SSSF Completes 2017 Scholarship Cycle

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The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) recently completed its 2017 scholarship program awarding $99,600 to deserving athletes involved in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). Scholarships benefited 109 SCTP athletes and 7 SASP athletes from 24 different states who are heading for higher education. Athletes graduating from high school and enrolling in college  were eligible to apply for this year’s scholarships. Awards are based on SCTP/SASP participation, academics, need, essays and other factors. Scholarships were funded by generous shooting industry sponsors and partners including the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA), National Skeet Shooting Association (NSSA)/National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) as well as supporters and donors who provide support to national SCTP fundraising banquets. Additional scholarships for the SCTP were awarded thanks to special support from Browning and the National Rifle Association (NRA). From 2013 through its 2017 distributions, SSSF has awarded over $300,000 in scholarship funds benefiting over 300 student athletes from 39 different states in the Scholastic Clay Target and Scholastic Action Shooting programs. Watch for details on the 2018 scholarship program on www.sssfonline.org in early March, 2018.  

State Leaders Gather for 3rd Annual SSSF Advisor Academy

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The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) hosted its third annual Advisor Academy September 23-24, 2017, in Milwaukee, WI.  Fifty-one key leaders from 19 states attended the two-day meeting focused on developing state and local level leadership, sharing best practices, and providing “grass roots” input to the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). "It was inspiring to see how dedicated SSSF is to youth shooting and I’m proud to be involved in this year’s academy, said Steve McClure, Shooting Sports Coordinator with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "I left with some great take aways about our SCTP program and look forward to what comes next." “State advisors are the key leaders with our volunteer coaches all across the country,” said Ben Berka, president and executive director of the SSSF.  “Advisor Academy is a perennial opportunity for our state and national leaders to gather in order to evaluate our progress and continue setting our course to put more youth into organized and safe shooting sports programs across the country.” In addition to SSSF, SCTP and SASP national staff and state leaders, this year's Advisor Academy featured guest presentations from Friends of the NRA, MidwayUSA Foundation, the National Rifle Association (NRA), Positive Coaching Alliance and Sportsman's Insurance Agency during the general session.

Register Now for 2017 SCTP College Nationals

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Register now for the 2017 SCTP National College Championship to be held Oct. 27-29,  at the Cardinal Center Campground and Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. See all of the event details here. So, make your plans to attend today. Online registration is now available through the SSSF’s SHOT system. Log into your team account in SHOT system then select competitions tab on the bottom left of your screen. Click on the “Register for Shoots” link, then the National Shoots link to find the event and register your team. Participating teams must be currently registered with the SSSF/SCTP for the 2017/2018 shooting season prior to attending. The event is shaping up to be one of the best in SCTP history and the organization is expecting an impressive turnout. Participants are sure to have a blast, and as a bonus, the SCTP will award over $75,000 to Team Endowment Accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation. To celebrate the Halloween weekend, the facilities will be decked out in “spooktacular” Halloween décor and participants can take part in a Saturday night costume contest. May the best ghoul win! Considered Ohio’s premier public shooting sports facility, the Cardinal Center offers impressive trapshooting and sporting clays ranges, as well as an indoor heated pool, lake for fishing, lots of outdoor activities, and great facilities for family camping, including 400 camp sites, with nine standard cabins and 20 deluxe cabins available to rent. Wifi service is available on the grounds as well. The center is located at I-71 (exit 140) and St. Rt. 61, just 30 miles north of Columbus. For those not keen on camping, there are a number of additional lodging options located within 15 minutes of the Cardinal Center.

NRA Youth Education Summit Expands To Two Sessions In 2018

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NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030

