SPP Gear Archives - Page 2 of 9 - Scholastic Action Shooting Program

A Personal Best…10 Times

Written on July 17, 2015.

Coach Rick Leach of the Ozaukee Scholastic Shooting Sports (Wisconsin) had a lot to be happy about this morning. Coming off the Scholastic Pistol Program ranges his team of 13 shooters finished the match strong. Real strong.

After going over the times, and double checking his math, Coach Leach confirmed that 10 of his 13 athletes had shot new personal records, and at the best possible time too, during the National Team Championships.

While each was a significant accomplishment both for the team and its coach, Leach couldn’t conceal his pride in the fact that one of those record times was that of his daughter Mikaela, who three years ago shot over 400 seconds at her first Nationals and was hoping this year to just break 100.

She finished this morning’s match with a time of 87.95 seconds.

Mikaela, who had already competed in the Sporting Clays and Skeet Nationals – where she also shot a personal best – is out on the trap fields competing in her fourth Nationals this week, the American Trap Team National Championship.

She freely admits to having what she calls “a gun powder addiction.”

Of course she couldn’t leave the pistol range without first reporting in to Ed Fitzgerald of Glock. Fitzgerald was there in 2013 when she first shot the Nationals and jumped in with some much needed shooting advice when Mikaela was struggling and missing more than she was hitting. So you could say he’s a little invested in Mikaela’s success and was happy to hear how her match went today…and it didn’t hurt that she blew through her sub 100 second goal with a Glock model 34 pistol.

Top Five States At The 2015 Nationals

Written on July 17, 2015.

Participation at the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s 2015 National Team Championships is broad reaching with 28 states represented. Nearly three quarters (74.1%) of the 2,800+ shooters come from just five states. Here’s how athletes from the SSSF’s Big 5 break out.

Tennessee (25.3%)
The Volunteer State accounts for 25.3% of all athletes with 601 competing in SCTP (24.4%) and 109 (31.6%) in SPP.

Illinois (18.6%)
The home of the World Shooting & Recreational Complex, the Land of Lincoln sent 484 (19.6%) of shotgunners and 40 (11.6%) of the pistol competitors.

Wisconsin (14.9%)
The Badger State athletes came to shoot with 371 (15.0%) in SCTP and 47 (13.6%) in SPP.

Iowa (8.1%)
The Hawkeye State rolled in with 200 (8.2%) of the SCTP athletes and 29 (8.4%) of those in SPP.

Missouri (7.2%)
The Show-Me State showed up with 202 (8.2%) SCTP competitors, and despite not having any shooters in the SPP Nationals they still hold down fifth overall on this list.

Coley Holding Court

Written on July 15, 2015.

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

Written on July 15, 2015.

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.

NRA / SPP to Host Pistol Camp and Coach Certification Class

Written on July 3, 2015.

The National Rifle Association and Scholastic Pistol Program announce the inaugural Scholastic Pistol Program Pistol Camp. The camp will take place August 7 – 9, 2015 at the Illinois State Rifle Association Range at Bonfield located in Kankakee, Illinois. Registration deadline is July 31.

The unique camp, sponsored by the NRA, will be limited to 32 athletes and will feature both range and classroom training aimed to take an athlete to the next level.

The camp will be using .22 LR ammo, which is included in the cost of the camp, and pistols will be available for those who do not have a suitable gun. If an athlete prefers to use his or her 9mm pistol, they will be required to furnish their own ammo (650 rounds).

Please complete the Registration Form and Health History Form and return it to Tammy Mowry.

Registration fee for the pistol camp would normally be $300 per camper, but due to a special grant by the NRA Foundation, the cost per camper will only be $150!

In addition to the athletes’ pistol camp, a Level 1 Pistol Coaches Certification Class is being offered at the same time.

The coach certification is offered to adults and is a separate program, not part of the curriculum for the athletes; however, anyone over 15 can attend the coach class. Individuals 15-17 can be certified as a Junior Pistol Trainer, and those 18 and up can be certified as Coach.

The coach school is the heart of the coach education program. The instructors use up-to-date materials and PowerPoint presentations for the discipline-specific coach course.

