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SPP Southwest Winter Regional Hosted by Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit

Written by SSSF Staff on February 20, 2015. Posted in SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit hosted the Scholastic Pistol Program's Southwest Regional Match on Saturday, February 7 at the Gun Smoke Range in Snook, Texas. This first regional match of 2015 saw 27 squads comprising 115 athletes from 12 teams from around the country. Sending squads for the match were the Alabama Privateers (AL), CC Top Shots (TX), Dripping Springs (TX), North Texas Hot Shots (TX), Red Dawn Raiders (TX), South Texas Shooters (TX), Southeastern Illinois College (IL), Straight Shooters (AZ), Team Gotta (WA), Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit (TX), U.S. Military Academy – West Point (NY), and the U.S. Naval Academy - Annapolis (MD).

See our photo gallery of the Southwest Regional Match below

The match included some special events in keeping with being hosted by a military unit. BG(R) Joe E. Ramirez, Jr., Commandant of Cadets, started the match by signaling the firing of the Corps' new 105mm howitzer. During the lunch break, athletes and guests were treated to a show of force by three AH-64 Apache helicopters. The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets successfully defended their title to repeat as College Centerfire champions, while the team's Maroon squad took the College Rimfire title. South Texas Shooters Squad 1 won the Senior Centerfire title, and Team Gotta (WA) won Senior Rimfire. Among Junior squads, South Texas Shooters (TX) squad 3 were the winners. Divisional winners include: College Centerfire:

1st – TAMU Corps of Cadets (CCMU) (TX) 2nd – USMA (West Point) (NY) 3rd – USNA (Annapolis) (MD) College Rimfire:

1st – CCMU Maroon 2nd – CCMU White Senior Centerfire:

1st – South Texas Shooters (TX) squad 1 Senior Rimfire:

1st – Team Gotta (WA) 2nd – South Texas Shooters (TX) squad 2 3rd – Dripping Springs (TX) Maroon Junior Rimfire:

1st – South Texas Shooters (TX) squad 3 2nd – South Texas Shooters (TX) squad 5 3rd – Red Dawn Raiders (TX) Strikers High Overall Awards

Junior Rimfire - Ethan Inocando, South Texas Shooters 3 Senior Rimfire - Adam Thomas, Team Gotta 1 Senior Centerfire - Domingo Quintanilla, South Texas Shooters 1 Collegiate Rimfire - Chandler Lewis, CCMU Maroon Collegiate Centerfire - Anthony Veith, West Point CWT Junior Rimfire High Lady - Katy Allen, South Texas Shooters 5 Senior Rimfire High Lady - Annie Unsell, Alabama Privateers Senior Centerfire High Lady - Abigail Hanna, South Texas Shooters 1 College Rimfire High Lady - Naomi Boyer, CCMU Maroon The Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit (CCMU), at Texas A&M University also created a new trophy to be presented each year at the SPP Southwest Winter Regional for the top high-scoring Service/Senior Military Academy centerfire team. The trophy will be known as the Easley "Deadeye" Award, which is named in honor of A&M graduate Brig. General Claudius M. Easley, US Army. Our thanks to Mary DuBuisson for sharing her photos of the event.

Help MidwayUSA Foundation Create a Tagline

Written by SSSF Staff on February 20, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

If you are an active team with the MidwayUSA Foundation, they want your help! The growth of the Team Endowment Account Program has been phenomenal, but they want to offer their financial assistance to even more teams. In an effort to continue branding the MidwayUSA Foundation and support more teams, they want to develop a tagline and are asking for your ideas. A tagline is a short phrase (5-7 words) that can quickly explain or clarify what an organization does. In their case, MidwayUSA Foundation offers sustainment funding to youth shooting teams across the nation. Submit your suggestions to MidwayUSA Foundation by March 9, 2015, and if they choose your team's suggestion, the Foundation will add $1,000 to your Team Endowment Account. Remember, the tagline should help people to quickly understand what MidwayUSA Foundation does. Click here to offer your ideas for a tagline.

Apply for 2015 SSSF / NRA All-Scholastic Team

Written by SSSF Staff on February 6, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

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:

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)

Jacksonville Southeast Spring Invitational College SCTP Shoot

Written by SSSF Staff on February 6, 2015. Posted in SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

College teams are invited to Jacksonville, Florida for an upcoming college regional tournament hosted by Jacksonville Skeet and Trap Club. The Jacksonville Southeast Spring Invitational College SCTP Shoot will be February 28 through March 1 at Amelia Shotgun Sports in Yulee, Florida. For more information or pre-registration, contact:

DDobsonpvb@aol.com

Fundraising: Participate in SCTP and SPP Promotions

Written by SSSF Staff on February 6, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

This is part of a series of posts on fundraising for SCTP and SPP teams.

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 Announces SCTP Sponsorship

Written by SSSF Staff on February 5, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

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.

Learn About International Trap at Introductory Clinic

Written by SSSF Staff on February 5, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Shooters 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:

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.

MidwayUSA Foundation Provides Over $1.4 Million in Grant Funds

Written by SSSF Staff on February 4, 2015. Posted in SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

The MidwayUSA Foundation has wrapped up another successful grant cycle, and 475 youth shooting teams -- many of whom are SCTP and SPP teams -- will be receiving funds to use for team expenses. The total payout was over $1.4 million, the largest grant cycle to date for the Foundation. Dick Leeper, MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director said, “These grant funds will help over 15,000 athletes continue their passion for shooting sports. Many teams rely on these funds to help pay for ammunition, targets, entry fees, travel to shoots, and more. It is our hope to see more teams apply and receive grants in the future.” Grants are provided through the Team Endowment Account Program, offered by the MidwayUSA Foundation. Teams with a balance in their Team Endowment Account are eligible to apply for a grant once per year by completing the MidwayUSA Foundation grant application. Grant deadlines are June 15 and December 15, and teams can receive up to 5% of their account balance. The MidwayUSA Foundation is a public charity, founded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield, working to sustain the shooting sports industry by providing permanent funding to youth shooting teams. They can grow their Team Endowment Account through soliciting private donations, which are currently matched 1:1, earnings, and conducting fundraisers. For more information about the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. and its Team Endowment Account Program, please visit www.midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.

SSSF, Project ChildSafe® Partner on Firearm Safety Education

Written by SSSF Staff on February 3, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is joining forces with Project ChildSafe to help promote responsible firearm handling and storage.

“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

Written by SSSF Staff on January 23, 2015. Posted in SCTP Blog, SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

This is part of a series of posts on fundraising for SCTP and SPP teams.

Just 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.