stuck out to me immediately. The pattern has a sleek brown color that adds kind of an elegant rustic touch to the gun and surrounds the Chiappa Firearms (CF) logo.

Pistol length is a big deal, especially when in competitions! Having a pistol with a short length affects accuracy, and too long of a pistol makes it hard to put back in a holster, which can affect your time a lot. The Beretta 92 .22 LR was about an average length for a pistol, which is ideal. It also had a great handle grip that you easily wrap your hand around. My hands are a little on the smaller side, so sometimes I have a hard time wrapping my whole hands on the grip, but this handle grip was pretty good.

This pistol is a double-action/single-action pistol. With a double-action gun, the first shot is always hard to shoot. I had a little bit of trouble with this as my hands are a little smaller, so my finger had a little bit of trouble squeezing the trigger all the way back. The gun was, by far, the most accurate pistol I’ve ever shot. From 50 yards away, I was able to hit my target with no problem. The one thing I wish that was different about this gun is that whenever I go to reload a gun, the first thing I do is put the gun back on safe, but this pistol doesn’t allow you to do that if the hammer is back.

I think that this pistol was amazing!  I would definitely try this pistol out. It was by far my favorite handgun for accuracy. Chiappa did a great job creating this pistol. The Beretta 92 .22 LR works very well and is so much fun to shoot!

Category: Action Pistol, Guns & Acc., Pistol / Revolver, Product Reviews, Tips For Shooters | No Comments »
Tags: Ashley Hunt, beretta, Beretta 92 .22 LR, Chiappa, Chiappa M9, Chiappa M9 .22LR, competitive shooting, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, M9 Chiappa, Olympics, plinking, shooting, shooting sports, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on November 4, 2020

In the modern world of high school athletics, a few points on the calendar known as college signing days are especially notable for young men and women who plan to continue their pursuits after graduation.

This year one of those dates was Feb. 5, when many football players committed to collegiate programs.

But two top-performers on a different field also signed their letters of intent this month.

They were trapshooting standouts Jessica Strasser of Waterford and William Stuart of Germantown, both of whom accepted shooting sports scholarships to Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

Strasser is a student at Waterford High School and a member of the Waterford Wolverines Shooting Team. Stuart attends Marquette University High School and is on the Marquette Hilltoppers Trap Team.

Jordan Hintz, a native of Burlington and now head coach at Hillsdale, joined Strasser and Stuart at their signings.

The events were over in less time than it takes to shoot a round of trap. But it was the culmination of thousands of hours spent by Strasser and Stuart improving their skills and honing their competitive poise.

And it represented years of scouting and relationship-building by the college program.

“The families, the students and the school all want to make sure they are making a good decision,” said Hintz, 25. “I’m extremely pleased to have them signed to come to our program this fall.”

The signings highlighted two points: college scholarships are a realistic goal for participants in the Scholastic Clay Target Program and similar programs; and southeastern Wisconsin is and will likely continue to be a hotbed for college recruiters.

Formed in 2001 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the SCTP provides students from elementary grades through high school and college with the opportunity to participate in trap, skeet and sporting clays, as well as bunker trap, trap doubles, international skeet and skeet doubles.

Most of the teams are associated with schools, but some are organized by conservation and other clubs in communities.

Over the last 19 years it has spread to 48 states and has 20,000 participants, including 3,800 in Wisconsin, said Tom Wondrash, SCTP national director.

Strasser and Stuart both started in SCTP when they were in 7th grade.

Over the last five years both have racked up impressive credentials on the trap field and in the classroom.

Strasser, competing for the Waterford Wolverines, began attracting college recruiters as a 9th-grader when she broke 100 straight on the way to winning the SCTP national championship in intermediate advanced girls trapshooting.

Her overall score of 198 out of 200 was the highest of any female shooter at the event, which included high school and college-aged participants.

Last year as a junior she was the 2019 Wisconsin SCTP ladies senior varsity champion in skeet (93 out of 100), third in the state in sporting clays (76) and fifth in trap (96).

Last semester, taking AP classes, Strasser had a 4.089 grade point average at Waterford.

Although she had been recruited by several schools, Hillsdale was her top choice.

“I’ve felt for a couple years that Hillsdale was the best fit for me,” Strasser said. “I’m super happy about it.”

Stuart started as a complete beginner five years ago, but has improved incrementally each year.

In his junior year, he shot 98 out of 100 in trap at both his conference tournament last May and the state SCTP championship last June. His 98 at the state meet was good for 11th.

He was the top Marquette trapshooter at the 2019 SCTP nationals with a score of 193/200.

Stuart, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.8, was offered academic scholarships at other schools, but Hillsdale was the only one to offer him a scholarships for both trapshooting and academics.

“After I visited (Hillsdale) a couple times and got to know Jordan, I decided to go for it,” Stuart said.

Hillsdale is a liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 1,450 students. It’s in south-central Michigan, about a 3.5 hour drive from southeastern Wisconsin.

It is distinguishing itself as a hub of shooting sports in recent years, not just because of its shotgunning program, which is fully-supported by the school and treated like other varsity activities, but because of the John A. Halter Shooting Sports Center in Hillsdale.

Last fall the college and USA Shooting signed an agreement to certify the Halter center as a regional training and competition site for the national shooting team and sanctioned shooting sports development programs.

