Nationals Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Scholastic Action Shooting Program

2018 SASP College Nationals

Written on March 15, 2018.

How did you spend your spring break? Well 112 college athletes spent theirs competing for SASP National Titles in Alabama. On March 10 & 11 the Scholastic Action Shooting Program held our College National Championships at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s Talladega Marksmanship Park in Talladega, AL. We thank GLOCK for sponsoring our use of the Marksmanship Park and CMP for their great southern hospitality. This year was the largest championship in SASP’s history, with 16 teams, 112 athletes and 201 entries. That is a 100% increase in teams, 44% increase in athletes and 121% increase in entries over the 2017 championships.

Congratulations to all the teams that participated with many competing in their very first national championships. This year the results were very close with many places being decided by just a few seconds and some by less than a second.

In the Rimfire Discipline the University of Vermont took first, followed by Michigan State University in second and Texas A&M finishing third. In Centerfire Texas A&M repeated as National Champions and also took second, with West Point coming in third. In Optic Rifle the University of Vermont took first and third with Florida State University finishing second. In Iron Rifle University of Arizona won the championship by less than 5 seconds at their first nationals with Florida State University taking second and Clemson University taking third. In the 1911 discipline Michigan State University won the national championship, with Florida State taking second and Miami University of Ohio taking third in their first trip to the national championship.

In the Open Division, Rimfire Bethel University won the National Championship by beating second place Clemson University by just 1.66 seconds, with Bob Jones University finishing third. In Centerfire Lake Country Action Shooters and Bob Jones University shared the title with Texas A&M taking second and the University of Florida taking third. In Optic rifle Concordia University Wisconsin competing in their first SASP took the championship beating second place University of Wisconsin Platteville by just .98 of a second, and Lake Country Action Shooters came in third. Iron Rifle the University of Wisconsin Platteville took the title beating their in-state rival Concordia University of Wisconsin who took second, with Bethel University taking third. In 1911 Lake Country Action Shooters took first and Concordia University of Wisconsin took second.

View the complete results here. Click on “leaderboards”, select the event you wish to see results for then select the leaderboard you would like to see. Check out our Facebook pages for photos and be sure to like and follow us!

We look forward to next year’s championship with even more teams and athletes competing for a 2019 national title.

Beyond the Clays – The 2017 SSSF Championships

Written on August 9, 2017.

Article Courtesy Michael Sabbeth and Fiocchi USA. Photo credit to Carla Jennings Photography.

“We are looking at the future,” Chris Hodgdon said as his hand swept like a conductor’s baton in an arc toward the line of trap fields. Hundreds of young shooters were pulverizing clay targets, laughing and speaking words of support to their teammates. We were at the 2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships sponsored by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation. The Cardinal Trap Shooting Facility in Marengo, Ohio, developed through the magnanimity of the Fishburn family, hosted the event.

Competitive shooters, ages 8 to 23 from 32 states, competed for national titles in the shotgun disciplines of American Trap, Handicap Trap, Bunker Trap, Trap Doubles, Skeet, Skeet Doubles and Sporting Clays. Pistol and rifle competitors competed for steel shooting titles in Rimfire Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, Iron Sight Rifle and Optics Rifle divisions. About 2,700 athletes on 255 teams boasted 6,400 event entries. Thirty-three states were represented and an estimated 1.26 million shots were fired in the competition events! One hundred and five SCTP student athletes will receive scholarships totaling $83,000.

Prior to SSSF, many students never or had only rarely shot a gun. Feeder organizations such as 4H and the Boy Scouts gave them opportunities to try. Many parents asked SSSF to help their children get involved in shooting. The children loved the sports, become members and gained deeper knowledge about shooting.

I learned many teams were created by the desire of a parent to enable their child to shoot responsibly and routinely. Young shooters told me the attractions of these sports: they love to shoot, they value opportunities to improve, they welcome challenges, they can be competitive or just have fun, and, unlike most sports, they can participate throughout their lives.

The vast property was lush and green with stands of hardwoods and cornfields, the earth’s fragrance more alluring than the finest perfumes. The range was a beehive of activity. Electric carts darted about like bugs on a pond and hundreds of shooters carried shotguns as nonchalantly as if holding bags of popcorn. Anna Van Nostrand, instructor and CZ representative, crafted a beautiful insightful phrase: “This is an environment of positivity.”

I arrived on Wednesday, the CZ-USA recognition day. Dave Miller, CZ’s shotgun manager and exhibition shooter, was my host. Dave shot his way into the Guinness Book of Records by breaking 3,653 clays in 60 minutes! CZ has been a Platinum sponsor of this event for five years. Dave tutored me on the sporting clays, make-or-break and crazy-quail disciplines. He even taught me to break targets shooting from my hip!

