2024 All Scholastic Team

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is proud to announce the 2024 All Scholastic Team. The All Scholastic Team recognizes achievements of student athletes in the shooting sports for their accomplishments in the classroom, in their communities and on the range.

Team members are featured in the National Championship program book, are listed on the All Scholastic Team banner at the 2024 National Championships and are presented with a certificate and pin. Coaches will collect all certificates and pins for their team upon registering at the Central Events Building at Nationals.

2024-AllST

2024 All Scholastic Team Application Period Open

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is proud to invite all qualified 2024 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) athletes to apply for the SSSF All Scholastic Team. The All Scholastic Team recognizes achievements of student athletes in the shooting sports for their accomplishments in the classroom, in their communities and on the range. Eligible athletes of all ages are invited to apply.

How a Junior Athlete Joined Team Ruger

"At the time I was coaching trap so I said well, I'll just make her a trap shooter like the rest of them and keep this easy... she had other plans. She's always had the frame of mind that she didn't want to do what everybody else does. So soccer and other ball sports were out of the question. I said okay, you don't like shotguns let's go shoot some pistols and that was that!"

-Dave Jackley, Abby's father and Wilmot Panthers Head Coach

How did you get started in the shooting sports?

"I got started through my parents. My dad has been a trap coach as long as I can remember. He coached my brothers when they shot trap and I tried it out when I was in sixth grade and I honestly hated it. I was bored out of my mind! I shot it for a year and I just didn't quite like it but my dad mentioned that one of the other coaches knew of the pistol team through the same high school. He didn't know much about it so we both went I tried it out. At first he was just a parent helping out, being there with me. I started shooting that a bunch and then now he's the head coach of our team!

I was Team Captain my senior year of high school and during that time I took the SASP coaches course with my parents. I now help out with all the rookies and anyone first starting out, especially left-handed shooters. I'm left-handed so they all end up asking me because no one knows how to help out a left-handed shooter!"

Tell us how you joined Team Ruger at such a young age!

"It was about 2 years ago when Rick Leach introduced me to Paul Pluff with Ruger at Nationals. He really liked the way I shot and I just got talking with him. We tried out some of his guns at the Ruger booth at Nationals and he said he would love to expand our connections and work with you on our Pro Staff. Once I turned 18, I joined team Ruger and was joined by two other athletes, Kaleb Klein and Connor Knapp. So we all joined together as "Junior Team Ruger". It was really a different experience I never would have seen if I asked myself when I first started shooting SASP. I never would have believed being on a Pro Staff team, especially for a company like Ruger."

Tell us what its like being an athlete in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program?

"Getting started in the SASP program, finding a local team I think is really something great. I think it's a great program to get started in and it's a great way to learn basic handling skills of pistols and rifles. The team is kids that maybe they go to school with and even if they don't know anyone, it's a great place to make friends because everyone's their age and everyone's doing the same thing. I think it's it's really a open environment even for families. Even the parents don't quite know about the sport or even about shooting, everyone is very open and willing to help you out. Athletes can use team gear to get your feet wet and try it out before you really jump in but I think it's a very open door for new families."

As a parent and coach, was it like going through the SSSF Action Shooting Sports Coach Training?

Jenell Jackley: "Everyone did their own their own online portion and then the range day was fun. I was probably the least confident but it helped me too. I do more of the administrative part of the coaching, so the experience actually built up my confidence to go out on the range. I think it really helped to learn about about the program more in general, the whole organizational aspect and how it sort of builds and can help become the next step for other things. It really made us look outside of our local club. Since taking the course, we've actually encouraged a lot of our parents on our team to become coaches rather than just volunteers. They've taken the entire program all the way through the field course and we now have eight coaches total for our team instead of just one coach. The parent involvement has been huge and it's really helped gain their confidence and understanding what their kids are doing and shooting so it's sort of brought the whole family out on the range."

As a parent, how have you seen Abby grow since joining the program?