The center already is home to the only international trap field in Michigan. It will be adding five more international or “bunker” fields, the type of trap shot in the Olympics, on the 113-acre facility 5 miles from campus.

Hintz, who was a top trapshooter for the Burlington Demons team and later an All-American at Hillsdale, was hired last year as the college’s head coach.

It should come as no surprise that he would include trapshooters from his old stomping grounds in his first recruiting class.

“The quality of the programs in southeastern Wisconsin is very, very high and the competition is so intense that it helps make the best shooters better,” Hintz said. “And the distance to Hillsdale is in a good zone, I think.”

Programs in southeastern Wisconsin have produced multiple SCTP team and individual national championships over the last 15 years and routinely fill the top ranks each year.

In 2019, for example, when 68 teams competed in the SCTP national senior division trap team competition, eight of the top 20 were from southeastern Wisconsin.

Now, as exemplified by Strasser and Stuart earning college scholarships, youth trapshooters may set their sights on more than high scores.

Category: Clubs & Teams, Events, Safety, Scholarships, Tips For Shooters | No Comments »
Tags: competitive shooting, Jordan Hintz, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, Olympics, plinking, sctp, SCTP national championship, shooting, shooting sports, trap shooters, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on November 4, 2020

Date: November 3, 2020

The West Virginia University (WVU) rifle team is in its 71^st year of existence – beginning in 1951. During that time, the team has won 19 of its 33 NCAA Championship appearances (the most recent in 2017) and has cultivated 32 Olympic athletes, including 2016 gold medal winner, Ginny Thrasher. Last year, team members produced a record of 9-1. Current head coach, Jon Hammond, is in his 14^th season with the Mountaineers, securing an overall record of 150 wins, 15 losses and six NCAA National Championships. Assistant coach Soren Butler is a University of Alaska-Fairbanks rifle alum and is a two-time National Rifle Association All-American.

Filled with talent, team members of the 2020-2021 WVU Mountaineers include Verena Zaisberger (a member of the Austrian National Team), Jared Eddy (a two-time Georgia All-State honoree and CMP National Championship athlete) and Sarah Osborn (an All-American, All-Academic and World Cup athlete).

Head Coach:

Name: Jon Hammond

Hometown: Banchory, Scotland (Now Morgantown, WV)

College Coach for: West Virginia University

Were you a shooter before coaching? Yes, I started the sport at age nine at a school in Scotland. I progressed through the Scotland and Great Britain junior national teams and then into senior teams. Highlight as a junior shooter was winning the World Junior Championship in Prone in 1998.

I came to the USA to compete on the WVU rifle team in 2002 after completing my bachelor degree back home and working to get my masters (Sport Management). I took a few years away from shooting after graduating and working but returned to the sport in 2006, taking the Head Coach position at WVU. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and haven’t looked back.

After that, I began to compete again, while simultaneously being the Head Coach. During the past 10 years, I competed on the international circuit, including the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Favorite reason for coaching: I have always felt I go to the rifle range rather than going to work. It’s such a fun job that is very rewarding, and, ultimately, you are doing something you love to do. The fact that it’s your job as well is a bonus.

What is a day as your shooter like? Typically, the team members go to class in the morning and come to the range for training in the afternoon as well as fitting in some team workouts, other meetings and, of course, lots of studying in the evenings and any other open window of time!

In terms of at the range, it varies a lot. Each team member has different needs and things they must improve and work on, so their time at the range can very each day in what they do.

What is your biggest challenge as a coach? I really believe the actual coaching is only 30-40 percent of our job. We are planning, organizing, managing budgets and generally making sure the program is going in the right direction. Then, we are managers, advisors and even parents away from home to the team members, as well as coaches. For me, I think the biggest challenge is just balancing all the things that go into running a college program. Saying we are a coach is very simplistic, as it can be more administrative and general managing at times, but, of course, being a coach to help the team members achieve their goals as well. Simply making sure all areas are covered and not neglected may be the biggest challenge.

Advice for junior shooters wanting to compete in college and for college athletes and graduating college seniors? Advice for junior shooters wanting to compete in college would be communicating with coaches and being pro-active. If you want to shoot in college, you need to make sure college coaches know that. Create a resume and bio about yourself, send it to coaches and don’t be shy about following up and communicating with many coaches. Even if you have a couple schools that are your favorites, you never know what good advice you may get from other coaches.

For college athletes, enjoy the journey and each day. Sometimes it’s a grind, but if we want something hard enough, we have to work for it.

For graduating college seniors, give back to your programs when you can! This can be with your time and help, and not necessarily financial…but that helps too.

Assistant College Coach:

Name: Soren Butler

Hometown: Casselton, North Dakota

Assistant College Coach for: West Virginia University

What college did you shoot for, and what do you have a degree in? I shot for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, where I was a Nook for five years. I studied business during my time there and acquired both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration. After my time in Alaska, I joined WVU as a Graduate Assistant coach, where I received a Master of Science in Sports Management.

What did you like about being a CMP Junior Rifle Camp Counselor? I’m not sure I can accurately express how much I enjoyed my time working as camp counselor and assistant director for the CMP Summer Camps. I learned so many things about the sport of shooting, working with people of all ages and skill sets, how to lead and manage teams and tons of problem solving! I became friends with many people who are still great friends to this day, and it made my time in college more fun as I knew so many people in the community.

