Posted By admin on April 27, 2021

By Amy Cawley (17)

Whenever we talk with new shooters about Trap or Skeet, my father always says Skeet is the more difficult of the two to learn, but the easer to master.  This makes a certain degree of sense.  Targets always come from the same place (the high and low house), and will always fly the same speed and trajectory, crossing at the center stake (assuming no wind).  It is this consistency that can lend itself to shooting some good scores – with the right kind of effort and preparation. I hope that some of the tips I provide can help get you to a point where you are no longer just attempting to break clays, but confidently and comfortable doing so.

PRACTICE:

There is more to practice than shooting full rounds one after the other.  Walk onto a field with a specific purpose in mind. Sometimes the purpose is just having fun, and that’s OK – shooting clays should be fun.  But to really progress in the sport here is what helps me. I always have a specific goal that I work to achieve that day.  Think about each of the fundamentals – foot position, hold point, look point, break point, follow-through, and so forth.  For example, making sure my foot positioning is consistent every time I walk onto the pad or, staying in the gun and following through each time I shoot.  Practice in such a way that you can review and digest it later.  Shoot a full box on one station if there is something specific you are working on.  Use an orange cone or stack of clays placed one-third of the way to the center stake to reinforce hold points. Focus on the process, not the result.  Another key component of any shooting activity is your mindset. Your mindset is something that can make or break how you shoot for that day, somake sure you start on a good note. A big thing for me was changing “I have to shoot today” to “I have the opportunity to shoot today”. It was a slight change that made a world of difference. It can, however, be a little tough sometimes to appreciate the “opportunity to shoot” in the winter (especially Western New York winter!), so just do your best.

Following a practice day, it’s always good to reflect. For the sake of your mental game, I choose to always start with the positives that went well that day. After that, for every negative, I do my best to think of two more positives. They don’t have to be huge victories, but just something to help remind yourself that your mistakes don’t define you. It is also a good idea to keep a shooting journal so that you can track how you have progressed.

COMPETITION PREP:

When preparing for a skeet competition there is a lot to take into consideration. These preparations can take place anywhere from months before the event to right before your squad goes out on the field.

Months:

You want to decide if you want to do big tournaments, small ones or both. If you do choose to compete in a larger one and hope to do well, you need to come up with a training plan. This may consist of scheduled practice dates and times, workouts, and deciding the right kind of food to fuel your body. These things should be taking place months before so that your body and mind are conditioned to compete at that higher level.

Days:

If you pre-registered for the event, verify your assigned field and shoot time. Always check – never assume!  You should also be watching the weather so that you can prepare and dress accordingly.  Pack a small duffel bag with extra clothes in case it rains or is colder (or warmer) than forecasted.  Clean your gun and make sure the right choke is in the barrel.  Completely unpack and repack your shooting bag to make sure you have everything you need.

Right before:

Get to your assigned field early.  If there is another squad on the field ahead of you it is a great opportunity to see how the targets are flying and what they look like against the background.  Before the start of your first round take a few minutes to walk the field.  Stand at each station and look to your expected hold points for that station.

Find a landmark such as a tree that will help you confidently find that hold point each and every time during your rounds.  Grab two of your squadmates and check the targets again. One of you should be on station 1, another at 4 and the third at 7.   One and Seven are watching their bird to ensure it flies true over the center stake and lands close to the boundary marker.  The person at Four is checking that a pair crosses at the center stake and would pass through the hoop if it was there.  This is the time to ask the referee for an adjustment if something doesn’t look right.  When everyone is ready to go, double-check your safety and enjoy the round.

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Another thing that is very valuable on the skeet field as well as the other discipline is how you choose to react to a missed target. It is very easy to let that one target get to you, but as I’m sure you have seen that often leads to another lost target. Shooting is a mental game and dwelling on a missed target will promote a poor mindset for the rest of that round.

In skeet your first miss requires you to take your option target. It is very easy to quickly go from your miss, right into your option and make the same exact mistake you just made. Make sure you have a routine that has become subconscious for when you miss. An idea for this might be to take a step back, close your eyes, take one deep breath and reset. When we miss our coach reminds us we must do something different when you execute the next shot. Always think positive, practice with your goals in mind, and watch your scores go up!

