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Coley Holding Court

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Shane Coley
For those shooting in the Scholastic Pistol Program Nationals this week, program sponsor and firearms maker Glock brought in one of its big guns – Shane Coley.

Fresh from a six-year stint in the U.S. Army where he served with the famed U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Shane joined Team Glock earlier this summer taking on the role of team captain.

This week the 24 year old Mississippi native is working the pistol match helping the young shooters and along the way hopefully shedding some light on the secret ways of going fast for those looking to post personal records on the pistol ranges of the World Shooting & Recreational Complex here in Sparta, Illinois.

One secret Shane shared was on the subject of math, which probably wasn’t what most of the young shooters expected, or wanted now that school is out. But it is understanding the timing on each individual component of a shooting run and how they add up that he stressed. As well as the importance of working with an electronic shot timer.

For the parents watching Team Glock’s new top gun the questions during his morning seminar focused on reloading ammunition and whether or not an up and coming young shooter can make a living in the sport.

For Shane Coley the answer to that question is most definitely ‘Yes.’

Tennessee’s Real Pistol Powerhouse

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Lacey Lane
Lacey Lane of McKenzie, Tennessee, just might be the most important woman in youth pistol shooting sports today. The 24 year old works for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, the non-profit arms of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, where she oversees the Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) in the Volunteer State.

So, why is this young lady so important to youth shooting sports?

Well, with somewhere around 135 SPP shooters hailing from Tennessee, her kids make up 11.7% of the 1,150 participating nationwide, and at this year’s SPP Nationals, taking place at the World Shooting & Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, her squads account for 31.6% of those competing for the national titles.

Working with young shooters comes naturally to Lacey since she grew up in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) when it was first founded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Today it’s the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation which serves as the national governing body of both SCTP and SPP, and is running the National Team Championships this week in Sparta.

With several years background competing in the programs, and armed with a degree in Natural Resources Management and Wildlife Fisheries from the University of Tennessee, she signed on with TWRF after they created the position of Tennessee State Director for SPP last November, putting the responsibility for promoting the state’s youth handgun shooting sports participation squarely on her shoulders.

Considering the prominent role her home state plays in SSSF’s youth shooting sports, and the ease with which she interacts with the staff and volunteers tasked with overseeing the national match, most of which are male and in many cases significantly older, it’s pretty clear that Lacey’s shoulders can handle the burden.

First Time at Nationals? Keep These 10 Tips in Mind

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WSRC Main Events Building
The Main Events Building is where you’ll find Registration and the answers to your questions.

If you’re going to Sparta, Illinois for your first SCTP-SPP National Team Championships, your head may be spinning with questions. While we can’t offer you a secret for taking home a medal, we can offer you some tips to enhance your enjoyment of Nationals.

  • Read the program. Almost anything you need to know can be found in the Nationals program. You will be able to pick up a printed copy when you arrive at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex, but you can also view it online anytime.

  • Do it all! Participate in as many activities as possible, including the side games. Cover the grounds to see what’s going on, see the exhibition shooting events, and watch anything you aren’t actively engaged in.

  • Stay for the after-hours activities. If you shoot your event and leave every day, you’ll be missing out on fun activities like Last Competitor Standing events, opening ceremonies, the pizza party, an ice cream social, and more.

  • Sign up for text messaging. We’ll pass along information about activities, schedule changes, and other things you need to know to those who opt in. Sign up here.

  • Visit the vendor mall. You’ll have the unique opportunity to visit with many manufacturers of shooting equipment in their own stores at the WSRC. Even if you aren’t buying, it’s the perfect opportunity to work on your wish list.

  • Take photos. Shoot as many photos as you can to help you remember this wonderful experience. Share them in social media with hashtag #SSSF2015, and when you get back home, share them with any sponsors, businesses, or civic groups who support you or have interest in your team.

  • Meet new people. While you will be there with your own team, don’t miss the opportunity to make new friends from all over the country. Be bold and introduce yourself.

  • If you have questions or don’t understand something, just ask. We won’t remember to tell you everything you need to know, but we’re happy for you to ask us. Catch a staff member anytime you see us, and if we aren’t convenient, just head to the Main Events Building. You can get an answer or help there for anything going on at Nationals.

  • Remember that many others are also new. It’s easy to feel intimidated when we enter a new event this large, and we all tend to think we’re the only ones who don’t know how something works. But that isn’t the case at Nationals. You’ll see hundreds of new people all over the place, figuring things out for the first time. You aren’t alone!

  • Have fun! After being safe, the most important thing for you to do at Nationals is enjoy yourself. Shooting is fun, being there with your friends is fun, making new friends is fun — everything at Nationals is fun! Go for it!

