Wisconsin’s first USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships came to a close last Sunday afternoon, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Wisconsin shooting sports. Thirty young athletes aged 20 and under, including 23 males and seven ladies, traveled from four states -- one all the way from New Mexico -- to be part of the inaugural event. The event was run concurrently with SCTP's Wisconsin State International Championships. In addition, on Saturday there were 250 athletes from throughout the Midwest who competed in the 100-target SCTP Midwest High School Regional tournament on the American trap fields. Results of the SCTP awards for both tournaments can be found on the SCTP website under "Results." On Saturday afternoon, there was a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting for the new Olympic bunker. Nearly 400 people were in attendance for the grand opening, including WTA, NRA, SCTP, and DNR representatives. Outdoor Wisconsin TV host Dan Small and his crew filmed the event for a future show. The young athletes shot a series of five qualifying rounds totaling 125 targets over two days in the same format that is used every four years in the Olympics. The weather conditions were less than ideal though most of the weekend, with high winds, rain, and eventually lightning that stopped the event for an hour on Saturday afternoon. High winds made Sunday morning’s rounds very challenging. These conditions made the course even more difficult for the Olympic hopefuls.Men's medalists, L-R: Bronze - Christian Jensen; Gold - Myles Walker; Silver - Jordan HintzAfter the qualifications were complete, the top six male and female shooters continued to the finals, where they shot additional targets to determine the final medal winners. Myles Walker of Elkhorn took home the men’s gold medal after the two-day event. Other finalists included Jordan Hintz and Christian Jensen of Burlington, Jack Schuppie and Josh Nelson of Richfield, and Aaren Weinke of Baraboo. Hintz took second place silver, and Jensen won the bronze over Schuppie in a shoot-off to end the event.Ladies Medalists, L-R: Bronze - Madelynn Berneau; Gold - Meredith Berneau; Silver - Abby RosenauFor the ladies, Meredith Berneau of Waterford won the gold ahead of Abby Rosenau of Ripon and her sister Madelynn. Other finalists were Mariah Kerr from Burlington and Alexandria Zigelbauer of Iron Ridge. Non-resident medals, gold through bronze, went to Oscar Southbloom of Minnesota, Anna Pfaff of Illinois, and Kes Luchini of New Mexico, respectively. All 30 athletes who competed in this event now have the opportunity to compete at the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships set for July 8-13 in Colorado Springs, CO, where they will contend for positions on the USAS Junior team and the opportunity to potentially represent the U.S. in international competition. The weekend started off with a coach, parent, and adult fundraising event Friday afternoon on the Olympic bunker. The “50 for $50.00” fundraiser was won by Bruce Nelson of the Daniel Boone Conservation League, and the proceeds will sponsor a Wisconsin SCTP Athlete to attend an SCTP Junior Olympic Development Camp in Colorado Springs in August. Thank you to Kolar Arms, Gunbroker.com, Tom Wondrash, Bob Palmer, and the SCTP for their donations. The world-class International-Style Olympic Bunker featuring 15 trap machines in one 60-foot long trench controlled by an automated computer system was made possible with generous grants from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Pittman-Robertson Fund and the National Rifle Association (NRA). This bunker is the first of its kind in the state. The 280-acre WTA Shooting and Learning Complex in Nekoosa, WI includes American Trap and Olympic-style trapshooting, as well as a premier campground. The new Homegrounds RV Park should be open by mid-June and features 104 pull-through sites with full hook-up. For information on the WTA, visit www.witrapshooters.com or the Homegrounds RV park at www.homegroundsrvpark.com. To learn more about USA Shooting, visit usashooting.org. For facility information, contact Dennis Taylor, WTA Homegrounds general manager, at dengtay@me.com. For event details, contact Perry Hintz, SCTP State Advisor at phintz36@wi.rr.com.