Author Profile:

Amy Cawley is a High School Junior and currently resides in Western New York.  She shoots Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays with the A&B Clay Busters team in the Scholastic Clay Target Program, as well as her high school Trap team in the High School Clay Target League.  She is an NRA Level 1 (Junior) Shotgun Coach. Amy is a also a  staff writer for Junior Shooters magazine and manages their Instagram page.

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Posted By admin on April 3, 2021

Prickly Pear shooting cowboy fast draw. Feature article inside.

YES! Junior Shooters print magazine is now available free in a on-line 2-page format and as a download. All you need to do is go to » ARTICLES (juniorshooters.net) 

Volume 42 Spring 2021 issue

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Category: Action Pistol, Airgun, Associations, Clay Targets, Clubs & Teams, CMP, Events, Hunting, Mags & Pubs, Miscellaneous, Modern 3 Gun, Olympics & USA, Pistol / Revolver, Plinking Fun, precision shooting, Product Reviews, Rifle, Safety, SASP, SASS, SCTP, Shotgun Sports, SSSF, Uncategorized | No Comments »
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Posted By admin on March 30, 2021

Submitted by Vickie Stuart, Texas Hill Country Shooting Team

The Texas Hill Country Shooting team earned first place overall in the precision team competition for the Round 1 Qualifier during the 2020-2021 American Legion Postal Competition. Results were announced on Feb. 1, 2021, with all individuals firing a 3×20 course of fire. Their combined score of 2355-167x edged out Patriot Shooting Club of Virginia 4-H, whose members recorded a score of 2342-155x, and Lincoln Rifle Club Junior Division 1, which earned a score of 2340-143x.

Texas Hill Country Team

Elizabeth Probst (15), brought home the first place Individual medal for the State of Texas.

Along with the team score, Texas Hill Country team member and high school freshman, Elizabeth Probst (15), brought home first place Individual for the State of Texas and earned second place National Individual honors, firing a 595-50x.

Other firing members of the team also brought home individual awards. Freshman Kayla Riewe fired a 588-39x, earning a third place Individual for the State of Texas and 13^th Nationally. Sophomore Braden Peiser (587-42x) was fourth Individual for Texas and 14^th Nationally, and Freshman Meredith Stuart, (584-36x) earned sixth place Texas Individual and 29^th Nationally.

A total of 49 teams competed with 247 competitors from across the Nation. The team will compete for the second round of competition on April 1, 2021.

Round 2 of the American Legion Postal runs from Feb. 15 to April 1, with the top 15 athletes from each discipline competing at the National Championship in July. To learn more, visit the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/youth/american-legion/ or the American Legion site at https://www.legion.org/shooting.

If you’d like to find your local club, visit the CMP Competition Tracker Page at https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index.php?do=clubSearch to become involved.

Have an article to share or want to highlight your CMP Affiliated Club?  Send us your photos, reports and articles to highlight in The First Shot – email abrugnone@thecmp.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

A Note from the CMP: At the CMP, we are not only dedicated to an increasing number of those involved in marksmanship within our own programs but are also devoted to supporting the efforts of those who are creating their own legacies in their own ways. Our Club News articles are our way of displaying the successes of our clubs, in the hopes of encouraging others to take the same respectable paths – both in marksmanship and in life. We are proud of our clubs for all of their endeavors and are honored to show them off within our news feed. 

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Posted By admin on March 23, 2021

Left: Ruger New Vaquero in .357 Magnum with SASS cowboy action shooting specifications. Right: Ruger Wrangler in .22 Long Rifle (LR)

Ruger Wrangler, the Perfect Training Tool.

If you’re looking at this article, you are either a junior shooter, or you have been one at some point in the past. You have either been bitten by “the bug” of shooting sports just recently, or its DNA has settled in your bloodstream many decades ago. You are either someone in need of direction, or someone who has volunteered his or her time in the pursuit of helping others in the shooting sports world.

Recently I have come across a “tool” in the firearm’s industry that is so much fun; something that is equally fun, whether you are new to firearms or someone who has been around them a long time. Something that is well designed and engineered, reasonably priced, is an excellent training tool, and, most importantly, has a very high “fun factor”.