"I've really seen her confidence grow. From just being one of the athletes on the team, to then being a junior coach... She's been proud of what she's done and I think she sort of drug us along with her but it's been a fun adventure!"


Charitable Giving for Youth Shooting Sports

SUPPORT YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS WHILE DEDUCTING 100% OF ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2021 THROUGH EXTENSIONS OF THE 2020 CARES ACT.

DEDUCT UP TO 100% OF AGI

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY BY ITEMIZING DEDUCTIONS WITH GIFTS TO CHARITY. PRIOR TO THE CARES ACT, THE MAXIMUM DEDUCTION WAS 60% OF AGI

THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR 100% DEDUCTION OF AGI APPLIES TO CASH DONATIONS TO PUBLIC CHARITIES.

SOME DONORS REACH 100% OF AGI BY GIVING A PERCENTAGE OF AGI TO THEIR DONOR-ADVISED FUND AND THE REMAINING AS CASH DIRECT TO PUBLIC CHARITIES. PUBLICLY TRADED STOCK MAY ALSO BE UTILIZED TO REACH 100%, SOME DONORS MAY ELECT TO GIVE 100% CASH DIRECT TO PUBLIC CHARITIES.

EVEN IF YOU DON’T ITEMIZE, THE CARES ACT STILL PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN DONATE $300 TO CHARITY AND RECEIVE THE CORRESPONDING BENEFIT. MARRIED COUPLES CAN DONATE $600 TO CHARITY AND GET THIS “ABOVE THE LINE” DEDUCTION. IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO SUPPORT YOUTH SHOOTING SPORTS.

STOCKS OR MUTUAL FUNDS.

BY ALLEVIATING YOUR CAPITAL GAINS TAX, THIS MAY BE A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS ASSET TO DONATE BASED ON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

DONOR-ADVISED FUND

YOU CAN ITEMIZE CONTRIBUTIONS TO A DONOR-ADVISED FUND, AND DESIGNATE A GIFT TO SUPPORT SCHOLASTIC SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION

SIMPLE DONATION FROM A CHECKING ACCOUNT.

MONEY SAVED IN OTHER AREAS CAN SERVE AS A GIFT FROM YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT, WHICH PROVIDES IMMEDIATE, MEANINGFUL SUPPORT TO THE HEALTH OF YOUTH SHOOTING TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS

YOU CAN GIFT UP TO $100,000 ANNUALLY FROM YOUR IRA, CALLED A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD) AND ARE EXCLUDED FROM YOUR TAXABLE INCOME.

ANYONE AGE 72 OR OLDER AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021, MUST TAKE THEIR REQUIRED MINIMUM DEDUCTION (RMD) BY YEAR-END. THIS INCLUDES INHERITED IRAS. IF IT IS YOUR FIRST RMD, YOU HAVE UNTIL APRIL 1, 2022.

RMDS MAY ALSO BE TRANSFERRED TO A QUALIFIED CHARITY.

INDIVIDUALS 701⁄2 YEARS OLD AND UP TO DONATE UP TO $100,000 DIRECTLY TO CHARITIES OR A DESIGNATED FUND. THIS GIFT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO INCREASE THEIR GIVING WITHOUT INCREASING THEIR TAXABLE INCOME.

THOSE WHO ARE 591⁄2 YEARS OLD CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY BY TAKING A DISTRIBUTION FROM THEIR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT AND CONTRIBUTING CASH UP TO 100% OF AGI. THIS ALLOWS THE 100% OF AGI OPPORTUNITY TO BE ATTAINABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

Athletes, Alum, and Staff represent at Tokyo Olympics

Although the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics did not allow in-person spectators, the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) had a lot to cheer about. Program alumnus, current athletes, and staff were among the incredible lineup of USA Olympic shooting athletes on the big stage in Tokyo. These representatives of Team USA and USA Shooting competed in their particular disciplines of International Skeet, Bunker Trap, 10 Meter Air Pistol, and 10 Meter Air Rifle. These sports are also practiced in the respective team-based youth shooting sports programs of the SCTP and SASP. With 3 Gold medals, 2 Silver medals, and 1 Bronze for USA in Tokyo 2020 Olympic shooting events, let's take a look a deeper look at each:


William Shaner - Gold, Men's 10 Meter Air Rifle

The 20-year old air rifle athlete from Colorado Springs headed to the final on July 25th after placing 3rd in the qualifier earlier in the day. His sixty shots scored for a 630.8, just 1.9 points behind the #1 qualifying athlete. William went on to set a new Olympic Record in the Finals, with his 24 shots scoring a 251.6 to edge out China's Lihao Sheng by 0.7 points. The University of Kentucky student previously won Gold at the 2021 ISSF World Cup in Croatia and as part of the Men's air rifle team at the 2021 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.

Amber English - Gold, Women's Skeet

1st Lt. Amber English of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, is also a Colorado Springs native. Growing up in a shooting family, Amber began shooting at the age of six. Program representatives recall that 1st Lt. English attended early Scholastic Clay Target Program training camp events on her way to her destiny of becoming an Olympic Gold athlete. On day 1 and 2 of the Women's Skeet Qualification, Amber put up impressive scores before heading to the final on July 26th. There, she set a new Olympic Record of 56 targets, dethroning 2016 Olympic champion Diana Bacosi.

Vincent Hancock - Gold, Men's Skeet

Vincent Hancock, an athlete alumnus of the Scholastic Clay Target Program set a new Olympic Record of 59 targets and became the first Olympic athlete to have won three gold medals in skeet. Hancock attended the very first SCTP training camp on his way to becoming an Olympic athlete. In 2005, at age of 16, Hancock won his first World Championship title in Men's Skeet and went on to win the prestigious International Shooting Sport Federation's Shooter of the Year award.

Hancock's shooting career continued on a path to Olympic gold after participation in the SCTP youth shooting sports program. At the age of 20, Hancock won the Gold Medal in the World Championships in 2009 and continued on to serve in the Army's coveted Marksmanship Unit.

As a proud alumnus, Hancock has conducted training clinics for SCTP members and made appearances at National Championship events to meet and support the next generation of young athletes. His Gold medal victory in Tokyo provided a clean sweep for USA in the Skeet events after Amber English's respective Gold medal performance earlier that day.

Kayle Browning - Silver, Women's Trap

Kayle Browning began her journey in sporting clays where she made the open All-American Team at just 12 years old. The following year, she attended a Junior Olympic Development Camp where she became focused on bunker trap when she realized it was a sport at the Olympics. In 2007, won the bronze medal in the National Junior Olympic Championships. Her performance in Tokyo secured a Silver medal for the US, breaking just one target less than the event leader from Slovakia.

In response to International events being held on the front end of Nationals, Kayle attended the 2020 SCTP National Championship to provide coaching for youth athletes focused on Bunker Trap. Kayle covered the National Championship in her podcast, Beyond The Podium. Listen to the episode here: Beyond The Podium: SCTP Nationals

Madelynn Bernau, Brian Burrows - Bronze, Mixed Team Trap

Madelyn or "Maddy" Bernau began her path to becoming an Olympian when she joined the Waterford Wolverine Shooting Team, participating in the Scholastic Clay Target Program. In the Spring of 2014, Maddy attended an SCTP development camp as a team member on the SCTP International Team, held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The camp was designed to introduce young SCTP athletes into the Olympic disciplines of shotgun sports by subject matter experts, including team coach, Olympic trapshooting medalist Terri DeWitt.

Madelyn (center) with fellow SCTP International Camp members in 2014

"We try to provide a structure and open doors for all our athletes," said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. "Maddy has walked through that door and climbed to a new level. She's setting an outstanding example of where our kids can go."

