Apply for 2015 SSSF / NRA All-Scholastic Team

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) and National Rifle Association (NRA) invite all qualified 2015 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) athletes to apply for the SSSF / NRA All-Scholastic Team. “The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation promotes youth development and well-rounded student athletes through our SCTP and SPP programs, and this is just another way we like to recognize our athletes for performance on the range AND in the classroom,” said Ben Berka, SSSF Executive Director. Please note that the application deadlines and some requirements have changed. Requirements for application are as follows:
  • Must be 2015 registered athletes in good standing with SCTP or SPP

  • Must have a cumulative 3.0 grade point average. Applications must include transcript through the last grading period ending on or before April 1, 2015.

  • Must meet one of the following shooting qualifications:
      SCTP (skeet or trap) – achieved 190/200 targets (or equivalent in lesser target format) in a competition between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 OR
      SCTP (sporting clays) - achieved 170/200 targets (or equivalent in lesser target format) in a competition between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 OR
      SCTP (bunker trap, international skeet, or international doubles trap) – achieved 110/125 targets in a competition between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 OR SPP – achieved a total match score of 75 seconds or less in an SPP match between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015

  • Must supply two letters of recommendation from a coach, teacher, or adult third party
Deadline for applications is April 3, 2015.

Download the Application Form (PDF)

Download the Application Form (Word doc)



Fundraising: Participate in SCTP and SPP Promotions

This is part of a series of posts on fundraising for SCTP and SPP teams. Dollar Of all the fundraising activities your team can participate in, perhaps nothing is easier than taking advantage of a promotion offered by SCTP or SPP and our generous sponsors and industry partners. Some of them provide discounted products you would otherwise have to buy at full price for team members to use -- and isn't that like putting money in your pocket? -- while others provide products that you can use for fundraisers such as raffles. Instructions for these promotions are always thorough, and if you do have questions, there is always a staff member ready to answer. Thus, there is very little for you to have to figure out for yourself. You don't have to reinvent this wheel! SCTP has recently posted several programs for 2015, including a start-up package for new teams, gun and ammunition deals from our industry partners, and products to be raffled. Here are some SCTP promotions you can take advantage of today:
  • New Club Startup Package - The New Club Startup program makes it easy for a new club to get started or for an existing club to expand or replace their club guns. The start-up package includes your selection of two shotguns, 2 gun cases, 2 shell catchers, 10 sets of eye and ear protection, 10 over/under shell pouches, 10 range bags with shoulder strap, deluxe gun cleaning kit, and 10 flats of ammo.

  • Beretta Package - The Beretta Package is designed to help teams raise funds and/or help a new or existing athlete on a team with a high quality package of items by Beretta, ranging from shotguns to shooting accessories and ammunition.

  • Firearm Raffle Program - In conjunction with Winchester, SKB, CZ-USA, TriStar, Beretta, and Stoeger, SCTP will provide a shotgun you can raffle to make $2,000 or more for team activities.

  • SKB Raffle - SKB will provide an IS300 shotgun for you to raffle and raise cash. SCTP will also make a contribution to your MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Account.

  • Ammunition Deals - Special pricing on ammunition is offered by Federal Premium/Reeds Family Outdoor Outfitters, Nobel Sport/Zanders, and Fiocchi. The Reeds offer also includes shooting products such as hearing protection and gun cases.

