Kemble du Pont Completes Term on SSSF Board, Expresses Continued Support

Written on .

Kemble du Pont with members of Kansas City Crushers
SCTP Nationals 2014
(L-R) Eric Reglin, Clay Moniot, Kemble du Pont, Pierce Hodgdon, Aaron Wilson

As SSSF Board Member Kemble du Pont completes her three-year term, she expressed her continued support for the Foundation and its student athletes.

“It was a privilege for me to serve a three-year term on the SSSF Board of Directors,” said du Pont. “The board members are a serious group of strong supporters of the shooting sports, and I was very pleased and proud to have the opportunity to become more involved.

“I am a strong supporter of the mission of SSSF, that of youth development through the shooting sports. As many people may know, my company offers a special program for financing a youth gun purchase to help make the cost of entry more affordable for more young athletes, and this popular program continues. I am also actively supporting several SCTP athletes like Will Hinton and teams such as the Young Guns, Kansas City Crushers, and Brookline Shotgun Sports in return for their efforts on behalf of my company.”

She continued, “Due to the demands on my time, I had to make the tough decision to not stand for re-election to the board this term, but du Pont / Krieghoff continues to be a strong supporter of SSSF and the SCTP! I hope at a future time I might again be able to find the time to participate on the Board of Directors.”

The entire organization offers its thanks to Kemble for her generous support of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and her contributions as a board member the past three years.

SPP Teams: Earn Endowment Funds with Virtual E-Postal Matches

Written on .

SPP teams, don’t forget about the opportunities to win a random-draw prize every month just for participating in the Virtual E-Postal Match Series!

Starting in April, SPP teams participating in the Virtual E-Postal Match Series will be part of a special monthly random draw prize of a $1,000 donation to a team’s MidwayUSA Foundation Endowment account. This special event will run from April – December 2015 and is open to any team or squad that participates in the Virtual E-Postal Match Series.

To be eligible, a team or squad must register three (3) scores — but remember, the more times you enter, the more chances you have to win!

In addition, we will be offering endowment donations as placement awards. This year we will be using a Lewis Class system during the Virtual Match Series. There will be two (2) Lewis classes, and endowment money will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in all divisions. In Class A, the donations will be 1st – $1,250, 2nd – 1,000 and 3rd – $750. In Class B, the donations will be 1st – $1,000, 2nd – $750, and 3rd – $500.

Virtual E-Postal Matches are a great way for teams to compete and earn endowment funds while saving the time and expense of traveling.

Don’t miss out on this additional way to come and play!

GLOCK Donates $25,000 to SSSF to Benefit Scholastic Pistol Program

Written on .

GLOCK, Inc. has made a $25,000 donation to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) to benefit the Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP).

GLOCK Donation
L-R: Scott Moore, SPP National Director; R. Lee “The Gunny” Ermey; Josh Dorsey, GLOCK Vice President of Operations and Sales; and Ben Berka, SSSF President and Executive Director
The donation was presented to SSSF at last week’s NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Nashville, Tennessee.

GLOCK was one of the founding partners of the Scholastic Pistol Program when SSSF started the program in 2012 and has supported the program since with its products and participation.

Ed Fitzgerald, Special Projects Manager at GLOCK, Inc., is a member of SSSF’s Board of Directors and attends many SPP matches, not only to represent GLOCK, but also to work with the athletes and coaches and to assist with the operation of the events. Fitzgerald even travels to many matches throughout the South with a complete SPP/Action Target set-up for ranges that need targets for SPP events.

“GLOCK understands the importance of industry leadership in the promotion of a safe and effective way of introducing the concepts of basic competitive shooting to young men and women who are just starting out,” said Fitzgerald. “As the industry embraces this concept of supporting our young competitors, we will continue our efforts to lead the way in supporting the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation.”

In addition to the growth of the national program through GLOCK’s financial support, product donations, and loaner guns, the company’s generosity makes it possible for many SPP teams to have sufficient guns for competitors’ use and to raise funds for team expenses. The company also offers special pricing for SPP teams that allows team dollars to go further.

“The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is honored to receive this major gift from GLOCK,” said Ben Berka, SSSF President and Executive Director. “With their support, we are able to further strengthen and grow our Scholastic Pistol Program at the grassroots level and provide local teams with the education, support, and resources to run successful programs.”

