SCTP’s Myles Walker Earns Way to World Cup in Azerbaijan

SCTP’s Myles Walker of Elkhorn, Wisconsin earned top honors in Men's Trap at the 2015 Spring Selection Match, earning his way to his first-ever World Cup in Gabala, Azerbaijan on August 14. The match was held in Fort Benning, Georgia, April 9-12. Walker was one of the four athletes who made the National Junior Team last summer as a result of his performance at the SCTP National Championships for international disciplines held in Colorado Springs. Walker's Spring Selection Match win came on the heels of his having helped earn Lindenwood University its 12th straight Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Collegiate Clay Target Championships in March. Walker was the leader coming in to this Selection Match and maintained that through another 250 targets, two finals, and a shoot-off. Congratulations to Myles Walker, and good shooting in Azerbaijan!
Kemble du Pont with members of Kansas City Crushers

Kemble du Pont Completes Term on SSSF Board, Expresses Continued Support

Kemble du Pont with members of Kansas City Crushers
SCTP Nationals 2014
(L-R) Eric Reglin, Clay Moniot, Kemble du Pont, Pierce Hodgdon, Aaron Wilson
As SSSF Board Member Kemble du Pont completes her three-year term, she expressed her continued support for the Foundation and its student athletes. "It was a privilege for me to serve a three-year term on the SSSF Board of Directors," said du Pont. "The board members are a serious group of strong supporters of the shooting sports, and I was very pleased and proud to have the opportunity to become more involved. "I am a strong supporter of the mission of SSSF, that of youth development through the shooting sports. As many people may know, my company offers a special program for financing a youth gun purchase to help make the cost of entry more affordable for more young athletes, and this popular program continues. I am also actively supporting several SCTP athletes like Will Hinton and teams such as the Young Guns, Kansas City Crushers, and Brookline Shotgun Sports in return for their efforts on behalf of my company." She continued, "Due to the demands on my time, I had to make the tough decision to not stand for re-election to the board this term, but du Pont / Krieghoff continues to be a strong supporter of SSSF and the SCTP! I hope at a future time I might again be able to find the time to participate on the Board of Directors." The entire organization offers its thanks to Kemble for her generous support of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and her contributions as a board member the past three years.
SCTP Texas Regional

SCTP Holds First Texas Regional Championship

SCTP Texas Regional The Allen Eagles Competitive Shooting Team and Fort Worth Claymores Shooting Team boosted their team endowment accounts last month with big winnings of $9500 at SCTP's first Regional Championship in Texas, the Clay Bustin' Bonanza. The athletes enjoyed two days of skeet, trap, and sporting clays at Ellis County Sportsmans Club. The Allen Eagles won the tournament, earning a $4,000 first-place endowment. They won an additional $1,000 for the high overall individual score posted by Lake Bishop and $500 for Hunter Alford's runner-up finish. The Fort Worth Claymores also earned a $3,000 endowment as the second-place team, plus $1,000 for first place in the Flurry. Congratulations to the winning teams and to our Texas athletes for their first Regional Championship!

Make Your Plans for 2015 National Championships

The biggest events of the year are on the 2015 calendar for SCTP and SPP, and your year won't be complete if you don't participate in at least one of them! Registration is now open for SCTP team registration through the SHOT system and for SPP teams.

View the National Championships Program



Save these dates for our 2015 SCTP and SPP National Championship events:
July 13-18SCTP National Championships (American)Sparta, IL
July 13-18SPP Junior/Senior National ChampionshipsSparta, IL
July 27-Aug. 2SCTP National Championships (International)Colorado Springs, CO
In 2014, each discipline experienced record-breaking participation in its national events, and we're expecting nothing less at this year's championships. More than 2500 student athletes participated in the National Championship events in Sparta, Illinois alone. In addition, the national championships are the largest source of endowment fund contributions to team accounts for both SCTP and SPP. Below is the schedule for each discipline at the SCTP-SPP Junior/Senior National Championships in Sparta:
    Sunday, July 12 - Registration Monday, July 13 - Skeet, trap handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Tuesday, July 14 - Skeet, trap handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Wednesday, July 15 - Skeet, trap handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Thursday, July 16 - Skeet, trap handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Friday, July 17 - Trap, skeet doubles, pistol Saturday, July 18 - Trap, skeet doubles, pistol
Mark your calendars for these important events -- don't miss them!