Registration is now open for next month’s SCTP National Team Championships, and if the first day of registration is any indication, it is sure to be a record-shattering event. During the first 24 hours that teams could register for the National Championships, more than 627 student athletes were signed up for SCTP events, representing 40 teams from 15 states. Almost 1000 event registrations were completed during the first day. The event will be held July 14-19 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL. In addition, SCTP will host shooters at our National Championships for international events on July 25-29 in Colorado Springs, CO. As in previous years, SCTP teams will compete in Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays during the weeklong event. For this year’s Nationals, teams can also compete in Doubles Trap, Handicap Trap, and Skeet Doubles events. A new College Open category will allow college students to compete at the National Championships with their former high school teams. Sharing the spotlight with the Scholastic Clay Target Program during Nationals will be the Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP), concurrently holding its second Junior/Senior National Championships. The two programs will award $713,000 in endowment funds to competing teams at our national events, representing $450,000 to SCTP teams at the Sparta tournament; $156,000 at SCTP’s National Championships for international events; and $107,000 to SPP teams at Nationals. Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation will donate the endowment funds to team accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. In addition to a week of shooting competition, other activities are planned to benefit our student athletes, including College Recruiting Day to provide recruiting opportunities to colleges with shooting teams, and Youth Conservation Day, when athletes will learn about various conservation organizations and opportunities for involvement. “We’re off to a tremendous start with registrations for our National Championships, and we’re expecting another record year, following a record 2000-plus shooters in 2013,” said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “The SCTP staff and our dedicated sponsors work on this event year-round to ensure it is the nation’s premier youth shooting competition. With its wide range of shooting events and activities, abundant endowment funds the teams can earn, and opportunities for teams to compete against the nation’s best, we’re confident this is an event without equal.” SCTP head coaches can log in to their accounts at www.sssfonline.org to register.
The National Rifle Association's Coach Education Program is now accepting applications for its annual Intermediate Junior Pistol Camp. The camp will be June 28 through July 2, 2014. It will be in a new location this year in Canton, Ohio. The SPP style of shooting will included in the curriculum, and SPP shooters are invited to participate. But you must respond immediately. The NRA Intermediate Junior Pistol Camp is open to both boys and girls, ages 12 to 21. Shooters must be at least 12 years old by July 5, 2014. The camp will be limited to 25 shooters. The camp will teach beginning and intermediate shooters in the areas of conventional, international, and Scholastic Pistol Program styles of shooting. Cost for the camp is $225. For complete information, download the application package. SPP shooters interested in participating must contact organizers by end of business day Wednesday, June 11, to reserve your spot. Contact National Coach Trainer, Daniel Subia, at coaching@nrahq.org for reservations or questions.
Registration is open for the biggest event of the year! The 2014 SCTP National Team Championships will be held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL, July 14-19. Log onto your account at sssfonline.org to register today!
Afer logging in, go to the calendar tab
Scroll to July 14th and click on the Nationals shoot
Click “register here”
COACHES: Please read the following information carefully. You will be responsible for squadding your athletes on the days and times that you see fit. Please ensure that you pick the correct dates and times. If competing in more than one discipline on the same day, make sure you allow ample time between events. You will have 10 days to fill squad times and pay for your slots. If not populated and paid, they will be erased, and that slot will be reopened to the general public. There will be no "hoarding" of time slots; only squad what you are sure will be attending for that event. It will be the Head Coach's responsibility to ensure that your athletes are squadded properly, and you will sign off on that at registration. Once signed, the squads are set and there will be no more changes to that squad. Squads with a mixture of athletes from different divisions will be placed in the "Open" category. Squads with athletes in the wrong division may be disqualified. Please see the SCTP Handbook for details. If you have any questions pertaining to any of the above, please contact an SCTP staff person. Additional InformationOpen Category - This will consist of athletes from the same team but from different divisions. Last Competitor Standing - This year we will have two of these competitions, Tuesday evening and Friday evening! ALL competitors must purchase and wear a colored wristband to compete in these events. Opening Ceremonies - An Olympic-style march in front of the grandstands for all states and teams will start at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16.
State Advisors: Please ensure that you or someone from your state brings a state flag for ALL of your state teams to walk in behind.
College Recruiting Day - This will be Thursday, July 17, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., in the main building. Meet the Potterfields - Brenda and Larry Potterfield will be on-site all day on Thursday, July 17. Please come up to the main building from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. to say hello and thanks to them for their support of our programs. Youth Conservation Day - On Friday, July 18 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., come up and meet the folks from the different conservation groups, and learn how you can partner with them to help grow your team. Make a Break - Daily winners/high scores will compete in an exciting shoot-off for prizes on Saturday, July 19 at 2 p.m. in front of the grandstands. NEW in 2014: College Open Category - This will consist of athletes who have participated on their former team through high school and are returning to compete on that team. This category will allow these athletes to form a competitive squad as long as they are attending any college on a full-time basis. They do not have to attend the same college but must have competed with this team in the past. NEW in 2014: Doubles Trap - You will be able to have your athletes compete in shooting Trap Doubles as a concurrent event. We will shoot this event on a Monday/Tuesday rotation OR a Wednesday/Thursday rotation, with 100 targets each of the two days. NEW in 2014: Handicap Trap - You will be able to have your athletes compete in shooting Handicap Trap as a concurrent event. We will shoot this event on a Monday/Tuesday rotation OR a Wednesday/Thursday rotation, with 100 targets each of the two days.