This is where the Ruger Wrangler comes in for those of us in the single action cowboy world. (See the Cerakote Wranglers in the pictures below) This particular firearm is by far the best training tool I have seen to date that mimics the feel and function of its big brother the Ruger Vaquero. (See the polished stainless steel Vaqueros below) Seldom does a “sister and clone” firearm come along that feels so much like the original that it makes perfect sense to own one. Of course a sister and clone is an almost exact replica of the original. It is something that allows you to work with it in such a way that you can develop your skills and at the same time, not put wear and tear on the original. Something that is less expensive to operate. Since the Ruger Vaquero is the single action revolver that I use and probably one of the most popular such handgun’s in our sport, it wasn’t until the release of the Ruger Wrangler in September of 2019 that the possibility of having such a practice tool even existed. Many reviews and YouTube videos’ have already been done about this .22 revolver, but nothing specific on this point as a training tool in the cowboy action world has been discussed.

Since I spend most of my time these days in the sport of cowboy action shooting, I am going to spend the majority of my time in this article with reference to that discipline. This of course is the world of

Left: New Vaquero, SASS Right: Wrangler The rear sights are very similar as are the hammers. The hammer on the New Vaquero is slightly wider.

SASS. (Single Action Shooting Society). This is the world that most, if not all of you were actually exposed to in the beginning of your firearm training. Not exactly the entire sport of cowboy action, but rather the tactile learning to operate a single-action firearm. This is the kind of firearm that requires the operator to manually manipulate the firearm to load one cartridge at a time. The feeding of that firearm could have been from a rotating cylinder, a tube magazine, a rotary magazine, or a cartridge holder like a belt or pouch on your person or nearby. It could have been a bolt action rifle, a break-action shotgun or in this case, a single-action revolver.

Firearm manipulation, the ability to develop muscle memory about which a particular firearm works in your hands takes a ton of practice. It takes dedication, persistence, patience, repetition, and a mature mind-set. It is not something that can happen over a short period of time. It is not something that can happen during a single season. It is something that can only be accomplished with hundreds if not thousands of hours. Something that needs to be practiced in all types of lighting and weather conditions, and then just when you think you have mastered it, something new occurs and you realize that even more effort is required. Not to mention that it is a skill that is “perishable” and must be revisited and practiced regularly to maintain a high degree of proficiency.

In the world of cowboy action, the revolver is always loaded with five rounds, not the six that there is room for in the cylinder. This is how the revolver was carried during the 1800’s. As a result, that is how we load it in our sport. This is the beginning of the manipulation of the firearm. Loading it in such a way that there is no live cartridge under the hammer before it is placed into a holster. In addition, our sport requires that you carry and manipulate two revolvers during a course of fire, also known as a stage. So as a result, just to begin with, being proficient with these single action revolvers requires the operator to load two handguns properly, and then holster them properly.

Because the Ruger Wrangler is essentially the same size as the Ruger Vaquero, (See photos) the fit and feel of it in your hand is going to be very close to the Ruger Vaquero. Of course the Wrangler is a .22 Cal long rifle cartridge firearm and the Vaquero is a .38 Cal. Cartridge firearm. This is where the financial savings is seen. The Wrangler is priced at less than half of

A pair of Wranglers in front and a pair of New Vaqueros in back.

what a Vaquero is priced at. Typically the Wrangler can be purchased at around the $200.00 dollar price point. And since in the cowboy world, you will need two of them, that price point is perfect for a firearm training tool. Not to mention the obvious savings on the cost of the ammunition.

Something else to think about, in the world of cowboy action, depending on the style you choose; traditional (One handgun at a time fired with both hands), duelist  (one handgun fired with one hand one gun at a time), double duelist (one handgun fired one at a time, using each hand) or lastly, gunfighter (both hand’s firing both handguns simultaneously) transitioning in and out of the holsters is done on the clock. That means that your ability to move efficiently during these movements actually has more to do with being fast then pulling a trigger.

The Ruger Wrangler works perfect for “dry fire” and transition training. This is something the cowboy’s do a lot, not only “off season” but before matches. Because the physical dimensions of the Wrangler are so close to the Vaquero, replicating the draw stroke, (removing the handgun from the holster) is essentially the same. With the center of gravity, grip frame size, and barrel length nearly identical, the practice with the Wrangler almost completely replicates the Vaquero. This of course is as true on the return or holstering the Wrangler.