SPP Collegiate National Championship Title Changes Hands for 3rd Year in a Row!

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West Point Cadets Take Top Honors

The Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) held its 2015 Collegiate National Championships on March 21, with nearly 20 squads from nine schools vying for titles in both the Varsity (centerfire) and Junior Varsity (rimfire) divisions. The United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) hosted the event at Fort Benning's Krilling Range in Georgia. Schools competing this year were Eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, University of Florida, Florida State University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, Southeastern Illinois College, University of Vermont, and United States Military Academy at West Point. The Cadets from West Point took first place honors in the Varsity Division, outshooting powerhouse Texas A&M Corps of Cadets by a score of 188.04 to 190.11. The 2.07 winning margin is one of the closest finishes in SPP history and sent the coveted Daniel C. Hodne Trophy to a new home on the Hudson River. The University of Florida Centerfire Squad 1 outpaced the Kentucky Wildcats to take third place. In the Junior Varsity Division, West Point took its second title of the day over a strong runner-up Michigan State Green Squad, with Texas A&M Maroon Squad coming in third. "The United States Army Marksmanship Unit Action Shooting Team looks forward to the chance to interact with students and host the Scholastic Pistol Program's College Nationals every year,” said SFC Michael J. Buss, Action Shooting Team Chief, USAMU. “Our world-class facilities get our team ready for matches around the country, as well as sharpen soldiers' marksmanship skills through training. These young shooters are the future of the sport and only add to the excellence demonstrated every day by soldiers on Fort Benning." “The USAMU has been a great partner in helping grow SPP as well as the future of our sport,” said Scott Moore, SPP National Director. “They have been gracious enough to support SPP on several projects. Krilling Range has become a second home for us!” You can see full results from the SPP Collegiate National Championships on our Match Results page.

See photos from the SPP Collegiate National Championships

Photos by the Alabama Privateers, who assisted the SPP staff at Collegiate Nationals

Project Childsafe

New Project ChildSafe Video: “How to Talk to Your Kids About Gun Safety”

Project Childsafe Sometimes gun-owning parents who live with firearm safety every day take for granted that every member in the family knows age-appropriate rules about gun safety. But if you haven't had "the talk" with the children in your home, they may have questions that haven't been addressed. The conversation is equally important for families who don't have firearms in the house. Their children are just as likely to have questions about guns, and at some point, they will be in homes or other areas where they may come into contact with guns. Project ChildSafe has created a new video, "How to Talk to Your Kids About Gun Safety," to help parents have that important conversation. The video stars army veteran, champion shooter, and mom Julie Golob. Watch the video, and please share it with your friends and social media connections.

2nd Amendment Youth Leadership Conference Planned During NRA Convention

For anyone who is planning to be in Nashville for the annual NRA Members Meeting and Exhibits next week, here is an event you won't want to miss! The inaugural Second Amendment Youth Leadership Conference, planned for Friday, April 10 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, will feature special guest speakers and the opportunity to learn more about the Second Amendment. Geared specifically toward the next generation of Second Amendment activists, this one-of-a kind event will be an exciting opportunity for students and recent graduates to learn how to become an effective advocate on their campus and in their community! Among the speakers scheduled to address the youth conference are Chris Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director; Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina; Phil Bryant, Mississippi Governor; and Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Congresswoman. Attendance is free, but due to the anticipated interest in this event, pre-registration is strongly encouraged. College students who attend will receive a free, one-year NRA membership, along with opportunities to win prizes and admission to the annual meeting.

Learn more and register for the 2nd Amendment Youth Leadership Conference.