I loved being able to travel and see so many places around the country, but I also really enjoyed my time getting to know and working with all the different athletes. I think this is where I first thought coaching is something I could do as a job. I will forever be thankful for the opportunity I had to work for CMP and all the great memories I made there.

What is a day as your shooter like? I don’t want to double up on answers, as I think Jon did an excellent job explaining what a “day-in-the-life” looks like for one of our student athletes. I think, for me, this also includes a daily chat/banter with most of them to just see how everyone is doing and continue to learn more about them and build a better connection.

What is your biggest challenge as an assistant coach? For me, the biggest challenge in the beginning was just the proximity of age. Coming to coach right after competing meant that a lot of the athletes knew me as a peer rather then a staff member. I think this has gotten a little easier every year as I continue to age (getting old!) and have more of a separation there.

After that, I think the hardest thing is just trying to understand how I can best help each one of our athletes. The same coaching approach doesn’t work for everyone, so I think we really pride ourselves on being able to reach each athlete where they’re at (or at least trying to) and learning how we can make them better most efficiently.

Advice for junior shooters wanting to compete in college and for college athletes and graduating college seniors? My advice for junior shooters and college shooters would be to just work harder than you think is needed to make it where you want to be. Also, I would add that I hope they spend a considerable amount of time working on their mental approach. This aspect of the sport is so important, and if you can build a solid foundation early in your career, it will only bode well in the future.

As for graduating seniors, I would just encourage you to soak up every minute you can. Take in all the little things even if they’re not exciting because it’ll soon be over. Not that there aren’t great things waiting on the other side, but this is a super cool time in your life and there are lots of great memories to be made. Finally, I would encourage all of you to turn over every stone you can.

College Athlete:

Name: Verena Zaisberger

Hometown/Junior Team: Hohenems, Austria / SG Hohenems

What is your major? Double Major in Music (main instrument: harp) and French. I grew up in a family of musicians, so music has always been the main part of my life (until I started shooting). As for my French major, I started taking interest in the language when I took French classes in high school and finally decided to make it my major in college. So far, my favorite class is chamber music because I love working with other musicians in ensembles.

How old were you when you got involved in rifle? 14

Favorite rifle and stage? I think I go through phases where I prefer air rifle, and sometimes I just prefer .22, but, in general, I would definitely say that standing is my favorite position.

What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself? I think working out and meditating are two main components of the training I do outside of rifle practice. I think that workouts really train discipline and following through with something. They also help me improve my core strength, which is really what you need as a shooter for injury prevention. Meditation (mindfulness training) is a big part of shooting because of the mental aspect that is emphasized in our sport. Therefore, recognizing your thoughts and emotions is essential to rifle shooters.

Future plans/goals for rifle and life? I would like to continue my shooting career after college. Whether that path will lead me to the Olympics or national matches, doesn´t matter to me. I just want to see how far I can get in my sport and perform the best I can.

 College Athlete:

Name: Jared Eddy

Hometown/Junior Team: Columbus, Georgia – Ole Mill Rangers

What is your major? Exercise Physiology. I plan to go to Medical School. My favorite class is organic chemistry.

How old were you when you got involved in rifle? 14

Favorite rifle and stage? .22 – standing

What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself? Run/lift, meditate, yoga, sleep

Future plans/goals for rifle and life? Pursue 2024 Olympics with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, then attend Medical School

Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add? Read “Bullseye Mind”

College Athlete:

Name: Sarah Osborn

Hometown/Junior Team: Hampton, Virginia / Patriot Shooting Club of Virginia

What is your major? I study Exercise Physiology because it is a great gateway major for all post undergraduate health professional schools. My favorite class is Pathophysiology because I find the mechanism of disease in the human body to be very fascinating.

How old were you when you got involved in rifle? I was eight years old when I first started shooting smallbore. I then made the air rifle team soon after and stopped shooting smallbore, but eventually started shooting smallbore again when I knew I wanted to shoot in college.

Favorite rifle and stage? I do not have a favorite rifle. I like that there is more to work on, relatively speaking, for smallbore, but I also like the challenge of trying to reach perfection in air rifle. I really enjoy shooting kneeling and standing, but I do not have a favorite position, per se.

What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself? I do workouts with the team and then do some on my own time. I also work hard to better my relationship with God because shooting for Him has become the number one reason I enjoy competing at the collegiate level.

Future plans/goals for rifle and life? After college, I will no longer compete. I want to attend Physician Assistant school and, unfortunately, I will no longer have time for my rifle career. I believe God is calling me to move on to a new chapter in my life and as hard as it will be to give up something that I have been doing for almost my whole life. I am accepting of it because I know my purpose for the future.

Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add? Enjoy the little things and do not wish away your high school days or your time in college when you finally get there. There is a season for everything, and every season is there to teach you something. It is hard to learn if you are not living for the present moment.

— Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer, and Catherine Green, CMP Program Support

 

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Category: Associations, Clubs & Teams, CMP, Events, Guns & Acc., Tips For Shooters | No Comments »
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Posted By admin on October 7, 2020

CMP Presents Home Range Appreciation Series Rifle, Pistol and Air Rifle Results and Recognitions

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has wrapped up its Home Range Appreciation Series – a set of postal-style rifle, pistol, smallbore and air rifle events that began in June and ran throughout the summer months. The event was created to supplement the cancelled 2020 National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches.