Even the reach for the hammer with the opposing thumb is nearly the same. In the photos, you will see that the “race guns” (Polished stainless steel SASS Vaqueros) with slightly lower and wider hammers, set up to SASS specifications are a very close match. Although you cannot see the trigger reach and travel, I will tell you that in my opinion, they are not so far off that it makes a huge difference under the stress of cowboy action shooting.

Also, in our sport there are many side matches. One “side match” in particular involves the use of a .22 caliber single-action revolver. It is called the 22 speed pistol event. This is typically a single gun, five round event.  The shooter starts with the gun in hand and the barrel resting on a table top while in a standing position. On the clock, the shooter shoots at one or more steel targets as fast as possible. Five rounds fired in about two seconds is not unheard of. Once again the Wrangler is the perfect tool for this event.

Johnny Patriot and daughter Blue Fire

Although I have not talked to the design engineers at Ruger, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone along the way said this would be a perfect training tool for the Vaquero owners out there. It is my opinion that there isn’t a better sister and close to the Vaquero than the Wrangler. I think that if you have the opportunity to get behind one of these revolvers, you will be of the same opinion. It is the perfect beginning pistol for the Buckaroo or Buckerette in your world, and the Buckaroo or Buckerette inside all of us.

Happy Shooting,
Johnny Patriot, SASS #97665
V.P. Oregon Trail Rough Riders
Idahocowboyaction.org

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Posted By admin on February 16, 2021

Shooting tips from junior shooters Instagram page.

“The biggest thing that I have learned from shooting would be to stay calm. If you miss a target, let it go and focus on the next one. Just take it one target at a time! See it, feel it, and trust it.” -Chantry Stermer (17) Bunker Shooter – USA World Championship Team

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Posted By admin on February 13, 2021

Ashley Rumble (18)

Circling around the hill and over the ridge.

For three years I have been attempting to get a deer.  Each time I thought that we would be successful, but we had no luck.  With the help of someone that had the resources and experience, it finally happened.

In the spring of 2019, my dad and I met Rick Brazell, the head of First Hunt Foundation, at a meeting where we swapped phone numbers and hatched a game plan for the coming season.  Some may remember Rick from a previous story where he assisted my dad and I with our successful turkey hunt.  After that, we began to plan for a deer hunt.

As October neared, I was provided a Savage AXIS XP rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.  As with any game, I wanted the shot to count, so I then went to the range to make sure I had the rifle sighted in and get used to it.  I’ve used Savage rifles before and know them to be reliable, and the 6.5 rarely lets you down.

Late October finally arrived, and it was off to North Idaho with high hopes of finally getting my first deer.  I had a general youth tag that allowed me a buck or doe Mule deer and white tail. However, the area we were hunting limited me to only white tail buck.  I also had a doe draw for the same area for both mule and whitetail as well.  We wanted to keep our options as open as possible.

Rick Brazell, head of the First Hunt Foundation with Ashley and her first deer.

We met up with Rick and laid out the plan for the day.  It was still early in the day, so we had plenty of time to get where we needed to be and set up for the evening feeding time.  Deer usually come out twice a day, in the morning and the evening, while during the day they bed down to digest. With that info, we headed out to an area Rick thought we would find what we were looking for.  We were going to be hunting on private property, so it was important to get permission before hand.  Thankfully, it was already taken care of, but we figured the landowner would still want to meet us, so our first stop was his house.

The landowner Joseph was a very nice and knowledgeable man who gave us a few tips and showed us where he was going to let us hunt, and off we went.  The wind was really picking up by this point, and I was getting concerned about how it would affect any long shots I might have to deal with.  I decided to keep them close if I could.  About an hour into our hunt, we came into a herd of mule deer on a hillside the looked accessible. We set up and I took a shot at one of the does, but I unfortunately missed.

We circled around a hill to another field and went over a ridge where we saw another doe all alone.  This one was a white tail. We decided to see if we could cut her off.

However, we pressed on and went over the ridge where we saw a lone apple tree that looked promising.  Just as we got to the tree, we saw where my doe had gone.  She was now with several others, and a buck.  This buck I could take, so that is where I settled my efforts.  He was a nice six point and it was not going to get much better than this.