  • CZ-USA Firearms Purchase - Shooters can buy any of several models of CZ-USA shotguns at a special discount offered to SCTP teams.
You can find all the details about each of these offers -- and any others that are added -- on our SCTP Deals and Promotions page. In addition, the Scholastic Pistol Program currently offers special pricing on Fiocchi ammunition. You can find the price list and terms on our SPP Deals and Promotions page. Keep an eye on the page for additional programs that may be offered throughout the year.
Kolar

Kolar Announces SCTP Sponsorship

Kolar Kolar Arms has announced its support and sponsorship of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) for the 2015 shooting season. “We are extremely excited to be part of the program promoting the shooting sports through our junior shooters,” stated John Fournier, Kolar Arms’ Director of Marketing. “We are looking forward to this great relationship and helping the SCTP in their endeavors.” As a result of this sponsorship, some lucky person will win a Kolar Max Low Profile Over/Under shotgun. The winner will be able to exchange the barrels for a different set of either skeet or sporting clays barrels (at no charge) or can upgrade to a trap combo set for an additional cost. The winner will be drawn from tickets sold by teams across the country, benefiting both the SCTP and those teams. “We are very happy to have Kolar Arms joining the lengthy list of industry supporters of the SCTP,” claimed Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “Kolar is a great fit into our program. This will certainly help support not only the SCTP, but also our teams and athletes.” In further support of SCTP, Kolar, based in Racine, Wisconsin, will also be attending the SCTP’s National Championships being held July 13-18 in Sparta, Illinois. This will add to the large number of industry representatives making their presence and support of SCTP and youth shooting felt this summer.
Terri DeWitt

Learn About International Trap at Introductory Clinic

Terri DeWittShooters wanting to learn about International Trap have two opportunities to learn from one of the best -- champion shooter and former Olympic team member, Terri DeWitt. DeWitt will host introductory level International Trap clinics in Florida and Ohio this spring:
    March 17 - 18, 2015 Gator Skeet and Trap, Gainesville, Florida Click for more information
    May 15, 2015 Fairfield Sportsmen's Association, Harrison, Ohio Click for more information
Space is limited in each clinic. Among her many accomplishments, Terri DeWitt has been a 6-time Women's National Trap Champion, a 5-time Women's National record setter, an Olympic team member, and an instructor with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. She is also the Program Manager for the MidwayUSA Foundation.
Project ChildSafe

SSSF, Project ChildSafe® Partner on Firearm Safety Education

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is joining forces with Project ChildSafe to help promote responsible firearm handling and storage. Project ChildSafe“Our shared history with the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation makes this partnership a natural fit, and SSSF’s many student athletes are outstanding ambassadors of safe firearms handling and storage for young people and adults,” said Steve Sanetti, president and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which launched Project ChildSafe in 1999. SSSF is focused on sharing the tradition of shooting sports with future generations. It encourages safe and responsible firearm handling through its team-based shooting training, which allows student athletes to learn, practice, and compete in programs like the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Pistol Program. “With more than 12,000 student athletes participating on over 800 teams across the country, we cannot overstate the importance of safety education as a component of the shooting sports tradition,” said Ben Berka, SSSF’s President and Executive Director. “By working with Project ChildSafe to pass this education through our athletes to their families and their communities, we can foster safe enjoyment of the shooting sports and take steps that can directly help prevent firearm accidents.” NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and encourage proper storage of firearms when they are not in use. Its mission is to help prevent firearm accidents through the distribution of safety education information and free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-style gun lock. Through vital partnerships with law enforcement agencies across the country, Project ChildSafe has distributed more than 36 million firearms safety kits and gun locks to gun owners in all 50 states and five U.S. Territories.

Get a Safety Kit

Click to find a law enforcement agency with gun safety kits available

SSSF joins a growing list of leaders in the hunting, conservation and shooting sports industries that have endorsed and supported Project ChildSafe’ s mission and its message of “Own It? Respect it. Secure it.” More About Project ChildSafe Project ChildSafe is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity supported through contributions from diverse public sources to Project ChildSafe, Inc. To learn more about Project ChildSafe, visit www.projectchildsafe.org. About NSSF The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit www.nssf.org. About SSSF The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is a 501(c)(3) organization supported by contributions from the industry and the public to promote youth development through the shooting sports. SSSF exists to raise funding and other resources for youth development programs in the shooting sports industry. It is responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Pistol Program across the United States. To learn more, visit www.sssfonline.org.

