Want to learn more about the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SAS)? Then, click here to check out the SASP DVD. This two-hour educational video is geared toward coaches, parents and athletes interested in getting started in the SASP. The video covers all aspects of the program including safety, equipment selection, action shooting fundamentals, coaching new athletes, the SASP competition format, season planning, and much more!

The SASP invites College SCTP Nationals participants to also take part in the Ohio State SASP Match that same weekend of Oct. 28-30, 2016. Both events will be held at the Cardinal Center Campground and Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. “The SCTP college teams that are attending College Nationals at the Cardinal Center can also form an SASP team and compete with us that weekend,” Tammy Mowry, SASP national program director, said. “They will be able to join as an SASP team and then register for the SASP match on the SHOT system, like they do for the SCTP match.  This will give teams more opportunity for competing during this weekend.” Don't hesitate. Register to take part in both events on the SHOT system!

The Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), a Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) member state, continues to set new records for participation each year. For the 2016 season, SCTP athletes in the Hawkeye state fired upon 1,852,750 clay targets in the course of competition. This total represents a 700,400 target increase over the 2015 season. Much like other traditional sports, Iowa’s clay target league consists of face-to-face competition led by local volunteers with events happening the first of September through the end of May.  In all there were 518 league matches conducted at 65 different shooting facilities supporting the 100+ SCTP teams across the state. League play in Iowa is facilitated by the SSSF’s Shooting Organization Technology (SHOT) system, which provides coaches with the registration, league and shoot management tools needed to navigate the season smoothly and efficiently. The Iowa DNR serves as state advisor for both SCTP and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) and has invested in these programs since 2006.  The Department provides ongoing program administration, shooting coach education and staffing for the state championships and other major events.  When the department took up the program in 2006 there were about 400 student athletes involved.  Today there are almost 3,400.

“We are excited to see the continued growth of the shooting sports in Iowa,” said Chuck Gipp, director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “The shooting sports play an important role in connecting Iowa’s youth with the outdoors. This program is successful because of the local volunteers who spend countless hours recruiting and coaching our youth in these sports, and without them the popularity and growth of this program would not be possible.” As state advisor, the Iowa DNR is supported by the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program, Inc. and by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s SCTP staff members. "With close to 2 million targets thrown at over 60 clubs, Iowa remains one of the leaders in SCTP activity across the country,” said Carlton Nether, SCTP western region director of development. “With the continued support of the IDNR, SCTP looks to continue its growth in the state, across the western region and the entire US." The league season in Iowa culminated at the SCTP state championship events during the month of June.  The championships attracted over 2,200 athletes over four separate weekend events totaling over 3,200 entries to conclude the in-state season. Many Iowa teams continued on to compete successfully at the SCTP national championships in Marengo, Ohio, July 9-16. Complete results for the Iowa state championships and other SCTP shoots around the country can be found at www.sssfonline.org then navigating to the results section of the website. About the SSSF The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 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. SCTP was developed as a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) until the SSSF was created in 2007 to operate the SCTP. In 2012, SSSF created the SASP and became the managing foundation of both programs. For more information about SSSF, visit www.sssfonline.org.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) would like to encourage teams to share their 2016 Nationals stories with their local news media outlets. The SSSF has written 57 individual press releases highlighting all of the championship coverage from Marengo, Ohio. These press releases are easily downloadable, so you can simply email the coverage to your local news team, along with your photos from the event. If your team gets coverage, please let us know by sending us a link at info@sssfonline.com! Click here to follow the link to all of the 2016 Nationals Press Releases and download the copies you need.

Coaches, your team has a great opportunity to start the new season out with a regional shoot in Tennessee.  The SASP will be holding its SE Regional on Saturday October 1, 2016, in Huntingdon, Tenn., at the Carroll County Shooting Sports Park.  Then stick around after the shoot for the SASP Tennessee Fundraising Banquet at 6 p.m., catered by Mallard’s Restaurant. Registration for the shoot will be available on the SHOT system.  For Banquet information, contact Rick Leach at rleach@sssfonline.com. Tickets for the banquet are $35 and a portion of the ticket sale are given to the team selling the tickets.