Open to both adult and junior athletes, the Home Range Appreciation Series events were fired in local club matches and scored by the CMP to be compared against overall scores from participating marksmen around the nation. Matches included the White Oak 1600 Rifle Aggregate (two 800 aggregates), a 200-Yard Reduced Course 800 Rifle Aggregate, a Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military Rifle Match, Rimfire Sporter Rifle, CMP Pistol 2700 (featuring .22 Rimfire, Center Fire and 45 Caliber pistols), Smallbore 3×20, Smallbore Prone 3200 and air rifle 3×20 and 60 Shot matches.

In total, 11 smallbore events, 33 air rifle, 9 GSMM rifle, 13 Highpower Rifle Aggregate, 2 pistol and 4 Rimfire Sporter rifle events were fired in 32 different states. Nearly 1,500 entries were recorded throughout the events.

The following competitors gave outstanding performances within their local matches, with several receiving awards for their efforts.

White Oak 1600:

Service Rifle Overall Aggregate:

1. Thomas McGowan, Hortonville, Wisconsin – 1589-75x
2. Zevin Linse, Kent, Washington – 1578-65x (High Junior)
3. Bobby Robinson, Millspring, North Carolina – 1578-58x
4. Justin Utley, Mineola, Texas – 1578-54x

High Woman: Haley Robinson, Mill Spring, North Carolina – 1570-54x

High Senior: James Obermeyer, Kirkland, Washington – 1561-76x

High Grand Senior: Donald Bauer, Mendota, Illinois – 1554-38x

Match Rifle Overall Aggregate:

1. Michael Pietrowicz, Dudley, Massachusetts – 1573-63x
2. William Dooley, Colleyville, Texas – 1562-58x
3. Charles Trickett, Woburn, Massachusetts – 1561-57x

800 Aggregate (Match 1):

Service Rifle:

1. SSG Amanda Elsenboss, Harleysville, Pennsylvania – 792-39x
2. Thomas McGowan, Hortonville, Wisconsin – 792-34x
3. SSG John Coggshall, East Hampton, Connecticut – 790-41x

Match Rifle:

1. David Marshall, Haverhill, Massachusetts – 786-25x
2. Michael Pietrowicz, Dudley, Massachusetts – 785-33x
3. William Dooley, Colleyville, Texas – 785-31x

800 Aggregate (Match 2):

Service Rifle:

1. Thomas McGowan, Hortonville, Wisconsin – 797-41x
2. Justin Utley, Mineola, Texas – 794-29x
3. Bryan Wulff, West Bend, Wisconsin – 792-42x

Match Rifle:

1. Charles Trickett, Woburn, Massachusetts – 788-30x (199-8x Prone Rapid)
2. Michael Pietrowicz, Dudley, Massachusetts – 788-30x (198-7x Prone Rapid)
3. William Dooley, Colleyville, Texas – 777-27x

 

 

 

 

CMP Pistol 2700 Three-Gun Aggregate:

Any Sights:

1. Philip Hemphill, Hartselle, Alabama – 2634-133x
2. Jason Gregoire, Midland, Georgia – 2630-123x
3. Travis Jorgenson, Dent, Minnesota – 2629-105x

High Junior: Ethan Clark, Mount Vernon, Ohio – 2448-58x

High Woman: Brenda Silva, Snowflake, Arizona – 2580-76x

High Senior: Daniel Kupar, Whitehall, Pennsylvania – 2596-91x

High Grand Senior: Steve Reiter, Tucson, Arizona – 2532-60x

Metallic Sights:

1. SSG Timothy Barber, Cottondale, Florida – 2586-90x
2. Steve Lightfoot, College Station, Texas – 2462-50x
3. CW3 Kara Krauss, Bristol, Vermont – 2446-49x

High Senior: Paul Lalancette, Attleboro, Massachusetts – 2429-44x

High Grand Senior: William Murphy, Looneyville, West Virginia – 2335-40x

.22 Rimfire Pistol:

1. CSM Steven Slee, Dimondale, Michigan – 2587-82x
2. Stephen Harshberger, Spruce, Michigan – 2449-48x
3. Joseph Tasse, Sterling Heights, Michigan – 2392-41xz

High Junior: Austin Stone, Lindale, Texas – 2334-37x

High Woman: Capt Emily Maurer, Brunswick, Ohio – 2277-39x

High Senior/Grand Senior: Glen Christopher, Denton, Texas – 2157-22x

Garand Match:

1. Ashley Kennedy-Foster, Henrietta, New York – 289-4x
2. Darwin Heald, Malvern, Arkansas – 287-7x
3. Michael Filozof, Alden New York – 287-3x

High Junior: Ethan Komora, Nicholson, Pennsylvania – 244-1x

High Woman: Hanne Brantner, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania – 257-01x

High Senior: Kelly Worth, Richardson, Texas – 286-4x

High Grand Senior: Raymond Diaz, Austin, Texas – 283-3x

Springfield Match:

1. Dennis Shay, Andover, New York – 292-8x
2. Roy Mitchell, Parma, Ohio – 289-4x
3. Justin Patton-Rynders, Chicago, Illinois – 288-9x

High Senior: Derek Stratelak, Grosse Pointe, Michigan – 273-04x

High Grand Senior: Michael Thorn, Clever, Missouri – 271-6x

 

Vintage Military Match:

1. Dennis Shay, Andover, New York – 286-4x
2. Farrell Porter, Pontiac, Illinois – 283-8x
3. David Chase, Tujunga, California – 282-2x

High Senior: Robert McKenzie, Vineland, New Jersey – 279-08x

Three-Gun Aggregate: Dennis Shay, Andover, New York – 857-18x

Modern Military Match:

1. Dale Soos, Cortland, New York – 292-12x
2. Andrew Griggs, Weston, Ohio – 292-9x
3. David Chase, Tujunga, California – 292-8x

High Woman: Cindy Bailey, North Ridgeville, Ohio – 273-6x

High Senior: Barney Gaskin, Ten Mile, Tennessee – 281-7x

High Senior: Robert Fugitt, Midway, Utah – 278-4x

Four-Gun Aggregate: Farrell Porter, Pontiac, Illinois – 1129-21x

Rimfire Sporter:

O-Class:

Overall: Lawrence Goodrich, Greenfield, Indiana – 566-14x

High Junior: Kaitlyn Carey, Moyock, North Carolina – 558-10x

High Women: Stephanie Ramierez-Ruiz, Parowan, Utah – 475-07x

High Senior: LtCol Michael Johnson, Cedar City, Utah – 561-15x

T-Class:

Overall: Jean Redicker, Vallonia, Indiana – 595-43x

High Junior: Jacob Vaagen, Devils Lake, North Dakota – 594-25x

High Women: Cassandra Christensen, Devils Lakes, North Dakota – 591-27x

High Senior: Lyle Drenth, Cedar City, Utah – 578-20x

TU Class:

Overall: Jean Redicker, Vallonia, Indiana – 589-24x

High Junior: Alexandria Eylar, Okanogan, Washington – 519-9x

High Women: Melissa Eylar, Okanogan, Washington – 501-07x

High Senior: Gregory Patyk, Scipio, Indiana – 530-12x

Smallbore 3×20:

50 Meter (Open and Junior):

1. Andrew Duross, Marlborough, Massachusetts – 577-19x
2. Jack Marshall, Woburn, Massachusetts – 571-17x
3. Brady Fowkes, Mayport, Pennsylvania – 565-15x

50 Feet (Open and Junior):

1. Richard Clark, Jackson, Michigan – 577-19x
2. Andrew Duross, Marlborough, Massachusetts – 566-25x
3. Natalie Perrin, Coopersville, Michigan – 566-15x

Smallbore Prone 3200:

Overall:

1. Mike Carter, Nashville, Tennessee – 3173-197x (High Senior)
2. Cameron Zwart, Comstock Park, Michigan – 3166-169x
3. Rod Severns, Decatur, Illinois – 3165-163x

F-Class:

1. Keith Adams, West Lafayette, Indiana – 3182-237x
2. Steven Kern, West Bloomfield, Michigan – 3176-210x
3. David Medige, Willoughby, Ohio – 3148-141x

60 Shot Air Rifle Standing:

1. Natalie Perrin, Coopersville, Michigan – 615.7
2. Dylan Gregory, Naperville, Illinois – 611.8
3. Alyssa Ward, Kingwood, Texas – 610.9

3×20 Air Rifle:

Sporter:

1. Ayden Wells, Des Moines, Iowa – 553-20x
2. Wyatt Devenyns, Pueblo, Colorado – 550-17x
3. KaitLynn DeLaittre, Pueblo, Colorado – 548-15x

Precision:

1. McKenzie Shedd, Burke, Virginia – 593-44x
2. Andrew Duross, Marlborough, Massachusetts – 592-46x
3. Rebecca Lamb, Centreville, Virginia – 591-48x

3×20 Team:

Sporter:

1. Pueblo County High School (Wyatt Devenyns, KaitLynn DeLaittre, Kameron Salazar, Jonathan Sellars) – 2150-57x
2. Des Moines North MCJROTC (Ayden Wells, Tha Dah, Cecilia Zaragoza, James Masteller) – 2147-61x
3. Middletown 1 (Victoria Migliori, Joseph Downs, Ashley Mendez, Brandon Beasley) – 2141-53x

Precision:

1. Acorns Gold (McKenzie Shedd, Rebecca Lamb, Victoria Kopelen, Victoria Leppert) – 2362-172x
2. Lead Heads (Vittoria Watts, Lilly Polakovic, Morgan Vander Linden, Logan Michael) – 2346-150x
3. Fountain Fort Carson P1 (Marisol Wentling, Jeffrey Rael, Leah Stapp, Meghan Confer) – 2313-126x

A “Virtual Awards Ceremony” took place on Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. EST, through the CMP Facebook page and may be viewed at https://youtu.be/sbB8zyNlO7I. Please join us in congratulating the overall competitors who excelled in their respective Home Range Appreciation Series events are recognized for their achievements! A drawing for all sponsor-donated items also took place during the Virtual Awards Ceremony.

