National
Championships in Ohio Shine Light on Development Programs Where Youth Learn
Important Life-lessons through Competitive Shooting
Award
Winners at a past SCTP National Championship Where Months of Hard Work Pays
Off Photo Credit- Scholastic Shooting Sports
Foundation (SSSF)
Marengo,
Ohio- The sheer numbers surrounding the 2017 National
Championships are staggering and demonstrative of the exponential growth being
realized in competitive shooting sports across the nation. Gathering in
“Buckeye State” this July, almost 3,000 youth from 32 states fired a
shoulder-cringing 1.4 million rounds competing for national titles in shotgun
disciplines.
Ranging in age from 8-23, these youth are members of
either the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), or its sister organization,
the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). Both programs originated and
operate under the auspices of the Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), a “patron
saint” in youth development through shooting sports and sponsor/organizer of
the annual competition held each year at the Cardinal Shooting Center in
Marengo.
Photo Credit: SSSF
Bill Perkins, Southwest Regional Field
Representative for the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), has been
involved with the program since its inception in 2012. “I started as a team
coach, later became the State advisor and have been a Field Rep for the past
two years.” You might say that Perkins teaches the teachers. “I am one of our
National trainers so I have taught hundreds of adults the Coach curriculum for
our program for years.” It is through this association with the SASP that Perkins
has witnessed first-hand transformations in the lives of the young athletes who
participate. “The shooting sports, like any competitive program teaches the
elements of sportsmanship, fair play and the importance of hard work. I have taken shy and introverted youth with
zero firearms experience and helped them become confident responsible athletes.”
According to Perkins, a significant part of these
two programs is youth development. “These young men and young women learn
important life skills while doing something fun.” But it’s not without a lot of
hard work. And in competitive shotgun shooting, “hard work” means busting clay.
A staggering 6.3 million clay targets were thrown during just the SCTP season
alone!
The two programs together make up the largest youth
shooting program in the country represented by over 16,000 young athletes from
45 states, a 119% increase since 2013. Ultimately, the same growth experienced in
the hunting/shooting sports overall is now being realized for thousands of
youth thanks to the work of organizers like Bill along with the great number of
volunteers that make it all work. “They are essential. They serve as coaches,
organizers, fundraisers, transporting athletes and many other vital functions.”
Over
3,000 Athletes made their way to compete in Ohio this year. Photo Credit: SSSF
As with any 501c3 organization, the cooperation
between public and private sector is vital to their success. “We are always
looking for help to grow our program so that we can reach more youth.” And in
regards to youth shooting programs, a remarkable partnership has evolved with
various Game & Fish Departments, the Boy Scouts of America and USA Shooting
all contributing. “They have partnered with us because they recognize the value
and the quality of our program.” As a result, the athletes only pay $20 each
year for insurance with the balance being funded through industry sponsorships
and individual donations.
But what exactly is a youth development program? Just
like any team sport, the importance of cooperative activities produce unique
qualities in the participants transfer directly into other parts of their lives.
“As an athlete they must learn to take direction, follow instruction, take
responsibility and contribute. These
same qualities are found in a good employee.
These are the life skills that are learned in our sport. Youth
development incorporates more than just shooting skills. It teaches them risk management skills and
interpersonal skills. Both of which are
important as these youth become adults and need to have good decision making
habits.” Shooting merely provides the vehicle by which much more important
tenants are cultivated within the young competitors and an opportunity to
challenge the apathetic stereotype of America’s youth.
Photo
Credit: SSSF
These shooting programs are not just beneficial as
youth development programs; they can provide the mechanism for the athletes to
achieve the ultimate symbol of sporting accomplishment…..an Olympic medal. Both
the SCTP and SASP serve as the official “feeder” sports for the U.S. Olympic
Shooting Team. “Our program is designed to safely take a complete beginner and
give them the fundamentals to understand the elements of proper shooting,” said
Perkins, “We teach them life skills, and show them the path to become an
Olympic athlete.”
Prior to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s
formation of programs like the SASP and SCTP, there was no developed system for
producing Olympic-quality shooting athletes like you find in other sports. We
are all familiar with the high-profile programs. Gymnastics, figure skating and
track and field events have enjoyed a long history of providing the competitive
environment that sends their best on to the world stage. Considering that there
are 13 separate shooting sports in the Olympic Games, the role of these
programs in representing the shooting heritage of the United States
competitively becomes that much more important.
A shooting team prepares for a match. Photo Credit: SSSF
Regardless of whether a not an individual athlete
realizes an Olympic dream there is substantial intrinsic value derived whenever
caring adults actively invest in our youth. “The output of the program includes
several Olympic athletes. That is a
demonstration of the quality of the program but does not demonstrate the total
impact,” added Perkins. “Tens of thousands of youth participate in other sports
but very few ever win the Super Bowl or Wimbledon. Nevertheless all those youth
benefited from the experience of having someone mentor them, teach them and
show them that adults care about their well-being and help them reach their
goals.”
A
young competitor adjusts her sights at the SCTP/SASP Nationals. Photo Credit SSSF
One example Perkins shared demonstrates powerfully
how the lessons learned through shooting sports can provide a path for recovery
from personal tragedy. “A young man in our program suffered from a devastating
car accident and severe head trauma. The
doctors were not optimistic of his ability to return to society as a productive
member. The father attributes his love
for the shooting sports to his recovery.
His injuries limited the options for him to engage in but each night his
son could 'dry fire' with his training equipment at home. His injury would not allow him to shoot live
firearms, but he could use these training tools. These tools allowed him to set personal goals
and work towards achieving them and he is now able to return to the shooting
sports and a normal life. His doctor was
so impressed with his recovery that he shared this technique with his
colleagues.”
Photo Credit: SSSF
Another way by which youth can benefit from
participation in shooting sports is the possibility that they might earn
academic scholarships. “Many colleges will offer scholarship money for the
skills of these athletes. It gives them [the athletes] the opportunity to pay
for college where they will learn the skills to start a career. Over 300 colleges and universities in the
U.S. offer scholarships in the shooting sports.” It’s through the shooting
sports that these youth can gain academic opportunities they might not have
otherwise have access to. In fact, since 2013 the Scholastic Shooting Sports
Foundation (SSSF) has awarded over $300,000 in total scholarships to SCTP and
SASP participants.
Photo Credit: SSSF
Another significant contributor worth mentioning is
the USA Midway Foundation. Living up to their goal of “Changing the Future of
Youth Shooting Sports,” the organization donated a whopping half million in
endowment funds to SCTP and SASP athletes during the competition this year
which ran from July 8-15th.
The Tucson Straight Shooters (SASP) represented the
“Copper State” this year at nationals. “We have a roster of 21 athletes on the
team,” said Coach Bruce Rischar, “four that traveled to Ohio to compete as a
Senior/Varsity squad in the 2017 SASP National Championship. They are Ryan
Lorenz (18), Wyatt Perkins (16), Kimber Rischar (17) and Dartanyan Star (16).”
The team participates in four disciplines in the Senior/Varsity division:
Rimfire Pistol (4th place), 1911 Pistol (4th place), Optic Sight Rifle (8th
place), Iron Sight Rifle (10th place). Each discipline was shot as a morning or
afternoon flight and Tucson Straight Shooters competed all day Sunday and
Monday of the competition. The squad determined that the experience was rich
and rewarding with the opportunity to meet and learn from a variety of coaches
and fellow athletes.
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