Madelyn's Bronze medal came after a heartbreaking qualification round of Women's Trap, missing the cutoff by one clay behind her USA teammate, Kayle Browning. For the Mixed Team event, Bernau was one of only two shooters to break all 75 targets. Alongside Team USA and event teammate, Brian Burrows, a shootoff against Slovakia came down to a dropped target that opened up the opportunity for Maddy. A brief moment of performing her pre-shot routine was all she needed to execute, breaking the next target and securing Bronze for the US.

Mary Tucker, Lucas Kozeniesky - Bronze, Mixed Team 10 Meter Air Rifle

After placing 6th in their respective 10 Meter Air Rifle events, Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozeniesky competed in the Mixed Team event on July 27th. With both US mixed teams making it to the second stage of qualification, Mary and Lucas went on to the final with a score of 418, outshooting the ROC for Silver.

James Hall - 10 Meter Air Pistol

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program’s own Director of Development for International Disciplines, James Hall represented Team USA in the 10 Meter Air Pistol and Mixed Team events. Hall’s journey to the Olympic stage began at Jacksonville State University, where he was a four-time All American, Team Captain, and USA National Rifle Team Member. Hall secured the first U.S. quota spot in air pistol for the Olympics in Tokyo with his Gold medal at the 2018 Championship of the Americas. James was just one point from making the 10 Meter Air Pistol final and shot more x’s than all but two athletes in the qualifier. Hall placed 10th in the mixed team event alongside teammate Sandra Uptagrafft.

As the official youth feeder program for USA Shooting, Hall quickly established and continues to expand the SASP’s new international disciplines of 10 Meter Air Rifle, 10 Meter Air Pistol, and Sport Pistol.

Jackson Leverett and Henry Leverett - Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol

Scholastic Action Shooting Program athletes, Jackson Leverett and Henry Leverett are sophomores of the Ohio State University Pistol Team. Prior to joining the pistol team at Ohio, Leveretts set four USA Shooting national records in junior men’s Rapid Fire and junior men’s Sport Pistol. Henry won the U.S. Olympic Rapid Fire quota spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after placing 5th in the 2019 World Cup Bejing, while Jackson helped Team USA win gold medals in Air Pistol and Rapid Fire in the 2018 Championship of the Americas. As current SASP athletes, both Jackson and Henry are SSSF College All Americans, having secured their spots on the 1st teams for international air, sport, and standard pistol. Henry and Jackson Leverett placed 22nd and 25th in the 2nd qualification stage, respectively.

Over $600K To Benefit Youth Shooting Sports Teams Through Reload For 2021 Campaign

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation‘s (SSSF) Reload For 2021 campaign raised $311,657, thanks to participating teams and donors! To date, this is the SSSF's most successful fundraising campaign, with funds benefiting teams totaling over $600,000! The Reload For 2021 campaign provides immediate funds teams can use for the 2021 shooting season AND provides funds to their MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment account to benefit teams FOREVER.

Total impact for the campaign amounts to just over $155,000 in cash grants going to SCTP and SASP teams, and over $366,000 being donated by SSSF to the participating team’s MidwayUSA Foundation endowment accounts! Funds that are MidwayUSA Foundation Match Eligible totaled over $78,000.

Congratulations to the teams that worked hard to compete in our team endowment bonus fund competitions of most dollars raised and most unique donors. The SSSF awarded an additional $60,000 pool of funding to teams claiming those accolades in places 1st through 6th, with those funds being allocated to team endowment accounts held at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

Final team standings for each competition:

Reload For 2021- $100K For December

We are excited to announce additional match funding for SSSF's Reload For 2021 campaign! All donations received in the month of December will receive extra match funding from SSSF!

SSSF will provide a pool of $100,000 in match funding for the entire month of December. The ratio of that match will vary based on the number of total contribution dollars received in December for the campaign. For example, if SSSF receives $100,000 in donations in December, all donations will be matched 1:1.If SSSF receives $50,000 in donations for the month of December, all donations will be matched 2:1, etc.