The CMP thanks all participants, volunteers, clubs and others who helped to make this inaugural event a true success. For a full list of results, visit https://ct.thecmp.org/homerangeresults.

— Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Category: Airgun, Associations, Clubs & Teams, CMP, Events, High Power, Long Range, Olympics & USA, Pistol / Revolver, precision shooting, Rifle | No Comments »
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Posted By admin on September 13, 2020

By: Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer, and Catherine Green, CMP Programs Staff

CMP plans to feature each of our countries great Rifle Teams and learn a little bit more about collegiate rifle marksmanship. This month, we are featuring the University of Kentucky Rifle Team! Read along and let’s explore what makes the UK program special. Go Big Blue! #bbn (big blue nation).

College Coach Questions
Name: Harry Mullins

College Coach for:  University of Kentucky
Were you a shooter before coaching?
Yes, I shot for the University of Kentucky. I was on the team for all four years. It was so long ago I cannot even remember the shooting stuff exactly. We were in the non-scholarship category with most of the teams and were a Top 5 team most seasons.
Favorite reason for coaching:
My favorite reason for coaching is getting to watch the athletes develop and grow over their four years in the program – seeing them reach some of their dreams and goals and watching how they continue to grow as young adults and athletes.
What is a day as your shooter like?
A normal day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays is training, classes, workouts, study and tutor sessions. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, training starts at 7 a.m. We train as a team for two and a half hours and then have a short team meeting. After that, the rest of the day is class, study hall, tutors and personal time.
Advice for junior shooters wanting to compete in college?
I think the best thing a junior shooter can do to get ready to compete in college is to learn how to structure themselves and set priorities. Being able to stay organized and on top of your academics during your high school years helps you be the best you can be on the range once in college.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
I think for most shooters, being part of a college rifle team is a great experience. Most athletes before college are just part of a club. Once they get to college, they get to experience being part of a team and have common goals. Knowing that your work impacts the team’s outcome is something not many get to experience before college. Embracing this and being the best you can be will make the college path a great experience.

Assistant College Coach Questions
Name: Rena Curvey
Hometown: Winchester, MA
Assistant College Coach for: University of Kentucky (UK)
What college did you shoot for?  What do you have a degree in?
I competed for the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). I graduated from Ole Miss with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. I also have two Master of Science degrees from UK: Coaching & Sport Psychology and Counseling Psychology. I am currently working towards my PhD in Counseling Psychology at UK.
What did you like about being a CMP Junior Rifle Camp Counselor?
The opportunity to be a CMP counselor for two years was a great experience as a college student. I learned a lot about myself as a coach and made many great friends. I also enjoyed my five years as a CMP camp assistant director. In this role, I really enjoyed working with the counselors and assisting with the organization of camps.
What is your biggest challenge as a coach?
For me, my biggest challenge as a coach is figuring out what each athlete needs from me. In the last few years, I have made an effort to develop a relationship with each athlete and customize my approach. A question I ask all my athletes weekly when we meet individually is “What do you need from me?” I get a wide range of answers depending on the athlete and the situation. This approach can be time consuming, but I have found it to be very successful and fulfilling as a coach.
Advice for college athletes and graduating college seniors?
My advice for college athletes is commit. Commit to yourself, your goals, your team and your coaches. You only get one opportunity to be a college athlete, and it’s a privilege many young people are not afforded. Push yourself, your teammates and have fun. Take advantage of all the resources that are offered, and enjoy the journey.
My advice for graduating college seniors: Hang in there and finish strong, it can be a year full of many emotions. It is the beginning of an end, and there are always unknowns after you graduate college – regardless of how much you have planned.
It can be challenging as a senior because it’s likely your fourth year of competing and you are sad it is almost over, but you are also ready to move on at the same time. You owe it to yourself, your team and your coaches to finish strong. Show humility and gratitude as you leave the program and the university that has become your home. Lastly, have compassion with yourself as you transition to the next chapter of your life.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
Why I coach: As a college athlete, it is important to remember your sport is not who you are as a person, it is simply something you choose to do. Many college athletes overidentify with their sport and associate their personal worth with their athletic performance. Unfortunately, sometimes organizations, family members and coaches do this as well, which can be very damaging for athletes.
As a coach, I always push my athletes athletically because I want them to be successful and accomplish their goals. However, I always acknowledge my athletes as young people first – I want them to be happy, healthy, successful people and elite athletes during their time at Kentucky. At the end of the day, being a college student, athlete and an emerging adult all at the same time is hard! It sometimes takes support in multiple areas to successfully navigate the student-athlete experience. The complexity is my favorite part of the job.