Fundraising for Your Team: Soliciting Donations

This is part of a series of posts on fundraising for SCTP and SPP teams. DollarJust seeing the words "soliciting donations" may make you cringe. For some people, it isn't an easy thing to do. But asking for donations doesn’t have to mean standing on the corner with a cardboard sign. Just like soliciting sponsorships, there is a professional and effective way to ask for donations. Many people who support the shooting sports designate a portion of their charitable donations for shooting-related organizations, and they would be receptive to helping your team if they knew how or even knew you needed their support. The very people who make an annual donation to the NRA, join conservation organizations, or make donations to other youth athletics programs are potential donors to your shooting team. Here are some pointers to make the process less painful:
  • Create a simple printed presentation with all the info potential donors need to know about your team, SCTP-SPP, and your fundraising campaign's goals. This can be as simple as a one-page information sheet you've printed yourself or a little more elaborate, but don't overdo it. Much of the information in it will be the same that you create for sponsorship proposals.

  • Determine how the funds will be used. Will the money become part of the annual operating fund, be used as a donation to your team's MidwayUSA Foundation endowment fund where it will be matched 1:1, or designated for a particular use, such as travel to the National Championship or new uniforms? Include this in your presentation.

  • Treat this as a campaign with a beginning and an end. This will keep you from being in a perpetual state of asking for money, and having a deadline will create some urgency to get the job done. However, make it easy for people to donate any time of the year.

  • You may wish to establish different levels of donations, as with sponsorships, but it might be a good idea to evaluate your prospects the first year to determine how to set these. Consider your own circumstances in making this decision. If you think most of your donations will come in very small amounts, it probably isn't necessary.

  • Publicize your fundraising campaign and your team's activities. Contact the local newspaper, distribute a press release, and use social media. Is there a local chapter of Pheasants Forever, NWTF, NRA, or other shooting/hunting/conservation organization? Its members will almost certainly be interested in your team. Offer to do a presentation at a meeting. Ditto local civic organizations; keep the solicitation very low-key and make it mostly about awareness of your team.

  • Before launching your campaign, create a list of prospects. Since businesses would usually fit into the sponsor category, for these purposes, we're referring to individuals. Include people from your community whom you know to be shooters or hunters, supporters of youth programs, family friends who are interested in your activities, and others from your community. Assign those prospects to someone specific to contact. That way, good prospects won't be overlooked, nor will several members of the team contact the same person.

  • Add a donation button to your team's website and social media pages so people can donate year-round, if they wish. You won't have to process credit cards or have a sophisticated payment system on your website if you use Paypal. Anytime you produce printed materials, direct people to your website. Don't have a website? Google "build a free website" to find many options.

  • Consider using an online fundraising platform, especially if you are raising money for a specific purpose, such as travel to your state shoot or the National Championship. Google "online fundraising websites" for ideas.

  • Make use of SCTP and SPP videos in your presentations. We have short videos that can help you tell the SCTP - SPP story. See our video channel.

  • Be prepared to follow up. In addition to perfect record-keeping, plan to send follow-up acknowledgements for donations.

  • Recognize your donors. Take every opportunity to thank your donors and recognize their generosity. Add a page on your website to recognize your donors by name. If you receive a major donation, you may even want to announce it publicly through a press release, with the donor's permission.

  • If you are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, get advice from your attorney or financial advisor on any fundraising requirements that might apply, such as different accounts for different purposes and record-keeping. Don't risk your nonprofit status by overlooking these requirements. If yours is a school team, make sure to consult with school authorities to stay in compliance.