Several SASP Nationals participants returned home from the event last month with not only great new memories and friendships, but with new guns as well. Congratulations to our SASP National Raffle Winners:

1. GLOCK 30^th Anniversary Pistol (Serial Number 30USA18) – Jerry Glazebrook
2. Set of Action Target Steel – Pete Moleski
3. Volquartsen Superlite – Shane Phillips
4. Smith & Wesson M&P Pro – Mike Lavalee
5. Smith & Wesson M&P Pro – David Keil

Thanks to all the teams that participated in selling raffle tickets!! The 2016 Nationals were held July 9-16 at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. The event drew 2,369 competitors from 34 states to participate in trap, skeet and sporting clays through SCTP, and action rifle and action pistol events through SASP.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) would like to thank and recognize our generous donors and Supporting Members from June and July! Your support and contributions are critical to helping our programs put more young smiling faces on ranges across the country! The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) public charity. To find out how you can get involved supporting the SSSF and its programs, please visit www.sssfonline.org/donate Champions’ Roundtable Donors for June and July Platinum Level Larry and Brenda Potterfield Bronze Level Joe Greve Brass Level Kemble duPont E Stan Kidd New SSSF 500 Club Supporting Members for June and July Please join us in welcoming the following Supporting Members to the SSSF 500 Club of inaugural supporters. For more information or to become a Supporting Member and becoming part of the elite 500 Club please visit sssfonline.org/donate. Louise K. Terry, FL Christopher D. Hodgdon - Life Member, KS Rick Leach, WI Thomas Bub Edwards - Life Member, TN Ed Fitzgerald, GA Dan Hathaway, OH Paul Pluff, MA Douglas Koenig - Life Member, PA Eric Hauck, KY Denis Karnosky - Life Member, WI Larry Blount, AZ Paul Fertitta, FL Sherry Kerr, AL William Robert Faeth IV, IA Kevin & Edward Jacobson, WI Brad Jordan, IN Doug Owens, IA Robert C Pratte, MO Terry D. Wagner, VA Thomas M. Yost, CT Earl Moses, TX Gail Moses, TX Cheryl Tilly, AZ Gerald Gevedon, KY Randall L Harred, TX Lorin M. Spak, IL Mike Brazzell, TX Robert C. King, VA Paul Gordon Blair, IN New Gun Club/Range Supporting Members Gulf Coast Clays - Naples, FL New Annual Fund Donors Carson Caudill, TN William Marquardt, IL New Operating Endowment Fund Donors William Nordhausen, FL

Ankeny, IA - Fourteen coaches from five different Iowa Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) teams attended a unique training opportunity with world champion action shooting competitor and coach, Manny Bragg (www.mannybragg.com). The course was hosted by the Dragoon Chapter Izaak Walton League and Central Iowa Scholastic Shooters and sponsored by the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program, Inc. Coaches spent two days on July 26-27 learning the fundamentals of shooting accurately at speed, and more importantly, how to coach those fundamentals to SASP athletes shooting rifles and handguns. Coaches spent the first day in a blend of classroom and range time reviewing fundamental shooting skills such as grip, presentation to the first target, accuracy, trigger control, transitions and the mental game. Day two was spent role-playing, diagnosing and troubleshooting common errors action shooters encounter and practicing useful drills and coaching techniques to develop the proper skill sets. “This is just one more step in creating a great experience for our youth and the shooting sports” said Brian Hood, head coach for the Central Iowa Scholastic Shooters and board member of Iowa SCTP, Inc. “As coaches we have the responsibility to first promote and train firearms safety, secondly sportsmanship and the desire to compete.  With the new knowledge and skills provided by Manny we can better help our athletes excel with proper coaching.”