Hillsdale College Wins ACUI Division 3 Clay Target Championship

ACUI Team The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team has brought home its third ACUI Collegiate Division 3 National Clay Target Championship in four years, winning the title at the recent ACUI event at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas. This year, over 600 shooters representing 73 colleges competed in the ACUI Clay Target Championships, including 34 teams in Division 3. Joe Kain and Drew Lieske competed in the International Skeet event and made the finals, with Joe finishing fourth. In the International Bunker Trap event, Jordan Hintz and Clay Moniot made the finals and would finish second and third. The team portion of the week started off a little tough, with sporting clays scores that did not meet shooters' expectations. Schreiner University showed they would be tough competition for the Chargers early in the week. By the end of day 3 and the International Skeet event, Schreiner was up by 11 targets. Day 4 would see the Chargers come back through the International Wobble Trap event. Clay Moniot led the team with a 96/100, and the entire Schreiner lead was erased, giving Hillsdale a one-target advantage. In addition, Casey Inks and Anna Pfaff would finish first and second in the Ladies Division. Both teams shot identical scores in the day 5 American Skeet event, with Kie Kababik leading the Chargers with his first perfect 100/100. Sunday is American Trap day, and Hillsdale has never failed to shine on this last day of the tournament. Both Kie and Clay would shoot perfect 100's. In a pool of 13 perfect scores (that included six shooters from 11-time Division 1 National Champions, Lindenwood University), these two would outlast all the others through two rounds of shoot-offs. Clay would finish the day perfectly, with Kie just one target behind to go first and second overall for Men. Casey would also add a 99/100 to the team score and seal the National Championship for Hillsdale College. She dropped just one target in the Ladies shoot-off and would take second overall for Ladies. With perfect 100's in both American Trap and Skeet, Kie Kababik would take top honors for all shooters in Combined American events, and Clay Moniot, with his great trap scores, would take top honors for Combined Trap events. Jordan Hintz and Drew Lieske made 2nd Team All-American. They are the first Chargers to attain this level. "Great senior leadership from Joe Kain and Jason VanDeWeghe helped the team create the focus required to excel on the final day of the tournament," said coach Mike Carl. "It was a total team effort that led to a seven-target victory over second place Schreiner University." Coach Mike Carl and Adam Burlew have seen the team through great growth this year. Congratulations to the Chargers Shotgun Team for a job well done and representing Hillsdale College (and SCTP) so well. -- Reported by Perry Hintz

Plan Your Lodging for Nationals in Sparta

If the SCTP-SPP National Championships in Sparta, Illinois are a part of your team's plans for this year -- and why wouldn't they be? -- it's a good idea to start considering accommodations for the week of July 13-18. To make it easier for you to know your options, especially if this will be your first trip to the Sparta area, we have some resources for you. We've accessed a Google map that shows lodging in the vicinity of the World Shooting & Recreational Complex, so you can not only see your lodging options, but also where they are relative to the complex.

See local lodging near the WSRC




In addition, the World Shooting & Recreational Complex offers 1001 camping sites for those of you who want to stay right on the premises in an RV or tent. Click the link below to learn about the WSRC campground options and to access online reservations. You can also make campground reservations by calling Sherry Flowers at the WSRC, 618-295-2700, ext. 486.

See WSRC campground options




Don't know when you need to be there? Below is the schedule for each discipline:
    Sunday, July 12 - Registration Monday, July 13 - Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Tuesday, July 14 - Skeet, sporting clays, pistol Wednesday, July 15 - Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Thursday, July 16 - Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol Friday, July 17 - Trap, skeet doubles, pistol Saturday, July 18 - Trap, skeet doubles, pistol

SSSF Names DeBergalis and Wade to Board of Directors

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) has named two new members, Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr. and Mark T. Wade, to its Board of Directors. The new members assumed their roles this week at the board’s annual meeting in San Antonio. DeBergalis, of West Seneca, New York, is a board member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), where he chairs the NRA Education and Training Committee. He is also Vice President of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association and is active in many other shooting organizations. Wade is the Managing Principal of Echelon Wealth Strategies, LLC in Westfield, New Jersey. He has been an active member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association for more than 30 years and is a Life Member of the National Sporting Clays Association and National Skeet Shooting Association. “We are most fortunate to have Joe and Mark as our newest members of the Board of Directors for the SSSF,” said Louise K. Terry, Chairperson of the Board. “They both bring to their positions on the board substantial background and experience in business and the shooting sports that make them great additions to our team.” Also at this week’s meeting, the Board of Directors held its annual election of officers. Louise K. Terry was re-elected as chair, and Ed Fitzgerald was elected vice chair, replacing Michael Hampton, Jr., whose term expired. In 2014, Eric Tarbox of Gorham, Maine, was elected to the Board of Directors, bringing his experience working with youth programs as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America to the SSSF. Other board members include Louise K. Terry, Michael Hampton, Jr., Denis Karnosky, Ed Fitzgerald, Paul Pluff, Thomas Edwards, and Carlton Nether. Leaving the SSSF Board of Directors following completion of her term is Kemble du Pont. “We want to thank Kemble for her years of service and contributions to our shared interest in youth development through the shooting sports,” said Terry.

© 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.