Again, the wind was in our faces, so our noise and smell would not carry so much to them.  I set my rifle on a tripod that Rick had and tried to calm down.  It could not get any better than this, so I had to make it count.

We were 175 yards apart, and I was confident that I could make the shot. I waited for the buck to turn broadside to me, and that seemed to take forever, but that is part of the process. Then he finally moved to where I could make the shot and I got my breathing level, took my time to aim right, and pulled the trigger.  I saw his head jump up and I thought I had missed again, Rick insisted that I had not. The buck took ten steps and was down.

The walk over to him seemed to take forever.  I kept expecting him to jump up and run off, but nothing happened.  When we got to him, Rick told me to poke the deer to make sure.  Rick had done this a few times, and walked me through the whole process of field dressing a deer.  It was not anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be, and I had cleaned a turkey last fall, so I had some experience, but a deer is much more involved. First thing I learned was I did not have a good knife.  It was too big, so we used Rick’s knife.  Lesson learned for next time.  Next is to be very careful not to nick anything that could potentially ruin the meat.  After about thirty minutes, it was time to pack out. Fortunately, we had access to an ATV.  We were about a mile from the pickup at this point, and he was not a lightweight. Having the ATV was a huge time saver, as we were losing light very quickly.

After we got it back to the house, we skinned it and cleaned the head in preparation for the euro mount I had planned.  The next day we still had a whole day to hunt to fill my dad’s tag, or my second one, but we needed to get home.  We thanked Rick for his hospitality, and his help, and made our way back to Boise.

After we were home for a few days, I was able to take the head to Swanson Skullery in Emmett, ID to have the euro mount done. They have a deal were any junior can bring in their first big game harvest and Swanson’s will do the cleaning process for free.  A few weeks later, I got the finished product back, and it was perfect. It took a long time and a lot of help from others for me to get my first big game harvest.  I am grateful to all of them for the effort they put in to help me out.  It was a great experience and I cannot wait to do it again.

As far as any advice, I would have for others trying for their first game animal.  Find a good mentor that knows the ropes.  Have good boots, a good knife, lots of patience. and be ready to walk a lot.  Most of all, enjoy the time in the mountains, and have fun.  What happens out there you will remember the rest of your life, so enjoy it.

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Posted By admin on February 11, 2021

Shooting tips from Junior shooters Instagram Page.

“Sit down, close your eyes and visualize the course of fire you are about to shoot. You want to program every sight picture on every target, every transition, all your movements, foot placements, and position.” -Morgan Rose Leonhardt (13) Stage Programming – Competitive in USPSA, 3 Gun and 2 Gun.

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Posted By admin on February 10, 2021

By Amy Cawley(17)

Anthony, Dominic and Vincent Basile are three brothers from Rochester New York who share a passion for clay target sports.  Two years ago, they were shooting on the Hunters Tour sporting clays league when shotgun coach Bob Broderick approached the boys and their father and asked if they might be interested in joining a Scholastic Clay Target team.  At the time the A&B Clay Busters consisted of one athlete and one coach. Their response was an immediate “yes”, and the Clay Busters could now legitimately call themselves a team.  The boy’s enthusiasm was contagious, and they spread word at their local club how great the program was. The team has since grown to 10 athletes with the expectation to grow even larger.

Anthony Basile has gotten quite a lot out of the Scholastic Clay Target Program over the past two seasons.  “I have learned how to operate on a team and how to learn from my mistakes,” says Anthony.  He hopes this year to improve his focus and confidence throughout an event, specifically sporting clays. Anthony in the past has taken first place for trap in the SCTP state championships and hopes for many more wins in the future.  When Anthony isn’t shooting you can find him doing computer programming, robotics or working on 3d design.  Following high school Anthony plans to attend college and pursue a career in 3d design and animation.

Dominic started shooting at the age of 12 along with Anthony.  “When I broke my first target, I instantly became addicted to the sport,” says Dominic.  When asked what he thought the toughest part about shooting was for him, he said “staying consistent was the hardest, as well as treating every opportunity to shoot as an opportunity to learn”.  These are key components that Dominic has chosen to focus and improve on this Scholastic season.  In addition to shooting Dominic has a passion for physical fitness and health and hopes to take this passion into the medical field later in life.