All Rookies will shoot from the 19-yard line
All Intermediates will shoot from the 21-yard line
All Senior Division athletes will shoot from the 25-yard line.
NEW in 2014: Skeet Doubles - Athletes will be able to compete in Skeet Doubles, shooting 100 targets on Friday. Beretta will be sponsoring the Skeet Doubles Competition this year. After the scores come in, we will be drawing up to 3 numbers, depending on the number of registrations. Athletes whose score ends in that number will be invited to a shootout on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for a grand prize: an A400 shotgun donated by Beretta! Awards - SCTP will have a full listing of all awards (medals and trophies) and endowment awards posted at the registration area. Food Vendors - We will have several food vendors on-site, located behind the grandstands. They will be serving items including steak sandwiches, hamburgers, pulled pork, jambalaya, shrimp baskets, catfish, and many other options. Cooling Tent - This year, we will have a cooling tent located behind the grandstands. T-Shirts - Commemorative t-shirts may be purchased at the "Great Outdoor" store, located in the main building. Golf Cars - If you are interested in renting a golf car, you may reserve one at the Little Egypt Golf Car website. Be sure to select the option for SCTP Rental Agreement. Reservations must be made by June 30 to ensure that a cart will be available. If you wish to bring your own golf car, please read the attached rules carefully. Ammunition - Gamaliel will once again be running the Ammo Barn. You may purchase ammo from them during the week. Day Sponsors
Sunday, July 13 Promatic Day
Monday, July 14 Browning / SKB Day
Tuesday, July 15 Remington Day
Wednesday, July 16 CZ-USA Day
Thursday, July 17 MidwayUSA Day
Friday, July 18 Beretta Day
Saturday, July 19 Zanders Sporting Goods / Nobel Sport Day
Coaches, athletes and families, wear your favorite sponsor shirts and hats on those days to support our fantastic top 8 sponsors! You never know, you might get singled out for a prize! Updated 6/19/2014
Qualifying student athletes who will graduate from high school in 2014 are invited to apply for SSSF's 2014 Scholarship Program, which will award more than $40,000 in college scholarships to deserving participants of SCTP and SPP. The scholarships are being funded by generous sponsors who support our youth shooting programs, as well as supporters who raise funds through national banquets.
For the SCTP scholarships, Beretta USA has donated $10,000 to provide 10 scholarships of $1000 each, and the National Skeet Shooting Association and National Sporting Clays Association (NSSA-NSCA) have contributed another $10,000 for 10 scholarships. NRA has donated $3000 for three scholarships, and other sources, including SCTP National Fundraising Banquets, will provide at least $10,000 more. SPP will offer $11,000 in its scholarship program’s first year. Smith & Wesson has donated $10,000 to fund 10 scholarships of $1000 each, and HiViz Shooting Systems has added another $1000 scholarship. In 2013, SSSF awarded 35 $1000 scholarships to SCTP student athletes, funded by a $10,000 donation from NSSA-NSCA and $25,000 in banquet proceeds. SCTP and SPP student athletes who will graduate from high school in 2014 and enroll in college this year are eligible to apply for the scholarships. Awards will be based on SCTP/SPP participation, academics, need, and other factors. To apply, students will submit an application, accompanied by an essay and a high school transcript. Deadline to apply is June 7, 2014.
Following a two-year absence, South Carolina youth shooters have returned to SCTP in 2014 in grand style at the South Carolina State Sporting Clays Championship, held jointly with South Carolina 4-H on May 24 at Rocky Knoll Sporting Clays in Greenwood. The event was a huge success, and there is tremendous growth anticipated for SCTP in the coming year. Wardlaw Academy took first place in both the Junior Varsity and Intermediate Advanced divisions, and the Mid Carolina Young Guns took first in Rookie, Intermediate 1st, and Senior Varsity. The all-ladies team from Wyman King took second in the Senior Varsity division.Coach Ken Ahlin and his rookies, Carter Hinson and Cade Mitchell, receive their first place medals from State Advisor Bernie Till. Bernie Till, South Carolina SCTP State Advisor, reported, "The folks at Rocky Knoll Sporting Clays do an awesome job and go out of their way to support youth shooters. Support by the National Wild Turkey Federation ensured that the event was a success by picking up the tab for the fees, providing door prizes, and donating items to teams to raise money. The lure of SSSF endowment funds also made the event a 'must shoot' youth event. All of these supporters have great appreciation for SCTP and the shooting sports opportunities it creates for kids." Efforts to bring SCTP back to South Carolina began late last summer between re-appointed SC State Advisor Bernie Till and SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. These conversations gained a lot of momentum with a strong presence at the Palmetto Sportsman’s Classic, a local sports show in Columbia in March. Volunteers from the Mid Carolina Young Guns team manned the booth and introduced many new shooters to SCTP and youth shooting opportunities in SC. This has resulted in several new teams and increased growth in existing programs. Several teams have requested presentations and meetings with coaches and families to better understand the many benefits of SCTP, and shooters from SC will return to Sparta, Illinois this year for the SCTP National Team Championships being held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC). For the first time in SC, there will be many more SCTP shooting opportunities available to the large number of youth shooters in the state. Skeet, trap, and sporting clays events are planned year-round, with several remaining this season. Discussions with neighboring states regarding regional matches have also occurred, with plans being made to hold the first next year. The SCTP Skeet and Trap state championship tournament will also be held in conjunction with 4-H on June 14 at Mid Carolina Gun Club in Orangeburg. For more information on SCTP opportunities in South Carolina, contact Bernie Till at wbtfire@gmail.com.