To learn more about GLOCK or its products, visit us.GLOCK.com.

Make Your Plans for 2015 National Championships

Written on .

The biggest events of the year are on the 2015 calendar for SCTP and SPP, and your year won’t be complete if you don’t participate in at least one of them!

Registration is now open for SCTP team registration through the SHOT system and for SPP teams.

View the National Championships Program

Save these dates for our 2015 SCTP and SPP National Championship events:

July 13-18SCTP National Championships (American)Sparta, IL
July 13-18SPP Junior/Senior National ChampionshipsSparta, IL
July 27-Aug. 2SCTP National Championships (International)Colorado Springs, CO

In 2014, each discipline experienced record-breaking participation in its national events, and we’re expecting nothing less at this year’s championships. More than 2500 student athletes participated in the National Championship events in Sparta, Illinois alone. In addition, the national championships are the largest source of endowment fund contributions to team accounts for both SCTP and SPP.

Below is the schedule for each discipline at the SCTP-SPP Junior/Senior National Championships in Sparta:

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

Mark your calendars for these important events — don’t miss them!

2nd Amendment Youth Leadership Conference Planned During NRA Convention

Written on .

For anyone who is planning to be in Nashville for the annual NRA Members Meeting and Exhibits next week, here is an event you won’t want to miss! The inaugural Second Amendment Youth Leadership Conference, planned for Friday, April 10 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, will feature special guest speakers and the opportunity to learn more about the Second Amendment.

Geared specifically toward the next generation of Second Amendment activists, this one-of-a kind event will be an exciting opportunity for students and recent graduates to learn how to become an effective advocate on their campus and in their community!

Among the speakers scheduled to address the youth conference are Chris Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director; Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina; Phil Bryant, Mississippi Governor; and Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Congresswoman.

Attendance is free, but due to the anticipated interest in this event, pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

College students who attend will receive a free, one-year NRA membership, along with opportunities to win prizes and admission to the annual meeting.

Learn more and register for the
2nd Amendment Youth Leadership Conference.

New Project ChildSafe Video: “How to Talk to Your Kids About Gun Safety”

Written on .

Project Childsafe

Sometimes gun-owning parents who live with firearm safety every day take for granted that every member in the family knows age-appropriate rules about gun safety. But if you haven’t had “the talk” with the children in your home, they may have questions that haven’t been addressed.

The conversation is equally important for families who don’t have firearms in the house. Their children are just as likely to have questions about guns, and at some point, they will be in homes or other areas where they may come into contact with guns.

Project ChildSafe has created a new video, “How to Talk to Your Kids About Gun Safety,” to help parents have that important conversation. The video stars army veteran, champion shooter, and mom Julie Golob.

Watch the video, and please share it with your friends and social media connections.

SPP Collegiate National Championship Title Changes Hands for 3rd Year in a Row!

Written on .

West Point Cadets Take Top Honors

The Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) held its 2015 Collegiate National Championships on March 21, with nearly 20 squads from nine schools vying for titles in both the Varsity (centerfire) and Junior Varsity (rimfire) divisions. The United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) hosted the event at Fort Benning’s Krilling Range in Georgia.

Schools competing this year were Eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, University of Florida, Florida State University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, Southeastern Illinois College, University of Vermont, and United States Military Academy at West Point.

The Cadets from West Point took first place honors in the Varsity Division, outshooting powerhouse Texas A&M Corps of Cadets by a score of 188.04 to 190.11. The 2.07 winning margin is one of the closest finishes in SPP history and sent the coveted Daniel C. Hodne Trophy to a new home on the Hudson River. The University of Florida Centerfire Squad 1 outpaced the Kentucky Wildcats to take third place.

In the Junior Varsity Division, West Point took its second title of the day over a strong runner-up Michigan State Green Squad, with Texas A&M Maroon Squad coming in third.

“The United States Army Marksmanship Unit Action Shooting Team looks forward to the chance to interact with students and host the Scholastic Pistol Program’s College Nationals every year,” said SFC Michael J. Buss, Action Shooting Team Chief, USAMU. “Our world-class facilities get our team ready for matches around the country, as well as sharpen soldiers’ marksmanship skills through training. These young shooters are the future of the sport and only add to the excellence demonstrated every day by soldiers on Fort Benning.”