NRA Youth Education Summit Expands To Two Sessions In 2018 Now Accepting Applications For 2018 Sessions FAIRFAX, VA. – The NRA Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.) is thrilled to announce that it is adding a second session of Y.E.S. in summer 2018! This means that double the number of students will be able to experience this life-changing program and develop into strong leaders in their communities. The 2018 Y.E.S. sessions will be held July 9-15 and July 23-29. Attendees will compete for $55,000 in college scholarships through participation in the program's events. Applications are now being accepted, and must be received by Jan. 12, 2018. The NRA Youth Education Summit encourages young adults to become active citizens and leaders of tomorrow by learning about the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the federal government and the importance of engaging in civic affairs. Competitive team debates and casual current events discussions highlight the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of participants while fostering fellowship and respect. The program's nonstop agenda also includes exciting activities and opportunities from meeting with members of Congress and visiting NRA Headquarters to touring historic sites and monuments in the D.C. area and reflecting on the military's defense of American freedoms. "I would recommend this program to anyone," said former Y.E.S. participant Anna Sommers from Burlington, Wis. "It's an unforgettable experience that can't fully be summed up in words. The friends I made and the knowledge I gained on this trip can be found nowhere else. This trip made me incredibly proud to be an American." Students who excel in the week's activities through demonstrating strong leadership, public speaking and debate skills will be awarded up to $15,000 in college scholarships at the summit's closing ceremony. Following the summit, students are empowered to return home and share their Y.E.S. experiences with their communities. By creating a portfolio detailing the impact of those efforts, participants can then apply for the Y.E.S. Grand Scholarship—an additional $25,000 in available scholarships. Thanks to Friends of NRA fundraising and grants provided by The NRA Foundation, more than $540,000 in scholarships have been awarded since the creation of Y.E.S. in 1996. Any high school sophomore or junior in the United States is welcome to apply to Y.E.S. The application process includes a written essay on the Second Amendment, personal statement, transcript affirming a minimum 3.00 grade point average, and three letters of recommendation. The National Rifle Association launched the Youth Education Summit in 1996 to encourage America's youth to become active citizens at both the national and local levels. More than $540,000 in scholarships has been awarded throughout the program's 21-year history. Funding for Y.E.S. is provided through The NRA Foundation from monies raised by Friends of NRA, a grassroots fundraising program in support of the shooting sports. To begin the application process or learn more about Y.E.S., visit https://yes.nra.org. About the National Rifle Association Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit http://nra.org. About The NRA Foundation Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of the National Rifle Association and other organizations. These activities promote firearms and hunting safety, enhance shooting sports, and educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context. For more information, visit the NRA Foundation website at www.nrafoundation.org or call 800-672-4521 for more information. ### Contact: yes@nrahq.org; (703) 267-1351

2017 SCTP College Virtual Match is Underway

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Registration for the College Virtual Match starting on September 11th, 2017 is now open. College teams that are currently practicing and forming can take part in our newest competition! See how you stack up against College teams from around the country in Trap & Skeet! It’s easy and fun! Once your team is registered with the SCTP you can sign in to your account and go to competitions. Once there, click on “national” competitions and then on “2017 College Virtual Match”. After that, click on the discipline you are competing in, Trap or Skeet. Then, pick a squad slot, enter your athletes and write down your squad numbers. You will need them for entering scores each week! Keep in mind, you must enter your athlete’s scores each week and prior to midnight of each Sunday. Scores for the week will be posted every Monday morning! The system will use the top 5 Trap scores and top 5 Skeet scores from each team as your team’s weekly competitive score. Some tips for the virtual match... Designate a score sheet pad as “Weekly Competition”. When an athlete signs up on that pad/score sheet, they are acknowledging that they will be using that score as their competition score for the week. You can do this at any practice you choose but only 1 time per week. Please have the competition score sheets initialed by the score puller and the coach overseeing that “competition” round. After that practice session, log back into the competition interface and click on the tab that says “scoring” and then go to your squad’s and input the scores. This will also help you create a “competition” type of atmosphere for your athletes and get them better prepared for upcoming face to face competitions! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact anyone of us at the SCTP!

Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation Donates Over $800,000 to Benefit SCTP and SASP Teams

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The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) recently donated $835,887 to Team Endowment Accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation. Teams earned funds by raising money through Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) or Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) sponsored fundraising activities and by placing in SCTP/SASP national and regional events. SSSF also matched national governing body fees paid by SCTP teams through the SSSF's SHOT data-system. This donation has benefited 326 teams participating in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across 35 different states. The donations from SSSF to MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Accounts established to benefit SCTP and SASP member-teams are made possible, in part, by grants to the SSSF from the Tulsa Community Foundation Youth Shooting Fund established and funded by the generosity of Larry and Brenda Potterfield. Since 2014 the SSSF has donated nearly $6.5 million to benefit 543 SCTP and SASP team endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation. The SSSF provides SCTP and SASP member-teams the opportunity to earn MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Account funds by participating in SCTP and SASP fundraising activities benefiting local shooting sports communities and through placements in SSSF-sponsored competitions . 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 Account 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. There are no fees associated with a MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Account. About MidwayUSA Foundation The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is 100% tax deductible and supports the mission to help communities and organizations raise funds to support their youth shooting team. For more information about the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc., please visit www.midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.

