Seven SPP athletes and four coaches participated in Scholastic Pistol Program's first-ever Junior Olympic Development Camp last week, July 2-6, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Shooters and coaches came from teams in Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, and Florida.
SPP is the official feeder program to USA Shooting's Sport Pistol and Rapid Fire Pistol programs. Those in attendance were able to spend time in the classroom and on the range with our coach, Russ Doucette, and Olympic athletes Teresa (Meyer) Chambers, Keith Sanderson, and Kerry Morris.
"We appreciate the help and support of the OTC staff and athletes who provided us with help and support throughout the camp," said Tammy Mowry, SPP Program Manager. "We're excited that our athletes and coaches were able to learn more about USA Shooting's pistol disciplines. This was an outstanding event, and we're already looking forward to the next one."
Coaches and athletes may think there's nothing to do at Nationals other than shoot your match for the day or watch others shoot. Au contraire! There's plenty to keep you busy and entertained -- and shooting -- all week. Here are just a few things to consider:
Rifle Side Match - This year we will offer a special Rifle Side Match, sponsored by Ruger and hosted by Pheasants Forever. Not only can you have fun shooting .22 rifles, you may even win one! The match winner will take home a Ruger 10/22 rifle, and there will be drawings to give away three more.
Special Pistol Shooting Clinic - PARA USA Professional Shooter, Travis Tomasie, will be hosting two clinics on Wednesday, July 16 at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on the pistol berm. You don't want to miss this!
SCTP Shooters: Try SPP - Give SPP competition a try. There will be loaner guns available and likely some open time slots. Check with registration at the pistol berm for openings.
Winchester Coaches' Shoot-out - Coaches and adult volunteers can shoot daily, Monday through Friday, in the skeet-trap Make-a-Break. See the event program for details.
Shotgunning Demonstration by Dave Miller - CZ-USA's Dave Miller will do fun shotgunning demonstrations on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 2:00 p.m.
And More! - Check the event program for more information on side games, demonstrations, evening events, and other activities. There's something to do every minute!
As if shooting in the year's biggest event isn't reward enough, Scholastic Pistol Program competitors will have the opportunity to win guns and gear in random drawings during the upcoming SPP Junior/Senior National Championships. In addition to each SPP competitor receiving a shooter's bag worth over $60 in goodies from our sponsors, SPP will draw for almost $20,000 in donated prizes! Here are some of the items we'll be giving away:
3 PARA USA Pistols
2 Beretta Neos Pistols
Glock Pistols
Mossberg 715T - .22LR Rifle
5 Americase Pistol Cases
Brownells Shooting Accessories
NextLevel – SITR Training Laser Pistol
Otis Technology Cleaning Systems
And for lady shooters - a special Browning Pink Buckmark Pistol
In addition, you could win one of four Ruger 10/22 rifles by participating in our special Rifle Side Match, hosted by Pheasants Forever. Each registered SPP athlete will receive one (1) ticket which is good for three (3) 10-round magazines for the Rifle Side Match. Additional tickets can be purchased for $5 each. The fastest time will win a free Ruger 10/22 rifle, and each entry will be eligible to win one of three (3) additional Ruger 10/22 rifles. The more you play, the more chances you have to win! Limit one free gun per person.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), the not-for-profit organization that powers the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Pistol Program, has launched a new fundraising initiative for 2014-2015 to fuel the foundation’s mission. The fundraising effort will offer four different ways for supporters to participate: the SSSF Annual Fund, the Champion’s Roundtable for major gifts, Scholarship and Operating Endowment Funds for designated donations, and the Legacy Society for donors who wish to include SSSF in their estate plans.As part of this initiative, SSSF is proud to announce that Larry and Brenda Potterfield, founders of MidwayUSA, have been named “Founding Life Diamond Members” of the Champion’s Roundtable, which recognizes donors who have made major contributions to our mission. “Our Foundation is blessed to have strong leadership support from Larry and Brenda, whose generosity has allowed us to significantly grow our programs,” said Louise K. Terry, Chairperson of the SSSF Board of Directors. “We hope there are many other supporters who will find a level of giving that suits their circumstances and will join Larry, Brenda, and the SSSF Board members to ensure the future of our great programs.” Larry and Brenda are also Charter Members of the SSSF Legacy Society, which honors our donors who have included SSSF in their estate plans through deferred gifts. “We invite other donors to follow the leadership of Larry and Brenda and join them in support of our mission to develop the leaders of tomorrow who will perpetuate the future of youth shooting and be good stewards of our Second Amendment rights,” said Dan Hathaway, Director of Foundation Development. Click on the Donate page to learn more about how your gift can help SSSF stay on target. Your current gift may be completed online. To learn more about making a planned gift, contact Ben Berka, President & Executive Director, at donate@sssfonline.com, or 515-201-8395.