“The USAMU has been a great partner in helping grow SPP as well as the future of our sport,” said Scott Moore, SPP National Director. “They have been gracious enough to support SPP on several projects. Krilling Range has become a second home for us!”

You can see full results from the SPP Collegiate National Championships on our Match Results page.

See photos from the SPP Collegiate National Championships


Photos by the Alabama Privateers, who assisted the SPP staff at Collegiate Nationals

Plan Your Lodging for Nationals in Sparta

Written on .

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

SSSF Names DeBergalis and Wade to Board of Directors

Written on .

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) has named two new members, Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr. and Mark T. Wade, to its Board of Directors. The new members assumed their roles this week at the board’s annual meeting in San Antonio.

DeBergalis, of West Seneca, New York, is a board member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), where he chairs the NRA Education and Training Committee. He is also Vice President of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association and is active in many other shooting organizations.

Wade is the Managing Principal of Echelon Wealth Strategies, LLC in Westfield, New Jersey. He has been an active member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association for more than 30 years and is a Life Member of the National Sporting Clays Association and National Skeet Shooting Association.

“We are most fortunate to have Joe and Mark as our newest members of the Board of Directors for the SSSF,” said Louise K. Terry, Chairperson of the Board. “They both bring to their positions on the board substantial background and experience in business and the shooting sports that make them great additions to our team.”

Also at this week’s meeting, the Board of Directors held its annual election of officers. Louise K. Terry was re-elected as chair, and Ed Fitzgerald was elected vice chair, replacing Michael Hampton, Jr., whose term expired.

In 2014, Eric Tarbox of Gorham, Maine, was elected to the Board of Directors, bringing his experience working with youth programs as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America to the SSSF. Other board members include Louise K. Terry, Michael Hampton, Jr., Denis Karnosky, Ed Fitzgerald, Paul Pluff, Thomas Edwards, and Carlton Nether.

Leaving the SSSF Board of Directors following completion of her term is Kemble du Pont. “We want to thank Kemble for her years of service and contributions to our shared interest in youth development through the shooting sports,” said Terry.

$40,000 of Team Endowment Funding Designated for SPP Virtual E-Postal Match Series

Written on .

If your team participates in the SPP Virtual E-Postal Match Series, you now have opportunities to earn endowment funds for your team! The Scholastic Pistol Program has designated $40,000 of its 2015 endowment donations for the Virtual E-Postal Match Series participants.

The Virtual E-Postal Match Series is designed so teams can compete without having to travel to other ranges. Teams can shoot on their home ranges, then submit their scores to SPP for entry into the virtual match.

Beginning in April 2015, there will be a special monthly random draw with a prize of a $1,000 donation to a team’s MidwayUSA Foundation endowment account. This special event will run through December 2015 and is open to any team/squad that participates in the Virtual E-Postal Match Series in that month.

In addition, we will be offering endowment donations as placement awards. This year we will be using the Lewis Class system during the Virtual Match Series. There will be two (2) Lewis classes in each division, and endowment money will be given to first, second, and third places in each class. In Class A, the donations will be $1,250 for first, $1,000 for second, and $750 for third. In Class B, the donations for first through third will be $1,000, $750, and $500, respectively. To be eligible for Virtual E-Postal Match Series Championships, a team or squad must register at least six (6) squad scores during the season.

To compete in this series, the team/squad must shoot the entire course of fire and submit their scores for registration. Just like any live match, a team/squad must have four individuals competing. The current Virtual E-Postal Series season began September 1, 2014 and has been extended to run through December 15, 2015.

Eligibility for SPP Virtual E-Postal Match Series
Any team/squad that is fully registered in the Scholastic Pistol Program, which includes being registered in the SHOT system, is eligible and encouraged to compete in this series. Teams must also have an endowment account with the MidwayUSA Foundation. If you don’t have an endowment account, it’s easy to start an account here.

Submitting Scores
Score sheets can be downloaded from the website. Coaches must register each score by submitting a scanned copy of the completed SPP score sheets to tmowry@sssfonline.com. The cost of registration is $5 per squad (of four) per match score.

Notice: These updated rules for Virtual Matches supersede previous published editions.

Stay in the Loop

SASP Logo
© 2020 - Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation. All Rights Reserved. Website by Venomous Design