SSSF made contributions totaling $44,000 this week to the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. endowment accounts of 14 Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) teams. The teams earned the endowment funds while competing in the Massachusetts State Match on September 13 and the Northeast Fall Regional Match on October 4. The contributions for September and October bring SPP’s total donations to $407,150 to date in 2014. SPP expects to contribute at least $480,000 in total for 2014 through state, regional, and national championship events. SSSF contributes the funds on behalf of the teams to the MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Account Program, which was created to provide sustained financial support for youth shooting teams. SPP teams are awarded endowment funds through participation in sanctioned shoots. Teams with an endowment account can draw an annual grant to help offset team expenses, such as registration fees, equipment costs, and travel. “The MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Account Program has been a great asset in building youth shooting teams," said Scott Moore, SPP Director. "This program also requires the athletes to work toward goals, which is part of the great character-building aspect of the Scholastic Pistol Program and Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation." The teams whose endowment accounts received funds for September and October are:
The SPP Southeast Regional Fall Match in Huntingdon, Tennessee is fast approaching. The match date will be November 8 at the Carroll County Shooting Sports Park. It is open to all Junior, Senior, and Collegiate SPP teams. Both Centerfire and Rimfire (JV) Divisions will be recognized. Endowment funds will be available. Match fee is $25 per shooter. Download the match flyer for more details, or contact Tammy Mowry for registration information.
Washington State Scrimmage Match
Custer Sportsmen's Club in Custer, Washington will host the Washington State Scrimmage Match on November 15. The match is open to all Junior, Senior, and Collegiate SPP teams. It will include all four SPP stages, plus two fun stages for a total of six. The local team will run a free new-competitor orientation the morning of the match. No experience is necessary. Loaner guns will be available for those who need them. The Washington Scrimmage is an informal kick-off event for Northwest shooters interested in SPP. Look for a full-fledged Washington State Championship in 2015. Download the event flyer for more details.
Florida Law Enforcement Explorer Shooting League Inaugural Match
The Florida Law Enforcement Explorer Shooting League Inaugural Match will take place on November 15 at the Talon Range in Midway, Florida. The match is being hosted by the Leon County Sheriff’s Explorer Post and The Rifle Association at the Florida State University. Contact Tammy Mowry for registration information.
Crew 51 Maine Local Match
Crew 51 in Maine will host a local match on November 22, 2014, at Camp Hinds BSA Camp in Raymond, Maine. For registration information, contact Annie Tarbox, annie.tarbox@gmail.com, or 207-200-6814.
As another year starts to wind down, we are inching closer to the MidwayUSA Foundation matching deadlines. Don't miss your chance to double, triple, even quadruple your money! Funds returned to the MidwayUSA Foundation stemming from one of their recent promotions (Zeiss Binoculars, Browning Knife Set, Winchester 280, SKB RS300) by November 30, 2014, will be matched 3:1. Funds returned from previous promotions (Our Family Legacy, Silver Sporting) are matched 1:1. See MidwayUSA Foundation's promotions page for additional details. General donations are also matched. Donate to the team of your choice and your donation will be matched 2:1 by Larry and Brenda Potterfield! Find your team here. Your donation is tax deductible, and 100% of your donation will go to your local shooting team. But hurry -- this match also ends November 30, 2014. According to MidwayUSA Foundation, in 2015 they plan to bring new incentives to your teams to grow your Team Endowment Accounts. They also hope to offer another matching program, but don't miss your chance this year! Donate today!
When you need to contact the SSSF staff, we want to give you the help you need as efficiently as possible. We know that no one likes being passed from person to person in search of a simple answer. To help you get to the right person the first time, please follow these guidelines:
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP)
For any program-related issues regarding SCTP, such as:
Registration
SHOT System assistance
Team, coach, or athlete registration
Username / password help
Contact Amanda Wondrash, awondrash@sssfonline.com, 262-206-4634. For payments, background checks, and all other issues, contact SSSF national headquarters at 210-448-8946.
Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP)
For any program-related issues regarding SPP, such as:
In this country, we take pride in making up days to celebrate anything – donuts, pirates, and even our bosses. USA Shooting knows a good celebration when they see one, and traditionally, that’s been as a result of medal-worthy performances set down by its athletes. But today, 10.9, USA Shooting has claimed the day as its very own. In target shooting, a 10.9 is the mark of perfection, proof that excellence has been achieved. Excellence is a virtue of the USA Shooting Team, so on 10.9 (October 9), USA Shooting has encouraged its community to aim for excellence in all the shots you take in life. "We’re recognizing those moments in time when the ordinary became extraordinary and when jaws were dropped," says USA Shooting. "On this day, and every day thereafter, strive for excellence in all that you do, and may every shot you take in life be in pursuit of the highest mark, your 10.9." While not everyone has shot that elusive 10.9, what’s important is encouraging and celebrating people who help us on that path toward excellence. Encourage someone this week, and be sure to say "thanks" to someone who has encouraged you!
Scholastic Pistol Program, along with NRA and USA Shooting, will offer a Level 1 Pistol Coach School on November 1-2 in Tucson, Arizona at the Pima Pistol Club. The coach school is the heart of the coach education program. The Level 1 pistol coach’s course through the National Rifle Association, USA Shooting, and the Scholastic Pistol Program covers all required coaching fundamentals for pistol coaches in the SPP, in addition to other disciplines of pistol competition. The training is provided by the SPP/NRA/USAS National Coach Development Staff (NCDS). The instructors use up-to-date materials and PowerPoint presentations to present the discipline-specific coach course. The course duration is 2 days with class running from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Candidates should bring eye and ear protection and note-taking materials with them. Firearms will be provided, and the Boy Scout Council will provide the ammunition. Cost of the course is $140, which includes all printed materials, 3-year coaching credentials with the NRA, a binder for your materials, and lunch/refreshments each day. The registration fee includes a copy of the coach student study guide and other materials to help you with the details of coaching. Participants complete an open-book test as homework during the first evening of the course. The test is graded in class, reviewed for understanding, and then submitted to the NRA National Coach Trainer by the school instructor for credential processing. Upon successful completion of the coach school, you will be a Level 1 Coach (or Youth Trainer, if under 18 years old) in that discipline. Pre-registration for the course is required. To register, complete the attached form. Contact Tammy Mowry with any questions.
Carroll County Shooting Sports Park in Huntingdon, Tennessee, will be the site of an SPP Southeast Regional Fall Match on November 8. The Southeast Regional is open to Junior, Senior, and Collegiate SPP teams. Both Centerfire and Rimfire (JV) divisions will be recognized. Endowment funds will be available for this event. The match will be limited to 100 shooters, so register soon!
A new infographic from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) tells the story, at a glance, of the growing number of new target shooting enthusiasts and how they’re surprisingly different from established shooters. The report clearly affirms the premise of the SSSF that our programs present equal opportunity to shooters, regardless of age or gender. Newcomers — defined as those who have taken up target shooting in the last five years — are trending younger and female; also, they are city and suburban dwellers. In these ways, they are quite different from established participants and, as a result, are changing the face of target shooters in America. This influx of newcomers also underscores that the traditional pastimes of handgun, rifle, and shotgun target shooting continue to have a broad appeal to new generations of Americans. Driven by newcomers, target shooting participation has leaped by 19 percent, from 34.4 million in 2009 to 40.8 million in 2012. That’s a 6.4 million increase; by comparison, golf and some other traditional activities have seen their participant base decline by millions. Although they may be different in age and gender, newcomers share one important thing with established participants — their passion for firearms ownership and the shooting sports.
Pistol shooters can now practice the SPP courses at home with a new Dry-Fire Poster offered by Next Level Training. Teamed with a laser training pistol, the 60" x 36" poster lets shooters practice moving target to target while viewing all targets as seen from the shooter's box. Dry-fire practice allows shooters to improve speed and accuracy without ammunition costs and can be done when you can't go to the range. The addition of an inert training pistol eliminates safety concerns. The full-size target costs $24.95, while a half-size version is $9.95. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Scholastic Pistol Program. The company also sells laser training pistols and software for conducting online matches.
We want to know what you think. With our 2014 SCTP and SPP National Championships recently behind us, we want to know how we did. Did we meet your expectations or leave you wishing for more? Were our new features hits or misses? We're already planning next year's Nationals, and you can help us make the events even better by giving us some input.
Didn't go to our Nationals events? We still want to hear from you! There are questions for shooters, parents, coaches, and everyone else who has reason to read this page. We've designed the questions so you can simply click to give your response, but if you have more to say, there are opportunities for you to get it all off your chest. To thank you for your input, we'll be drawing for eight (8) prize packages that will be won by respondents. Prizes include ammunition, logo clothing, and logo gear. Thank you in advance for your help in making next year's National Championships the best ever!
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.