College Athlete #1 Questions
Name: Mary Tucker
Hometown/Junior Team: Sarasota, Florida; Hollywood Rifle
What is your major? Why? Favorite class?
I just switched into kinesiology (out of equine science) because I think it will work better for my intended career of coaching. I am really looking forward to the physiology and psychology classes.
How old were you when you got involved in rifle?
I shot sporter when I was 15 and got into precision when I was 16.
Favorite rifle (air rifle vs .22) and stage (kneeling, prone, standing)?
I like and tend to be more well known for air gun, but I enjoy smallbore also. Standing is my favorite position, and I really like kneeling too.
What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself (workout, meditate, etc.)?
I work out with the team three days a week and try to do something physical on the other two days. I really heavily rely on visualization and mental training off the range.
Future plans/goals for rifle and life?
I plan to continue shooting through my collegiate years and go to the 2024 Olympics. After that, I would like to be a coach.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
My advice to shooters is this: Work hard and set big goals. Shoot more than people say you need to and take all training seriously – if you do that, you will see huge improvements. Also, set your goals “too big.” If people tell you it’s unreasonable, then you know it’s the right size. #nolimits

College Athlete #2 Questions
Name: Will Shaner
Hometown: Colorado Springs
Junior Team: National Training Center Juniors
What is your major? Why? Favorite class?My major is economics, and I like it because it gives a unique insight on how the world works and the consequence of certain actions, so you can plan ahead better. My favorite class so far would also be my economics class. It has allowed me to look at things on a larger scale and better understand financials.
How old were you when you got involved in rifle?
I started shooting when I was 8 years at a small 4-H program in Rifle, Colorado.
Favorite rifle (air rifle vs .22) and stage (kneeling, prone, standing)?
Favorite gun and position would be .22 prone. From the outside, it looks like a simple position, but trying to perfect it has always given me a constant challenge, which I love.
What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself (workout, meditate, etc.)?
Outside of the shooting range, I do workouts for the core and back to help stabilize myself in position. Mindfulness and visualization are also a big part of my routine as it helps me stay calm under pressure and focus on the basics of competitive rifle.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
In the future, I would like to keep shooting at The University of Kentucky, and once graduated, tryout for the 2024 Olympics. After that, I will join WCAP (U.S. World Class Athlete Program) and continue my shooting career with the hopes of becoming a coach.

College Athlete #3 Questions
Name: Richard Clark
Hometown/Junior Team: Jackson, Michigan; Riverside Shooting Club
What is your major? Why? Favorite class?
I am majoring in kinesiology. I chose this major with hopes to attend medical school or get involved with college athletes and work within an athletic department after completing school.
How old were you when you got involved in rifle?
I began shooting with my dad and grandfather when I was three years old, in my back yard. I began shooting the competitive disciplines at the age of six, with shorter air rifle, and took on smallbore at the age of eight.
Favorite rifle (air rifle vs .22) and stage (kneeling, prone, standing)?
My favorite discipline to shoot is 3P. It’s always a blast having a different challenge in each position that keeps you on your toes. My favorite stage during a 3P match is kneeling.
What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself (workout, meditate, etc.)?
Our rifle team partakes in workouts together that brings us closer together. Workouts include lifting, core and conditioning. Another way I prepare myself outside of the range is by using the Inner Balance app and a heart math sensor to work on my breathing, as well as heart-brain coherence.
Future plans/goals for rifle and life?
I currently plan to finish my undergraduate degree in kinesiology and focus on my rifle training for a couple years after graduation, in pursuit of a 2024 Olympic dream.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
The best advice I could give to an incoming freshman or junior shooter would be to buy into the program you are a part of. Use its resources to better your ability and quality of life. Be grateful for the opportunity to get up every morning and train with a group of people who love the sport just as much as you do. We never have to go train or work hard, but we get the opportunity to do so, and we must use it to the best of our ability.

College Athlete #4 Questions
Name: Hailee Sigmon
Hometown/Junior Team: Kiowa, Colorado; NTC Shooting Club & Elbert County 4-H
What is your major? Why? Favorite class?
Career & Technical Education (Ag Education/Communication)
I chose to study agriculture education due mostly to my background. I grew up on a small family farm and was very active in the 4-H program. I learned first-hand growing up how important agriculture was, which developed my desire to inform consumers and youth about agriculture. My favorite class so far has been Agricultural Law.
How old were you when you got involved in rifle?
I started shooting in 4-H at 10 and began Olympic style rifle at 15.
Favorite rifle (air rifle vs .22) and stage (kneeling, prone, standing)?
.22 and Kneeling (As a freshman, if you would have told me I’d say this, I would have told you that you were crazy.)
What do you do outside of rifle to train and better yourself (workout, meditate, etc.)?
Our team works out together every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but much of our team works out beyond these time constraints, including myself. I also work with our sports psychology professional at the university on practicing mindfulness and to help my headspace on match day.
Future plans/goals for rifle and life?
Currently, I am unsure of what exactly my future holds in store as I have flirted with the idea of furthering my rifle career by possibly getting involved with coaching. I have also looked into working in communications/marketing within the beef industry.
Any additional comments/stories/advice you’d like to add?
Somebody once told me that you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it. I have personally learned that to be true and that no matter what obstacle may lay ahead, you can overcome it and come back even stronger.
Surround yourself with individuals that will push you to be better. Learn to take advice from EVERYONE. While that Olympian might help take you to the next level, that new shooter might remind you of a fundamental thing you have forgotten to pay attention to overtime.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Category: Airgun, Associations, Clubs & Teams, CMP, Olympics & USA, precision shooting, Rifle, Scholarships | No Comments »
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Posted By admin on August 22, 2020

Junior Shooters fielded 10 people for the monthly 3-Gun match in Parma on Saturday 8/8/20. Three coaches and seven juniors. WOW! It was the first regular 3-Gun match (other than our practice) for two of the juniors. What a blast! Shooting, moving, helping each other, learning together.