Vincent has been following in his older brothers’ footsteps and has progressed extremely well.  The 14-year-old took first place in skeet, second place in sporting clays and third place in trap at last year’s Spring Competitions.  His goals this year include developing a pre shot routine, meeting new people and going to the SCTP nationals in Ohio this year.  When asked why he loves shooting so much his response was simple.  “I can go out to an event or practice and meet lots of new kids” which is a key part of what SCTP is all about.  When Vincent is not out practicing you can find him playing piano or enjoying a good book.  He hopes to attend a music university to study piano performance.

Sharing such a passion for clay target shooting helps keep the brothers close.  “I think the most prominent way it brings us closer is after we shoot.  We often have discussions praising each other’s score, and sometimes laughing at them!  In the end, we always share tips and tactics to help everyone become a better shooter.” says Dominic.

The boys all look forward to competing in the 2020 national championships in Marengo, Ohio and hope to place well.   But more importantly they want to have fun and meet new people.  They also want to specifically recognize the SCTP and thank them for all of the great things they are doing for young shooters.  “Overall, it is an excellent program that has done a lot.  I hope that it continues to grow in numbers and become more widely recognized” says Anthony.

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Category: Clay Targets, Clubs & Teams, Events, Hunting, SCTP | No Comments »
Tags: civilian marksmanship program, Clay Busters, cmp, competitive shooting, competitive shooting programs, Foundation, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learn to shoot, learning to shoot, Olympics, plinking, SASP, Scholastic, Scholastic Action Shooting Program junior shooter, scholastic clay target program, sctp, shooting, shooting sports, SSSF, usa shooting, youth shooting, youth shooting sports

Posted By admin on February 8, 2021

Shooting tips from junior shooters Instagram page.

“You have to come up to the starting line with a game plan, stay focused and don’t let a bad string get in your head. Keep pressing on and aim for high goals so you hold yourself to high standards.” -Dalton Grabarczyk (16) Speed Shooter – Competitive in SASP

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Posted By admin on February 4, 2021

With the recent addition of international air disciplines to the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), Arizona teams were eager to participate in the USA Shooting Arizona State Pistol Championship on Tuesday December 29^th at the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa, Arizona. Many of these SASP athletes had competed in action shooting matches for years but were new to international-style pistol matches.  With only one month to prepare, three teams practiced for the event, with ten athletes choosing to compete for the State Championship.

With years of muscle memory tasked for speed, these young action shooting athletes had to slow things down and hit very precise shots at the Olympic 10M pistol event.

Instead of multiple steel target arrays, international-style pistol matches require the athletes to shoot from the standing-position, one-handed at a target with approximately a one-inch “10-ring”, located 32’ 9.7” away. The equipment the athletes use and method of match preparation is also very different from action shooting. Olympic air pistols were borrowed, practices scheduled, guns zeroed, familiarization with the rules and new performance routines were learned by these athletes.

Congratulations to University of Arizona WildGats President, Julia for her 1st place finish. Second place went to Theodore from Straight Shooters. Third place went to AJ K from the Venture Crew shooting team, Baden-Powell.

When the athletes are on the firing line, coaching is not allowed, so coaches must properly prepare their athletes ahead of time with the full knowledge they are going to need during the match.

Currently, 46 states have USA Shooting rifle matches and 30 states have USA Shooting pistol matches.  With SASP’s addition of 10 Meter Air Rifle, 10 Meter Air Pistol and Sport Pistol, youth athletes throughout the country can experience the excitement of team-based shooting sports in both the wildly exciting sport of action shooting and the disciplined precision of international air disciplines.

As the Official Youth Feeder Program for USA Shooting, the SASP gives opportunities, including Junior Olympic Development Camps for young athletes to pursue their Olympic dreams. With the recent addition of Jim Henderson as the SASP Director of Development for International shooting, the SASP is demonstrating its commitment to create more shooting programs for our youth. Henderson stated that he will, “bring more youth to the fun side of precision shooting.”

About the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. The SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.

The mission of the SSSF is to provide and enhance personal growth and development opportunities for student athlete members; become the premier authority in all things pertaining to firearm-related pursuits for youth; pass on to future generations the legacy of lifelong, safe, responsible enjoyment of the shooting sports. This includes serving as a feeder/pipeline for organized, sanctioned shooting organizations and teams.