Here's an opportunity for everyone to win! Someone will be drawn as the winner of a Krieghoff K-80 shotgun worth more than $20,000 in an SSSF raffle at our National Championships this July, and the SSSF Scholarship Program will benefit from the ticket sales. Plus, your team can earn endowment money in the process! Here’s how that will work: Tickets will sell for $50 each, and only 600 will be sold. Teams registered with active MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. endowment accounts may request up to 20 tickets at a time to sell in their local area. Buy one yourself, or sell them to friends at the gun club, parents, or anyone who would like a 1-in-600 chance of winning a dream shotgun. 100% of the money raised, along with completed ticket stubs, will be sent to SSSF. We will then return $25 per ticket to the team’s MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. endowment account, where it will be matched 2:1. That means for every 20 tickets your team sells, your endowment account gains a total of $1500! The remaining proceeds from the raffle will go toward the SSSF Scholarship Program.
We're pleased to present to you our first Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation Official E-Magazine! We are developing several new ways of communicating with you, our members, and this is just the first you'll see over the coming weeks. Here is some of what you'll find in this dynamic new magazine in flipbook format:
News from SCTP and SPP about events, endowment opportunities, Junior Olympic Development Camps, scholarship applications, and more
Embedded videos of shooting tips, events, MidwayUSA Foundation, and sponsor information
Tech tips for coaches
National Championships details
Useful shooting information and tips
So, dig in and enjoy!Click on the image to read the magazine
We've just finished our first Junior Olympic Development Camp of the year at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. If you missed out on this one, there’s still time to apply for the next one in August. A coach’s school and camp is also scheduled. Deadline to apply for the August camps is June 30.
The city of Cody, Wyoming will welcome student athletes from SCTP and SPP next month for the Cody Roundup, a three-day regional competition for shooters in high school and college divisions. The Cody Shooting Complex will host the competition on June 12-14, 2014. This will be the 3rd annual Cody Roundup for SCTP. Shooters will compete in 100-target skeet, trap, and sporting clays main events, as well as a 5-stand side event. High Overall (HOA) awards will be presented for teams and individuals. Endowments will be provided for new team, participation, HOA, and main event awards.
For SPP, this will be the inaugural regional shoot in Cody. Events will include centerfire and rimfire team matches, with trophies and endowments awarded. Demonstration shoots will also be offered for individuals who are not currently SPP athletes. Guns and ammunition will be available.
In addition to the shooting competitions, off-the-range activities have been arranged in the Cody area for participants’ enjoyment, including horseback riding, river rafting, a rodeo, and sightseeing. Learn more about available activities:
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to providing shooting-sports education and opportunities to school-age youths around the United States to encourage young athlete personal growth and development. Tax-ID number 20-8484121.
The world-class International-Style Olympic Bunker featuring 15 trap machines in one 60-foot long trench controlled by an automated computer system was made possible with generous grants from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Pittman-Robertson Fund and the National Rifle Association (NRA). This bunker is the first of its kind in the state. The 280-acre WTA Shooting and Learning Complex in Nekoosa, WI includes American Trap and Olympic-style trapshooting, as well as a premier campground. The new Homegrounds RV Park should be open by mid-June and features 104 pull-through sites with full hook-up. For information on the WTA, visit www.witrapshooters.com or the Homegrounds RV park at www.homegroundsrvpark.com. To learn more about USA Shooting, visit usashooting.org. For facility information, contact Dennis Taylor, WTA Homegrounds general manager, at dengtay@me.com. For event details, contact Perry Hintz, SCTP State Advisor at phintz36@wi.rr.com.