Of course, SAFETY is always first.
They have been trained to keep the muzzle pointed down-range no matter what.
To use a safety flag until they are at the ready line. Keep their finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

 

A gun is always loaded.
Put the gun on safe immediately after firing and

move your finger off the trigger.

 

 

 

This also applies when moving from point-to-point.

 

I am so proud of what they have learned. Here a few photos of some of them:

 

 

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Posted By admin on July 27, 2020

By Tom Wondrash

Hello folks,

While we were slightly down (about 13%) from last year’s in person tournament, we feel it was an overwhelming success!

Here are the raw numbers from both of the Nationals we ran.

We ran a national Virtual event along with the in-person event for those that did not feel comfortable attending.

Total athletes between both events were 2,330

Total Registrations between both events were 6,038

 

These numbers would be slightly higher than last year’s total in person event!!

The Cardinal Center finished the Bunkers the day before we got there!! THAT was nothing short of a miracle for sure.

And they ran flawlessly the entire event. They went from being boxed up to running a 180 person competition in the snap of a finger, now that’s impressive!

22,500 targets in 2 days…..that’s a lot for that discipline! Everybody was extremely happy and are looking forward to next year.

Next year’s competition will see 1 more additional Bunker field (making 5 total) as well as 6-8 more American Skeet fields!

In addition to that, there may be another bank or 2 (4-8 fields) of Trap fields!!

All in all, it was a really good event and things ran very smooth!

With this being the only act in town this year, I feel we pulled off a Houdini of sorts for sure!!

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

We are looking for much greener pastures and for the next season to get underway in September!

As always, THANK YOU for the support as we continue to be the leader in youth development and shooting sports with your help!

Tom
Thomas J Wondrash
SCTP National Director
262-939-6664

“True leadership is for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leader”

In-Person Nationals at Cardinal Center Stats:

Athletes Registered 1795
Gender: Male 1,453
Gender: Female 342

Teams Registered 214
States Involved 30

Event entries: 4,870

International Skeet athletes: 48
Bunker Trap athletes: 172
Sporting athletes: 951
Skeet athletes: 851
Doubles Skeet: 482
Doubles Trap athletes: 445
Handicap Trap athletes: 398
Singles Trap athletes: 1523

CLAYS THROWN TOTAL: 909,300

International Skeet: 6,000
Bunker Trap: 21,500
Sporting: 190,200
Skeet: 170,200
Doubles Skeet: 48,200
Doubles Trap: 89,000
Handicap Trap: 79,600
Singles Trap: 304,600

______________________________

Virtual Nationals Stats:

Athletes Registered 535
Gender: Male 417
Gender: Female 118

Teams Registered 74
States Involved 23

Event Entries: 1168

Doubles Trap athletes: 135
Skeet athletes: 229
Doubles Skeet: 98
Handicap Trap athletes: 141
Singles Trap athletes: 461

CLAYS THROWN TOTAL: 212,800

Skeet: 45,800
Doubles Skeet: 19,600
Doubles Trap: 27,000
Handicap Trap: 28,200
Singles Trap: 92,200

Clays Thrown For All Nationals Events: 1,122,100

Category: Associations, Clubs & Teams, Events, Olympics & USA, SCTP, Shotgun Sports | No Comments »
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Posted By admin on July 22, 2020

Andy Fink (publisher “Junior Shooters” magazine)

We are continuing to practice during this season (started again in July) with masks being mandatory for all, including parents and spectators. The Junior Shooters local team members (8-20) practice using .22s for precision and such sports as Steel Challenge and Rimfire Challenge, all the way up in calibers to 12-gauge, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP pistol, and .223 Remington (5.56mm) / .308 Winchester for 3-Gun, and 6.5 Creedmoor to .300 Win Mag for Long-Range. We also have some people shooting Cowboy Action, Trap, Sporting Clays, USPA, IDPA, and Skeet.

When we train now, masks are always required as is social distancing. However, social distancing cannot be maintained between the shooter and the Range Officer (RO). Working with juniors, and new shooters as well as experienced shooters, requires the RO be next to the shooter. This is another reason why masks are so important.

Having the right firearms for the junior in size, weight, recoil, sights, function, ergonomics, (especially Length Of Pull (LOP)) is so important. Outstanding instructors are imperative. The emphasis on Safety, Safety, Safety is the first and most important aspect of our training.

The end goal for each junior is to be able to complete the toughest 3-Gun competition SAFELY, be competitive against adults, and have fun. Currently, the toughest 3-Gun competition (our opinion) is the High Desert 3-Gun in Parma, Idaho (We have juniors as young as 13 shooting this match while practicing with us for only a year). It used to be the Ironman 3-Gun, also in Parma, Idaho.

We expect our juniors to be safer than 95% of the adults out there shooting. Along the way, they have to review products (including firearms), write articles, maintain good grades, and learn a variety of life skills.

Author’s note: we also practice with lasers, indoors, during the winter.

Category: Action Pistol, Clubs & Teams, Cowboy Action Shooting, Events, Guns & Acc., Long Range, Mags & Pubs, Miscellaneous, Modern 3 Gun, Pistol / Revolver, precision shooting, Rifle, Safety, Shotgun Sports, Smallbore | No Comments »
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