Taking place alongside the 2021 SASP College National Championship, this match gives teams the opportunity to compete for Regional titles early in the year.
This match also gives any high school athletes the opportunity to begin networking with collegiate shooting teams as they look at attending college. Likewise, college coaches can observe rising SASP athletes competing at the Regional level.
Match Date: Friday, March 12, 2021 – Sunday, March 14, 2021 Match Start Times: Friday 1:00PM Saturday 9:00AM & 1:00PM Sunday 9:00AM Match Location: CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park 4387 Turner Mill Road Talladega, AL 35160
Scholastic Action Shooting Program National Director, Rick Leach is proud to name Madeline Maggard as a new Texas State Advisor for SASP. Madeline joins Harold Carter as State Advisors, serving over thirty SASP youth shooting teams in the Lone Star State.
Madeline selflessly dedicates much of her time to youth shooting sports. As an educator at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, Madeline is also the head coach of the Jesuit Competitive Shooting Teams, which participate in both the SCTP and SASP youth shooting sports programs. “Madeline has also been serving as a SCTP state advisor but as a competitive pistol shooter herself, we recognize where her passion is,” said Leach.
“I’m excited and honored to join SASP’s great team of like-minded enthusiasts and share my passion for advancing the sport of youth shooting,” exclaimed Maggard. “I’m a pistol girl myself and love shooting steel alongside my athletes! Let’s be loud and proud, y’all!” Maggard loves to compete with her Glock in GSSF matches but also competes with rimfire divisions.
SASP’s State Advisors throughout the country work diligently to both assist current teams and expand participation in their respective states. “Someone recently asked me why some states have or need more than one state advisor,” Leach reflected. “Wisconsin has historically been the largest participating state in the SASP program and has two state advisors. Texas is currently number two in SASP but has four times the land area that of WI at five times the population at, 29 million residents. Based on those stats, Texas should be the largest participating SASP state. With that land area, we definitely need more than one state advisor to spread the word about the SASP in Texas.”
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 29th 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. 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.
After the fast, but focused month of preparation, it all came down to the 60-shot, 90-minute match of the USA Shooting Arizona State Pistol Championship.
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.
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 for young athletes to pursue their Olympic dreams! Julia and her coach Bill Perkins of the WildGats attended SASP’s 2019 Junior Olympic Development Camp. Watch for opportunities for SASP athletes to participate in future Olympic Development Camps.
Special thanks to Arizona Match Director John Karadsheh, who is the Head Coach for the Rio Salado Juniors Rifle Team. Many of his athletes have been training for years for this match. SASP Coach Bill Perkins found out about the upcoming Arizona State Championship just six weeks before the event and asked if pistol was offered. John petitioned USA Shooting to amend his 10M air rifle match to include 10M air pistol. When USA Shooting approved his request, the word went out to several SASP teams that this opportunity was available to our athletes. Thanks to Marc Orvin for officiating and teaching our action shooting athletes and coaches more about International style shooting. The 2020 Arizona Championship is in the books!
Our first annual Valentine’s Classic kicks off Sunday, February 14, 2021 and closes Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 10 PM CST! Get your team registered before noon CST, February 12, 2021, to get in on this virtual match from your home range! All scores must be sent in by 10:00 PM CST on Sunday, March 7, 2021.
The match will be open to all disciplines. Regional medals will be sent to the top three squads in each discipline for Rookie, Intermediate, Senior, Open and Collegiate divisions.
Individual high overall medals for male and female, 1st – 3rd, will be awarded for rimfire pistol, stock service pistol, and rifle (all three rifle disciplines combined). The HOA’s will be with all age divisions combined.
We do not want a lack of ammunition to stop kids from being able to participate.If an athlete competes in Rimfire Disciplines for one of our regionals (including the Valentines Classic) between now and your official state SASP match, this will not lock them into shooting rimfire for the entire 2020-2021 season.
Athletes must be registered with their annual fee paid and their Consent & Waiver form in to the national office before participating. There must also be a registered and paid coach for the team to participate. These important forms can be found in the Resources + Forms section of the mySASP website.
When you register your team please use the first available squads in the match. It does not matter what day/time you sign up for the virtual match. Once you are registered you can shoot any day in the designated dates for the match.