This special SSSF December match will be directed to your team endowment account at the MidwayUSA Foundation. Also, keep in mind that 25% of each donation your team receives will be sent to the MidwayUSA Foundation where it will be matched under the current MidwayUSA Foundation matching program. See our official campaign page for details.  

SSSF Donates Over $450,000 To Youth Shooting Sports Teams

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) recently donated $451,258.50 to Team Endowment Accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation, providing assistance for youth shooting sports expenses. Teams earned funds by raising money through the SSSF’s Reload For 2021 campaign and the SSSF Member Matching Program. Teams purchasing ATA and or NSSA/NSCA memberships through the SCTP also had deposits made to their accounts.

So far, this year's donations have benefited 339 teams participating in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) and Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), participating throughout 37 different states. The growth of youth shooting sports is apparent, as the number of benefiting teams has increased nearly four-fold since 2018. To date, the SSSF has donated over $6.9 million to SCTP and SASP team endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

SSSF MidwayUSA Foundation Endowment Account Donation Summary

CommunicationInfo_MUSAFDonation112420-Summary

Please contact the SSSF for more information on how your shooting team can earn team endowment funding for their account at the MidwayUSA Foundation.

The Team Endowment Program at the MidwayUSA Foundation gives a community the ability to financially support a competitive youth shooting sports program or financially assist in the start-up of a new youth shooting sports program. The team can then request a grant of up to 5% of their endowment account balance once each year, in either December or June, to pay for team expenses. For more information about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.

Use Amazon Smile For A Simple Donation To Youth Shooting Sports

Did you know that nearly $2,000 has been donated to the SSSF through AmazonSmile? When online shopping on Amazon, please consider using selecting the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as your charity of choice!

Our supporters have selected the SSSF as their Amazon Smile Charity and continued online shopping as they normally do, with most purchases qualifying for a portion to be donated. Thank you to our community and even some of our sponsors, like America's Gunsmith Shop for selecting the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as their AmazonSmile charity!

Here's how to shop AmazonSmile:

Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/20-8484121

OR

1. Visit smile.amazon.com

2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials

3. Search for and select the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation Inc as your charity of choice4. Start shopping!

5. Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile

SSSF Fruit Fundraiser

Hello SCTP & SASP Coaches and Teams!

The National office in conjunction with Florida Indian River Groves have put together the ultimate fundraising opportunity for you and your teams! Who doesn’t want fresh fruit especially when they can help your team raise much needed funds for this upcoming season?!

This opportunity is a no contact, no face to face, no door knocking way to help and support your team by just emailing friends, family and neighbors! 10% of all sales will come back directly to your team in the form of a check after the December 1st deadline for Christmas delivery.

The SCTP and SASP will furnish a list of prizes and places very shortly, so take the time now to register your team at the link below and we will handle the rest! Once your team is registered, it will take approximately 48-72 hours and you will be on your way to forwarding the link and website for supporters to place orders and help your team with funding!

Coaches, once you have registered your team, you will be able to set up your athletes and track their progress and total sales volume related to each athlete (salesperson)…..you can put up individual prizes and contests for your athletes as well!

We would like to thank Florida Indian River Groves for their support and help in providing this awesome

Opportunity to our teams, athletes and families!

Best of luck,

Your SCTP and SASP National Directors

TO RESERVE A SPOT IN OUR FUNDRAISING PROGRAM, TEAMS WILL REGISTER AT THIS FORM:

To view a sample website, which shows available varieties, selling prices, etc., coaches may use this link:

(Note: This is NOT to be distributed by your membership or used for ordering. Each team will receive their very own, fully customized website, with a different link for online ordering.)

Sample Link: https://www.floridaindianrivergroves.com/ecommerce/1020824

Order Deadlines Are As Follows:

For Guaranteed Delivery Prior To:Orders Must Be Placed Online By:
Thanksgiving (November 26, 2020)Friday, October 30, 2020
Christmas (December 25, 2020)Tuesday, December 1, 2020

© Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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.