Requirements for Personal Golf Cars and Clays Vehicles at Nationals

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If you’re planning to bring your own golf car or utility vehicle to the National Team Championships at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex, you must meet some requirements and follow rules for safety and the consideration of other attendees at Nationals.

Every person using their personal clays vehicle must get a permit for the vehicle at the registration desk. At that time, you must provide your driver’s license — a learner’s permit is not sufficient — and proof of insurance.

Only persons 18 years of age or older can register a clays vehicle, and you must be a licensed driver 16 years of age or older to operate it.

Here are the complete rules for operating a personal clays vehicle at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex.

Plan Your Trip to Nationals with the 2015 National Team Championships Program

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2015 Nationals ProgramYou can learn about everything that’s happening at the 2015 National Team Championships with the event program, and it’s ready for your perusal. Use it to plan your schedule, learn about side events, or just stoke your excitement for the biggest event of the year!

The program also includes information on the SCTP International-Style National Championships in Colorado Springs.

View Nationals Program

The SCTP and SPP National Team Championships will be July 13-18 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois. Based on opening-week registrations that were almost double 2014 numbers, staff are expecting to have a record-breaking event.

If your team hasn’t yet registered, do it today!

Meet Olympic Gold Medalist Vincent Hancock at the National Championships in Sparta

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Vincent Hancock
U.S. Army photo
SSSF is pleased to announce that two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Vincent Hancock will be attending the SCTP National Championships to meet YOU!

Vincent won Gold Medals in Men’s Skeet at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and is the first Olympic skeet shooter to win Gold Medals in the same event in consecutive Olympic games.

He will be attending Nationals on Wednesday, July 15 through Friday, July 17 and will be available for autographs, photos, and some special events to be announced later. Watch our website and Range Time newsletter for announcements about when and where you can meet Vincent.

Vincent is sponsored by Zanders Sporting Goods and NobelSport Italia.

Plan Your Lodging for Nationals in Sparta

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If the SCTP-SPP National Championships in Sparta, Illinois are a part of your team’s plans for this year — and why wouldn’t they be? — it’s a good idea to start considering accommodations for the week of July 13-18. To make it easier for you to know your options, especially if this will be your first trip to the Sparta area, we have some resources for you.

We’ve accessed a Google map that shows lodging in the vicinity of the World Shooting & Recreational Complex, so you can not only see your lodging options, but also where they are relative to the complex.

See local lodging near the WSRC

In addition, the World Shooting & Recreational Complex offers 1001 camping sites for those of you who want to stay right on the premises in an RV or tent. Click the link below to learn about the WSRC campground options and to access online reservations. You can also make campground reservations by calling Sherry Flowers at the WSRC, 618-295-2700, ext. 486.

See WSRC campground options

Don’t know when you need to be there? Below is the schedule for each discipline:

    Sunday, July 12 – Registration
    Monday, July 13 – Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol
    Tuesday, July 14 – Skeet, sporting clays, pistol
    Wednesday, July 15 – Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol
    Thursday, July 16 – Skeet, skeet handicap/doubles, sporting clays, pistol
    Friday, July 17 – Trap, skeet doubles, pistol
    Saturday, July 18 – Trap, skeet doubles, pistol

Video: SPP Southeast Regionals by the Alabama Privateers

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The Alabama Privateers SPP team have blown us away yet again with another of their videos, this one from the SPP Southeast Regional Match held recently in Tennessee. In the video, you’ll see all the action at this beautiful new range that was designed to SPP specifications and launched with the Southeast Regionals. Enjoy!

Congratulations to Prize Winners Who Completed Our Nationals Survey

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We recently closed our National Championships survey after several hundred of you gave us your feedback on our year’s big events. As promised, we have drawn the names of eight (8) respondents to win a prize from SCTP or SPP. Congratulations to these winners:

    Aiden Belongia – SPP shooter from Wisconsin
    SPP water bottle, patch, and pin

    Houston Unsell – SPP shooter from Alabama
    SPP water bottle, patch, and pin

    Darin Bruski – SPP and SCTP shooter from Wisconsin
    SPP water bottle, patch, and pin

    William M. Seifert – SCTP shooter from Michigan
    Case of Nobel Sport ammo

    Dakota Bishop – SCTP shooter from Texas
    Case of Fiocchi ammo

    John Michael Baggett – SCTP shooter from Tennessee
    SCTP hat and t-shirt

    Edward Rowland – SCTP coach from Tennessee
    Weather Writer System

    Terry Brookman – SCTP coach from Missouri
    SCTP lanyard, coffee mug, and hot/cold pack

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to our survey and provide us with valuable information that we will use to make future events even better.

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