  • Finally, keep in mind that these are suggestions to spark your imagination. Not everything will be right for your team, nor is this a comprehensive list of everything you should consider. But having a plan and following it does apply to every team. Consider your team's circumstances and opportunities, and get to work.
    Pheasant Fest logo

    Register for Pheasant Fest Conservation Career Fair & Shooting Sports Clinic

    Pheasants Forever invites coaches and youth to its upcoming Conservation Career Fair and Shooting Sports Clinic on February 21, 9 a.m. to noon, during the 2015 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, February 20-22. The event will be held at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Pheasant Fest logoTopics for the clinic will focus on helping your team become more successful on the shooting range, in academics, and through community service. Pre-registration is required. Please use the registration form to register if you plan to attend. Note that limited space is still available, although the deadline on the registration form has passed. "We look forward to providing you the best training we can through dynamic and experienced presenters and panels," said John Linquist, National Coordinator of Pheasants Forever. "We've planned some outstanding educational sessions." Both Ben Berka, SSSF Executive Director and President, and Tom Wondrash, SCTP Director, will be among the presenters. Admission is free for the fair and clinic, and everyone who registers will receive a complimentary day pass to the trade show floor at Pheasant Fest. Every youth in attendance will also a free Pheasants Forever Youth membership. Get more details and register.

    Reloading for Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays: The Right Load

    Contributed by Ron Reiber of Hodgdon Powder Co. This article originally appeared in the December 2014 issue of  Inside SSSF. See the full issue of  Inside SSSF. Ask five shooters what is the right load for clay target shooting, and you will get five different answers. We are not talking about the components that go into the individual load, rather, how much shot, size of shot, and velocity of shot necessary to “always” break the clay target. The truth is, more velocity and more shot are not the answers to the best loads. High velocity means many, many deformed shot at the bottom of the shot column as the shot starts down the barrel. The higher the velocity, the more deformed pellets. Those deformed pellets do not “buck” the air well, and become flyers that skew off in various directions, or slow down rapidly, lengthening the shot string. That means less shot on the clay target. From years working in the ballistics laboratory and viewing shot strings on camera, I have come to see ideal patterns form in the velocity range of 1150 fps to 1200 fps. No matter if it is 1 1/8 oz., 1 oz., or 7/8 oz., patterns are best in this range. How much shot is enough? It depends on the target, but it is a proven fact that no more than 24 grams or 7/8 oz. shot is necessary to cleanly break the most difficult trap targets thrown in competition, that being International Trap Competition. That game started with 1 1/8 oz. of shot and went to 1 oz. because scores were too high. Scores went up, so they decided to again drop the amount of shot to lessen scores. They went to 24 grams (approximately 7/8 oz.), and scores rose again! What does that teach us? The lesser amount of shot is still more than adequate, but recoil has been significantly reduced, and we are better able to keep our heads on the stock, and thus produce better scores. Now apply that concept to using the 1150 to 1200 fps velocity range to load our clay target loads, and we have produced the perfect reload with a shot string of optimum dimension. I tell shooters this is a 99% “head” game, and we need to believe in our gun, load, and ability to place the shot in the right spot! My motto regarding the load is, “It’s not how much you throw, but what you throw and how you throw it.” If I were to start over shooting each of the clay target games mentioned above, I would not be loading 1 1/8 oz. loads, rather for comfort and keeping my head down for correct follow-through, I would load either 1 oz. or 7/8 oz., depending on what my gun patterned the best with the components I had available. The diameters of these patterns are the same as with 1 1/8 oz. but have shorter shot strings due to less shot set-back and less deformation, thereby having just as many pellets contacting the target as the heavier load. Why take the recoil when it is not necessary, and why not save the money on expensive lead shot, when less will do the same? Load 100 rounds of 1 1/8 oz., 100 of 1 oz., and 100 of 7/8 oz. at the same velocity level, pattern them, and then shoot a couple rounds of trap, skeet, or sporting clays. Then see if your scores are not equal to or better than those shot with the heavier loads. Watch how they compare in how the targets break. I believe your scores will be better because you were more easily able to “stay in the gun,” especially for doubles. Less recoil and fatigue does not become a factor toward the end of the 100 rounds. Arguably the greatest sporting clays shooter of all times, George Digweed, shot at 10 crossing targets at 100 yards with standard 1 oz., #7 ½’s, and broke 7 of the 10. He performed this phenomenal feat at the American Shooting Centers in Houston, TX, and it was witnessed by many. Case closed.