Remington Arms will be giving away two guns at the upcoming SCTP - SPP National Championships, and any competing athlete or coach can win one of them! The two prize guns are a Remington Model 783 bolt-action rifle and a PARA Expert .45 pistol. For your chance to win one of these guns, all you have to do is stop by the Remington Store on Vendor Row. Show them the orange wrist band you'll be getting in your shooter's bag, and you can register to win.
Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is pleased to announce the 2014 recipients in our SSSF Scholarship Program. Forty-two SCTP and SPP student athletes will each receive a $1000 scholarship. Athletes who graduated from high school in 2014 and will enroll in college this year were eligible to apply for the scholarships. Awards are based on SCTP/SPP participation, academics, need, and other factors. 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 donated $10,000 to provide 10 scholarships, and the National Skeet Shooting Association and National Sporting Clays Association (NSSA-NSCA) contributed another $10,000 for 10 awards. SCTP National Fundraising Banquets provided $15,000 for 15 of the scholarships. NRA funded a $1000 special scholarship and will present two more $1000 scholarships to winners of the "Last Competitor Standing" competitions at the upcoming National Team Championships. Of the six scholarships being awarded to SPP athletes, five are being funded by a donation from Smith & Wesson, while another is being funded by a $1000 donation from HiViz Shooting Systems. Congratulations to the following 2014 scholarship recipients:
Have you ever been to an event when the weather took a wet turn, and you wondered if the show would go on, or if there would be a delay, or if you should stay at the hotel -- or what? Most of us have, and it isn't a fun predicament. Although we've requested perfect weather during the upcoming SCTP - SPP National Team Championships in Sparta, IL, we're offering a text alert service that will allow us to keep you posted -- just in case. We'll also make daily announcements about events, schedule changes, opportunities to win prizes, and other things you should know. This is strictly an opt-in service using an app that will protect your number and automatically delete it on July 21. In fact, we will never even see your phone number, so you don't have to worry about it being used for anything else. You can also opt out of the service at any time during the event. This a free service provided by SSSF; however, you should check your cell service plan to determine if there would be a charge from your provider for several text messages each day. If you'd like to opt in for our Nationals text alert service, just click the button below.
It's official: the 2014 National Team Championships at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL, will be the largest one in our history! With five days remaining in the registration period, we have blasted through 2013 registration numbers, which were also record-setting. More than 2200 athletes, representing more than 170 teams, at least 26 states, and over 3800 event registrations, have signed up. In SCTP alone, the registrations account for 688,500 targets to be shot! For the Scholastic Pistol Program, its second National Championship will experience a 50% increase over last year. If you haven't registered, there is still time. Check out our National Championships page to find registration information, schedules, and most everything else you need to know. See you in Sparta! Updated July 10, 2014
If you want to know anything about the upcoming National Team Championships, chances are, it's in the event program. So we've now posted the National Championships program for you to use as you're planning your SCTP or SPP team's trip to Sparta.View the National Team Championships Program The program is presented in a handy flipbook format so you can click right through, beginning to end, without downloading -- unless you want to. You can also click on any ad to go straight to the sponsor's website.
Twenty-eight SCTP teams in Arizona, representing over 1,000 athletes, will benefit from a recent $340,000 donation to their endowment accounts with the MidwayUSA Foundation. The Phoenix-based conservation organization Wildlife for Tomorrow made the donation. “The mission of the MidwayUSA Foundation is closely aligned with that of Wildlife for Tomorrow in Arizona," said Steve Hirsch, President of Wildlife for Tomorrow. "Youth education concerning wildlife conservation and outdoor pursuits is central to our activities, and we are proud to work with the MidwayUSA Foundation to provide for endowment accounts to support youth shooting sports through Arizona’s very successful Scholastic Clay Target Program."
Dennis Fogle, Arizona Game and Fish’s Shooting Sports Coordinator, leads the state’s SCTP program and said, “We would like to personally thank Wildlife for Tomorrow for their generous donation. These endowment accounts are key to a sustainable future for youth shooting sports in Arizona and the country. Without their support, the Arizona SCTP would not be the same, and we are grateful.” Active teams, like the 28 Arizona teams that will receive this donation, are eligible to draw a grant each year to assist with team expenses, such as ammunition, range fees, travel, uniforms, and more.
Steve Hirsch added, “These programs not only foster appreciation for outdoor pursuits, they establish a tradition of involvement in wildlife conservation activities that will far outlast these youth shooters’ participation on their teams. The endowments established by the MidwayUSA Foundation have greatly assisted Wildlife for Tomorrow to fulfill our mission of furthering the North American model of wildlife conservation in Arizona.”
To learn more about Wildlife for Tomorrow, visit www.wildlifefortomorrow.org.
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.