These programs require great effort. Ben Berka, President/Executive Director of SSSF, and Louise Terry, Chairman of the SSSF Board, told of the thousands of hours of organizing the event and the engagement of hundreds of volunteers. But it’s all worth it, they said. The youngsters are learning skills, get outside away from iPhones and, most significantly, develop a dedication to the American heritage and an appreciation for individual liberty. “The SSSF is about more than just breaking pieces of clay,” Louise told me.

Support for SSSF signifies a commitment to shooting’s future. Companies such as CZ-USA, Hodgdon Powder and Fiocchi USA routinely make substantial financial commitments. Observing this championship, I am comforted that the future of shooting looks bright indeed.

Michael Sabbeth is a lawyer and writer in Denver, Colorado. Please see his book The Good, The Bad & The Difference: How to Talk with Children About Values. Now in an eBook, available at Amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/c5flmmu

A look at the “numbers” for the 2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) & Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships

Written on July 20, 2017.

The 2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships, held at the Cardinal Shooting Center, July 8 thru 15, in Marengo, Ohio are officially “in the books” and here’s a look at the final numbers.

The 2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships brought together competitive shooters, ages 8 to 23, from 32 states to compete for national titles in the shotgun disciplines of American Trap, Handicap Trap, Bunker Trap, Trap Doubles, Skeet, Skeet Doubles and Sporting Clays. Pistol and rifle competitors competed for steel shooting titles in Rimfire Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, Iron Sight Rifle and Optics Rifle divisions.

The Numbers At-a-Glance:

1,043,100 Competitive rounds were fired by 2,687 shooting sports competitors from 32 states during the 8 day event (Approx. 1.4 million including the games and practice)
Participation in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) increased 119%, from 2013 to 2017 (from 199 to 436 athletes)
Participation in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) increased 19.5%, from 2013 to 2017 (from 1883 to 2251 athletes)
Women are the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports, making up 18% of the National Championship competitors (16% of SCTP shooters, 30% of SASP shooters)
$425,000.00 (SCTP) and $84,750.00 (SASP) MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Funds earned at the 2017 National Championships
SSSF has awarded $100,000 in scholarships to SCTP and SASP participants this season and over $300,000 in total scholarships since 2013
SCTP and SASP make up the largest youth shooting program in the country with over 16,211 youth athletes in 45 states (14,854 in SCTP, 1,357 in SASP)
6.3 million clay targets were thrown during the 2016-17 SCTP competition season as recorded by the SSSF’s SHOT 5 team registration and event management system

Awards presented during the 2017 National Championships:

Trophies – 186
Plaques – 90
Medals – 1,290
Cups – 10
Belt Buckles – 60
Leather Bags and shell box holders (HOA Awards) – 20
Cases of Shotgun Ammo – 170
Firearms – 67

Now for the Important Stuff:

Free Pizzas handed out on Thursday evening – 500
Free Hamburgers and Hotdogs handed out on Wednesday night – 578
FREE Ice Cream (Sponsored by Browning) served – 450 in 25 minutes
Rifle & Pistol rounds consumed in SASP demos and side matches >8,000

2017 National Championships Program is Here!

Written on June 27, 2017.

The 2017 SCTP and SASP National Championships kicks off July 8th at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. This year’s record setting tournament will run July 8-15 and currently has about 3,000 competitors slated to participate with nearly 6,500 event entries.

There is much to do at Nationals and many individuals, industry members and supporting organizations are working together to make it all happen!

Check out the tournament details, schedule of events and all who support the SSSF, SASP and SCTP, by viewing the online event program at www.sssfonline.org. Print copies of the event program will also be available at the Central Entry Building of the Cardinal Center in Marengo starting July 8.

Download a copy of the digital event program here.

For 2017 National Championships info and image support, visit the SSSF media room at https://sssfonline.org/news/media/.

2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program Nationals Registration on Pace to Set Records

Written on June 5, 2017.

The month of June is a peak time for Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) team activity across the country, and if the first day of registration for the SCTP National Championships is any indicator, there will be record crowds again in Ohio for the July culminating event.

Registration for SCTP Nationals opened June 1 and in the first 24 hours of open registration for the July 8-15 National Championships, 132 teams from 23 different states registered over 2,000 athletes. Combined registrations in all SCTP events totaled 4,396 compared to 3,804 for the first 24 hours of tournament registration one year ago. An additional 70-80 SCTP teams are expected to register prior to the July 5 deadline.