Registration fee includes a copy of the discipline-specific coach student study guide and other materials to help you with the details of coaching. Participants complete an open-book test as homework during the first evening of the course. Cost is $160 for SPP coaches/adult volunteers and $190 for non-SPP individuals. Please complete the Level 1 Pistol Coach Registration form and return to Tammy Mowry.

If you are in need of a hotel, we have made arrangements with the Hampton Inn Bradley/Kankakee:

SPP Hosts Special Demo at 4-H National Shooting Championships

Written on July 3, 2015.

The Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) was recently invited to host a demonstration during the prestigious 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships in Grand Island, Nebraska.

The event was held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park on June 25, with 4-H coaches and competitors spending the afternoon testing their skills on the SPP GO FAST stage.

Joining SSSF staffers Ben Berka and Scott Moore were industry partners Ed Fitzgerald of GLOCK and Tom Yost of Smith & Wesson, who supplied the firearms. Also on hand from Vista Outdoor was Ryan Bronson, who supplied CCI rimfire ammo for the demo.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation would like to thank Conrad Arnold, Program Coordinator, 4-H National Shooting Sports, for the invitation.

Thanks also to Bill Starkey and Jacob Schwan of Heartland Public Shooting Park for supplying a great range and staff to make the event a success. For those in Nebraska (4-H or not) who are interested in starting an SPP team, Bill and Jacob have offered Heartland’s support. If you are interested in starting an SPP team in Nebraska, please contact Scott Moore, jsmoore@sssfonline.com or Tammy Mowry, tmowry@sssfonline.com.

Arizona SPP Team Gets TV Attention

Written on June 27, 2015.

CBS 5 – KPHO

Shooters at the Arizona State SPP Match caught the attention of viewers of the CBS affiliate in one of the country’s largest TV markets, Phoenix, as they prepare for the upcoming SPP Junior/Senior National Championships in Sparta.

Join GLOCK and SSSF Athletes in Taking Safety Pledge

Written on June 19, 2015.

GLOCK Safety Pledge — Siblings and SPP teammates John and Kaela Leach urge SSSF athletes
to take the GLOCK safety pledge.

During the June National Safety Month, GLOCK is taking the lead in encouraging shooters and gun-owning families to take firearms safety seriously by taking the GLOCK Safety Pledge.

Several SSSF athletes, including siblings and SPP teammates John and Kaela Leach, are being featured in social media messages urging their fellow athletes and gun owners to take the pledge.

Take the GLOCK Safety Pledge.

Volunteer as an SPP Safety Officer at Nationals

Written on June 13, 2015.

The Scholastic Pistol Program has been building its roster of Range / Safety Officers to assist at its growing events, and we’re looking for a few more good men and women who would like to assist at this year’s largest-ever SPP Junior/Senior National Championships. If you have some time during the week of July 13-18 and can be at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, we want to hear from you.

To reward our volunteers, we’ll be holding a drawing to give away three guns, and you could win one of them. Each day you work, you will get an additional chance to win. Plus, there will be additional random draw prizes from our sponsors, so you will have a chance to win some great prizes for your help!

Lunch will be provided to the Safety Officers.

Nationals is a week-long event, and we need a minimum of 16 volunteers per day to work the stages, with two per stage.

Daily Schedule:

Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17

8:30 a.m. – Shooters meeting
9:00 a.m. – Match begins
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (approximately) – Lunch break
4:00 p.m. (approximately) – Daily match concludes

Saturday, July 18

8:30 a.m. – Shooters meeting
9:00 a.m. – Match begins
12:00 (approximately) – Match concludes / Lunch

And here’s a big bonus: You’re invited to bring along your range bucket to pick up all of that great 9mm brass!

Please consider coming out and helping the next generation of action shooters, and pass along this information to others who might want to help.

If you’re interested in working as a Safety Officer or learning more, contact Scott Moore, jsmoore@sssfonline.com, or Tammy Mowry, tmowry@sssfonline.com.

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

Written on June 8, 2015.

You 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!

Tag: SPP Gear