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Posted By admin on January 18, 2021

Shooting tips from junior shooters Instagram page.

“You have to shoot against your own personal best and averages when competing. Constantly comparing yourself to others can be discouraging, so you have to just focus on your own shooting. Try to beat your personal best rather than the score of others.” -Kadie Anderson (15) Shotgun Shooter – Competitive in NSSA

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Posted By admin on January 10, 2021

By: Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has announced the top performers of its Monthly Match League competition series for the 2020 season.

Over the four Monthly Matches fired this year (March, September, October, November), a total of 550 entries collectively entered competition at the air gun ranges of the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Ohio and the CMP South Competition Center in Alabama. Monthly Match events include a Junior 3×20 Air Rifle Sporter, Junior 3×20 Air Rifle Precision, 60 Shot Air Rifle Standing and 60 Shot Air Pistol.

The Monthly Match League names the top three outstanding participants from an average of each individual’s Monthly Match scores from repeat attendance. The first three places receive plaques for their performances, and places one through five collect monetary prizes based on the number of entries. The Most Improved competitor, with the highest margin of score progression, is also recognized with a signature plaque.

Earning the overall spot in the 3×20 Precision Match was Natalie Perrin, 18, of Coopersville, Michigan, with an average score of 595.0. Following in second was Jacob Day, 15, of Columbus, Georgia, squeaking above third place competitor Douglas McWhorter, 17, of Springville, Alabama, by only three-tenths of a point – scoring 586.3 and 586.0 averages, respectively.

Leading the competitors at each Monthly Match are awarded medals for placing at the top of the results list and each location.

Most Improved competitor of the 3×20 Match was Victoria Petersen, 18, of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Perrin also led the 60 Shot Rifle event, with an average score of 621.0. Julie Klusmeier, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio, overtook second with a score of 613.2, with Angus Babcock, 17, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, landing in third over the field of nearly 270 total entries.

Grayson Ellis, 14, of Anniston, Alabama, mounted a difference of 38.7 points to be named the Most Improved competitor of the 60 Shot Rifle Match.

In 3×20 Sporter, Trinity Sandoval, 14, of Piedmont, Alabama, led overall with an average score of 515.8. Fellow Piedmont resident Devyn Chapman, 14, followed in second place and was also the Most Improved competitor, with a score of 506.5, as Ditsy Werner, 16, of Kennesaw, Georgia, earned third.

Out of over 60 entries in the 60 Shot Pistol event, Lauren Herrington, 31, of Buford, Georgia, earned an average score of 518.5 to claim first, with Renay Woodruff, 48, of Alexandria, Alabama, firing a score of 503.8 for second. Alun Deniston, 63, of Bowling Green, Ohio, rounded the top three competitors with an accumulative score of 495.5.

Ashleigh Smith, 15, of Cement City, Michigan, was the Most Improved competitor by a difference of 50 points.

The CMP’s Monthly Matches will return Feb. 6, 2021, at the Ohio and Alabama locations. Visit the CMP web page (https://thecmp.org/ranges/cmp-competition-centers/monthly-air-rifle-and-air-pistol-matches/) to view a full schedule and results of the 2020 Monthly Match League.

Photos from the Monthly Matches can be found on the CMP Zenfolio page: www.cmp1.zenfolio.com.

The match is held at the CMP’s South Range in Anniston alongside the event in Ohio.

About CMP Competition Centers:

The CMP’s air gun facilities are open to the public, year-round, and feature 80-point ranges filled with CMP’s own electronic targets. Currently, the CMP air gun ranges are open only by appointment and adhere to state regulations regarding Covid-19 safety.

The South Competition Center in Alabama includes the CMP South Store that is fully stocked with equipment and memorabilia needs. Marksmanship Nights, held weekly at the range for the public, allow visitors of virtually any age and experience level to try their hands at air rifle or air pistol shooting.

The Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Ohio features authentic Olympic and other memorabilia from the career of celebrated American marksman, Gary Anderson. The facility also includes a retail center for equipment and memorabilia needs.

Learn more about the CMP Competition Centers by visiting the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/ranges/cmp-competition-centers/.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

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