“These numbers are absolutely incredible!” said Tom Wondrash, SCTP national director. “We had almost as many athletes and registrations in one day this year as we had in total at last year’s National Championships! People are excited about this year’s tournament for sure!”

The 2017 event at the Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio, is on track to outpace the 2016 SCTP National event, which finished with 2,176 athletes and 4,576 event entries.

While the numbers are already up significantly from last year’s registrations, Wondrash points out that there is still room at the spacious Cardinal Center. “There are many times and dates still available for this year’s National Championships. We encourage teams to join us in July to continue the fun throughout the summer!”

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program will also hold its National Junior/Senior Championships in conjunction with the SCTP tournament. SASP Nationals registration opened on May 18 and currently has 342 athletes from 32 teams across 13 states registered to shoot. SASP registrations currently total 642 already out-pacing the 542 total entries from 2016. Teams may register for the SASP National Championships through July 5. The 1911 division first being offered at Nationals already has 62 entries

About the National Championships

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) 2017 National Championships will take place near Marengo, Ohio, at the Cardinal Shooting Center July 8-15. The eight-day event is expected to draw around 2,500 youth from over 30 states. Over one million shots will be fired during the event with around $16 million generated in economic impact. Participating teams are organized and coached by certified volunteer leaders and have participated in their SCTP/SASP state championship event. To learn more about how you can start a SCTP or SASP team in your area or become a sponsor for the championship event, go to www.sssfonline.org/tournament-sponsorship/.

Registration for 2017 SASP Nationals Opens May 19

Written on May 16, 2017.

Mark your calendars now!

Registration for the 2017 SASP National Championships to be held in Marengo, Ohio, July 8-15, 2017, will open at noon on Friday May, 19. All registration will be done through the SSSF SHOT System by SASP coaches or team administrators with system access. Registration will be temporarily closed June 1-3, so it doesn’t conflict with SCTP National registration. SASP National registration will re-open on June 4.

Shooting times will be available at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. July 8-14 and 9 a.m. only on July 15. Complete event details plus other exciting side events, clinics, etc. will be announced soon.

See, Download & Share Photos from 2015 Nationals

Written on September 6, 2015.

Our collection of photos from the SCTP-SPP National Team Championships in Sparta and SCTP National Championships for International Disciplines in Colorado Springs have now been assembled on our Flickr page and are available for you to view, download, print, and share.

Click here to see our 2015 Nationals photos on Flickr

Even if you haven’t used Flickr before, you’ll probably find it pretty intuitive once you poke around a bit. However, here are a few notes to speed up the learning curve:

With any image opened, look for these icons in the lower right corner:

If you wish to download the image, click on the icon on the right, the “down” arrow. What you’re seeing on the page will usually be a much smaller version of the image, with several larger sizes available to be downloaded. You’ll see some options:

Just choose what you want. For a social media icon – or postage stamp – you might choose the 150×150 option. For a large print, go with the largest available size. To submit to your newspaper, download the largest available size to allow them to re-size it as needed.

If you want to share the image in social media, click on the center icon, the “right” arrow, and again you’ll have options and some choices to make:

For most purposes, such as sharing on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll need to select “Link” as the Code option. If you want to embed the photo into your blog or website, you can choose “HTML.” When that is the case, you will also have a choice of sizes.

If you choose to share images on social media (yes, do!), please continue to use the event hashtag, #SSSF2015.

Go to our Flickr page.

Young Women Make Up 18.4% Of Athletes At Nationals

Written on July 18, 2015.

A 2013 research report from the National Shooting Sports Foundation entitled Analysis of Sport Shooting Participation in the U.S. 2008-2012 found that not only were new shooters likely to be younger with 66% falling in the 18-to-34-year-old age group, but they were also likely to be female. NSSF’s findings showed that 37% of new target shooters were women.

Looking around the grounds of the World Shooting & Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, it’s clear that young women are a fast growing segment of both the Scholastic Clay Target Program and the Scholastic Pistol Program.

At this year’s National Team Championships those young ladies with shotguns slung over their shoulders, and those with a pistol tucked away in their range bag, make up 18.4% of the total 2,800-plus athletes in attendance. Among the 2,466 shotgunners they are 17.6% while on the pistol ranges they account for nearly a quarter (24.3%) of the 345 competitors.

If the broad smiles exhibited during Wednesday night’s Opening Ceremony are any indication, the number of young female athletes participating in the shooting programs of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is likely to grow.

Tag: Nationals