    Apply for Scholarship from Positive Coaching Alliance

    Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) invites high school athletes to apply for scholarships that are awarded to those who meet the high standards of a Triple-Impact Competitor. PCA awards scholarships of $1,000-$2,000 (depending on location) to high school athletes, based on their essays explaining how they meet the standard defined in Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor by PCA Founder Jim Thompson:
      Personal Mastery: Making oneself better Leadership: Making one's teammates better Honoring the Game: Making the game better
    Eligibility extends to any high school junior residing anywhere in the U.S. and playing for a high school team or in club sports. Learn more about the scholarship program and how to apply.
    Hank Garvey

    SCTP Shooter Hank Garvey Chosen as Brownells/NRA Youth Shooting Sport Ambassador

    National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassador logoSCTP shooter and USA Shooting National Junior Team member Hank Garvey of Newburyport, Massachusetts has been chosen as one of six representatives for the 2015 Brownells/National Rifle Association (NRA) Youth Shooting Sport Ambassador Program. The program gives NRA’s Co-op Youth group partners -- including Boy Scouts of America, National High School Rodeo Association, Royal Rangers, Venturing (BSA), and USA Shooting -- the opportunity to select the outstanding youth from their organization to represent them. Garvey’s interest as an avid sportsman and as a rising prospect for the USA Shooting Team helped the 16-year-old Garvey stand out among the many junior athletes that applied, according to USA Shooting’s Youth Programs and Coach Academy Director, Mike Theimer. “Our interests are well-represented by the influence this young man can have as a NRA Youth Ambassador,” Theimer said. “He’s well-rounded and as focused an individual as you can find at that age. He has a bright future in our sport, and I’ll be interested to see how he uses his experiences in shooting to help engage others to get involved and participate.” Hank Garvey A sophomore at St. Johns Prep, Garvey’s stock rose significantly throughout the 2014 shooting season, and he is now considered one of the elite double trap shotgun competitors within USA Shooting. He’s hoping to make continued headway in a discipline filled with talent, including current World Champion Josh Richmond, Olympic gold medalist Glenn Eller, and Olympian Jeff Holguin. Competing in his first shotgun match when he was eight, Garvey has been on the fast-track ever since. His success in part has been formed through the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), culminating with his first national title last summer, which led to his appointment to USA Shooting’s National Junior Team. A strong junior competitor, Garvey distinguished himself in 2014 with several “open” accomplishments including a top-eight finish at the Championship of the Americas in Guadalajara, Mexico, a top-five finish at Nationals, and a top-four finish at the recent Fall Selection Match. His performance in Guadalajara also helped earn him the Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) athletes need to be eligible to compete at the Olympic Games. A self-described true sportsman, Garvey enjoys all sorts of hunting including ducks, big game, turkey, bird, and small game. Living near the ocean, he’s developed a fondness for fishing and enjoys boating, catching eels, clams, and lobsters. He also spends his off-time carving decoys, tying flies, and trick shooting, while also volunteering for the local Ducks Unlimited Chapter and banding ducks at the local National Wildlife Refuge. “I feel honored to be selected as a youth role model for my sport and the shooting community,” Garvey said. “I understand this position comes with both tremendous responsibility and opportunity. I look forward to sharing the sport with others while helping to create a greater understanding and awareness for all of the shooting sports. I will uphold the high standard for which our sport should be measured.” Next week during the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s annual SHOT Show, Garvey will attend along with the other ambassadors and will be introduced to industry leaders, interact with sponsors, and engage with the key industry stakeholders. He’ll also attend the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings in April in a similar capacity.

    © 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.