Colorado Shotgun Coach Class in December

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NRA/USAS/CMP Level 1 Shotgun Coach Course December 2nd & 3rd 2017 Pikes Peak Gun Club 450 S Franceville Coal Mine Rd, Colorado Springs, CO The Level 1 coach school is two days of shotgun-specific lessons and practical coaching exercises designed to teach the coach candidate the basics of coaching beginning and intermediate shooters. Registration is available online at the NRA Training website. For more information download the event information or contact Carlton Nether at 240-460-6457 or CNether@SSSFonline.com or Jennifer Kirchhoefer at 317-258-1311 or JKirchhoefer@SSSFonline.com

SCTP Announces Its First SCTP College Virtual Match!

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The Scholastic Clay Target Program would like to announce its first ever College Virtual match. This match will take place the week of September 11th and end the week of October 16th, running for 6 weeks. Participation is open to all registered SCTP College teams including Division I, II, III as well as 2 year college teams! Colleges can participate in Trap, Skeet or both but must be registered and scored by the end of week 1 or September 17th. Team scoring will be used for this match with the top 5 scores making up that College teams score for the week. Further information will be posted on our website at www.sssfonline.org and the Virtual match will be open for registration very soon! The SCTP College Virtual match will culminate into the SCTP College National Championships which will be held Friday, October 27 through Sunday, October 29 at the Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio. Again, open to all registered SCTP Teams and athletes. See how your College team stacks up against College teams from around the country and all without any travel expenses! Any questions, please contact any SCTP representative for help, or see our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page on the virtual series. We hope to see you all involved in this first ever event…. Tom Wondrash – SCTP National Director

2017 Junior Olympic Development Camp a Huge Success!

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The Scholastic Clay Target Programs (SCTP) yearly Junior Olympic Development Camp (JODC) was another huge success! The camp, held this past August 7th – 13th at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado featured 24 athletes and 4 coaches from 16 states around the country who were selected to attend! These athletes and coaches were able to take part in a camp designed to introduce them to the International Disciplines of Bunker Trap and International Skeet. Athletes were immersed in the day to day work of an Olympic athlete including training at a high altitude, nutrition, hydration and some really good training tips and techniques from Olympic caliber coaches like Terri DeWitt, Joe Buffa and Lance Bade! “What an awesome opportunity for SCTP athletes to gain first-hand knowledge from the likes of these coaches!” Said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “I have been part of these camps for 8 years now and they just keep getting better and better. Thank you to USA Shooting and the summer resident athletes for also sharing their knowledge of the International Shooting sports and to the great athletes and coaches for attending!” The JODC is another example of the doors that SCTP opens for athletes wanting to excel in the clay target shooting sports. SCTP, the official youth program and pipeline to USA Shooting has also started the SCTP / USA Shooting National Team, with Terri DeWitt at the helm as the official Head Coach! Athletes earn their way on to the team by attending and placing in the top 3 spots at SCTP’s International National Championships held each year in Colorado Springs, CO around the end of July. Only members in good standing of the SCTP are eligible for this great opportunity, so why not join now?! Applications to attend this camp are available on our website around the middle of March each year. Coaches and athletes must be members of the Scholastic Clay Target Program to apply. Dedication to SCTP, attendance at state and national tournaments as well as scores shot in the American disciplines are all key factors in deciding who is picked to attend the camps.

Interested in Coach Training?

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Do you have a need for coach certification in your area? If so, please let us know! Several of our SCTP and SASP staff are members of the NRA National Coach Development Staff and can travel to your location to conduct coach certification courses.  NRA Coach Development Schools are the heart of the NRA Coach Education Program. The instructors use up-to-date materials and multimedia presentations to present discipline-specific coach courses. The registration fee includes a copy of the discipline-specific coach school student study guide and other materials to help you with the details of coaching. Upon successful completion of the coach school you will be a Coach (Level 1) (or Youth Trainer if under 18 years old) in that discipline. Once approved, coaches may print their coach certificate and wallet card for their use. What Is Taught In The School? The Level 1 coach school is two days of sports-specific lessons and practical coaching exercises designed to teach the coach candidate the basics of coaching beginning and intermediate shooters. The following general subjects are taught:
  • Introduction to the Coaching Program
  • Safety and Risk Management
  • Competition Events
  • Rulebook use and shooting etiquette
  • Equipment and Facilities
  • Fundamentals of Shooting
  • Coaching Ethics
  • Coaching Methodology
  • Mental Training
  • Training Planning
  • Building Quality Programs
  • How To Conduct Tournaments
For more details or to setup a shotgun coach class in your area, please contact Chet Tuinstra (eastern US) or Carlton Nether (western US). For more details or to setup a pistol/rifle coach class in your area, please contact Rick Leach. For more information on the NRA Coach Education Program, please visit the NRA website.

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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.
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