Entering 2021 in support of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) are Vista Outdoor brands Hoppe’s and Champion. Their commitment to the program as Platinum Sponsors demonstrates the industry’s philanthropic effort to support youth shooting sports, as well as knowing the future health of the firearms community belongs in our younger generation of shooting sports athletes.
“We are excited to partner with the Scholastic Action Shooting Program again this year,” said Eliza Graves, Senior Brand Marketing Manager. “The future of America rests with our youth and educating them in safe shooting principles is of the utmost importance. SASP has been a great partner in promoting and growing the shooting sports over the years. Champion and Hoppe’s products are a natural fit helping these athletes reach the next level.”
“We are humbled to see sponsors like Champion and Hoppe’s continue their support of youth shooting sports year after year,” said SASP National Director, Rick Leach. “We are energized by the renewed Platinum Sponsorship for 2021. Champion and Hoppe’s are trusted throughout the shooting sports community and our athletes trust in their suite of products to train and perform at their best throughout the season.”
About Hoppe’s Established more than 110 years ago, Hoppe’s has emerged as the leading gun care company, having grown along-side hunters, shooters, and soldiers who depend on their firearms every day. It has remained the most trusted name in gun care by advancing and evolving technologies to meet those needs. From the ever-popular and versatile No. 9 and the quick and easy BoreSnake, to the marvel of efficiency we call Gun Medic, Hoppe’s is the only name you need to know for firearm cleaning and protection. For more information, visit www.hopes.com
About Champion Champion is a leading provider of quality trap throwers, paper targets, metal targets, clay targets, hearing and eye protection and shooting systems. Shooting is a fun pastime, and Champion produces a wide variety of products to enhance the experience for shooters of all levels. For more information, visit www.championtarget.com
We are kicking off the SASP National Raffle a little early this season! With prizes from our sponsors Glock, CZ-USA, Mossberg, Browning, Ruger, and Tandemkross, these raffle items are provided to help fundraising efforts for SASP Teams nationwide. National Raffle tickets may be purchased through your local SASP team or through the national office if they are not participating in raffle ticket sales. Coaches may sign up their team to sell SASP National Raffle tickets by contacting the national office.
Teams selling SASP-supplied raffle tickets will retain $5 per ticket sold. The SASP will pay into team endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation for the top three ticket selling teams as follows:
1st—$3,000 2nd—$2,000 3rd—$1,000
We will be drawing winning tickets at SASP Nationals on July 16, 2021 at the Cardinal Shooting Center, winners do not need to be present to win.
A historic corporate supporter of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), Gnosis Solutions has raised their sponsorship level from Bronze to Silver. The youth shooting sports program recently announced the addition of international air gun disciplines, which has begun to attract pistol coaches at NCAA schools, airgun industry partners, and additional corporate sponsorship.
Eliot Jardines, President of Gnosis Solutions said, “Gnosis Solutions is proud to support SASP’s new international shooting disciplines by renewing our corporate sponsorship in support of its efforts as a feeder program for USA Shooting. Since our inception, Gnosis has supported athletes who are striving to achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams. SASP’s expansion into Olympic air pistol and rifle is a major step towards maximizing our nation’s development program in these disciplines.”
“It is great to be recognized by great companies in and out of the shooting sports industry,” said SASP National Director, Rick Leach. “We are always thrilled to see firearms industry sponsors support our youth athletes, but knowing that the corporate world outside of our industry supports youth shooting sports really energizes us! We will continue to create the best possible environment and opportunity for youth development through team-based shooting sports with the help of some incredible sponsors like Gnosis Solutions.”
For youth shooting sports sponsorship inquiries contact Rick Leach, SASP National Director at rick@mysasp.com
About Gnosis Solutions Gnosis Solutions, Incorporated is a veteran and minority-owned firm providing training, strategic planning, and social media consultancy to the public and private sectors. Gnosis has a corporate goal of committing 1% of gross revenue each year to local charities, as well as youth development non-profits.
As a means to supplement interrupted shooting seasons in the spring, SASP held Summer Virtuals in the months of May and August, before and after the National Championship. These four-week virtual competitions gave the opportunity for athletes to compete against other SASP teams all across the country, from their own home ranges. Standardized SASP courses of fire were shot from every corner of the nation and the top placing teams were rewarded with funds to their MidwayUSA Foundation endowment accounts.
We applaud all who participated in the SASP Summer Virtual Events! In all, $8,500 in funding was rewarded for team placement in the events! Top teams in their respective disciplines won $700, 2nd place was awarded $500, and 3rd place received $300.
Congratulations to the SASP Summer Virtuals winners:
The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) has been named the National Governing Body for NCAA Pistol by the NCAA pistol coaches.
As the governing body, the SASP will facilitate the NCAA Pistol Championships being held March 24-27 at Fort Benning, GA. According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), college air gun competitions are practiced by over 300 collegiate teams across the nation. The NRA will be lending expertise and contributing as a main partner of this program. With SASP’s recent announcement of adding international air disciplines to their program, NCAA shooting programs will directly benefit from the addition of new youth SASP international athletes looking to continue their shooting career in college.
“We are thrilled to become the governing body of NCAA Pistol Shooting Sports,” said Rick Leach, SASP National Director. “With our recent addition of air disciplines, and as the youth feeder program for USA Shooting (USAS), we are building a path for athletes to move from grade school to college and then on to the Olympics. We look forward to working with the NRA, Civilian Marksmanship Program, USAS and other national shooting programs to grow youth shooting sports in the nation.”
For youth shooting sports sponsorship inquiries contact Rick Leach, SASP National Director at rick@mysasp.com
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is seeking a highly motivated individual to assume the role of Director of Development for the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). The successful candidate will be responsible for growing and supporting SASP member teams.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), is a 501c (3) not-for-profit organization and is the national leader in youth development shooting sports programs. Using a combination of education and athletics our mission is to enhance the growth and personal development of student athletes throughout the nation through the shooting sports.
Through a variety of fun, team-based shooting events in both our Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), and Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), we provide student athletes aged elementary through college with a supportive environment where shooting sports serve as catalysts for teaching life lessons and skills that emphasize positive character traits and citizenship values. Throughout all training, practice and competitions, we instill in our participants a commitment to safe firearm handling, teamwork and leadership.
Primary Responsibilities Include:
Responsible for member growth of the program by recruiting new teams and retaining existing programs.
Work with and develop Regional Field Representatives (RFR) and State Advisors in order to grow the SSSF’s action shooting sports in a grass-roots fashion.
Provide training, key information and resources for RFRs, State Advisors and coaches within respective region.
Find and develop state advisors and other key groups in states who can positively influence and grow local member-teams and support coaches on a daily basis.
Provide support for program competitions. Consult with RFRs, state advisors and coaches as needed to ensure leagues, local matches, regional matches and state matches are successful. Recruit local volunteer match directors (MD) for other regional and state championship events and work closely with volunteer MDs to ensure events are conducted in accordance with SSSF standards.
Ensure teams are registered with and are using the SSSF SHOT data system for managing athletes and events.
Serve as on-site MD and/or assistant MD for all national-level events and some regional events as necessary.
Develop leads and provide support for program fundraising efforts. Assist National Director to plan and conduct fundraisers such as raffles, banquets, etc. which benefit local teams and the national organization. Ensure all national fundraising remains compliant with local, state and national regulations.
Assist National Director in soliciting industry and other national-level sponsorship.
Work closely with the National Director to develop annual program budget and monitor program income and expenses against the budget.
Desired Qualifications
2+ years experience as shooting coach and/or state advisor
2+ years experience in a leadership role managing volunteers
2+ years experience in successfully managing shooting competitions
Prior experience in fundraising
Prior experience as a volunteer shooting sports or other youth sports coach
Working knowledge of international pistol and rifle shooting sports disciplines
Strong interpersonal and presentation skills
Self-motivated with ability to work remotely as a team player
Familiarity with international shooting sports registration and scoring software programs
Ability to travel up to 30%
Compensation
Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications.
How to Apply
Send Resume, cover letter and salary requirements to Rick Leach via email at rleach@sssfonline.com. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. First round of interviews planned for first week of December.
