The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is thrilled to announce its official partnership of the National Firearm Trade Association’s First Shots® program. First Shots is the introductory and refresher target-shooting program made available through host target-shooting ranges across the country.
Under the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s administration, the Scholastic Clay Target and Scholastic Action Shooting Program are national youth development programs that build marksmanship skills and enjoyment of recreational shooting. The programs, which serve tens of thousands of participants, rely on adult coaches and other volunteers who use the shooting sports to teach sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork and other positive life skills.
NSSF has a shared history with the SCTP, having launched the program in 2001 as a competitive trap shooting activity that quickly expanded to include skeet and sporting clays. In 2007, the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation was established as the governing body to oversee SCTP. The SASP program soon followed with action shooting on steel targets with pistols and rifles, later adding 10m air rifle and 10m air pistol shooting for youth competitors.
“Given NSSF’s longstanding connection with scholastic shooting, it’s gratifying to see these partnerships with SCTP and SASP—programs that have done so much to popularize youth target shooting and firearm safety across the country,” said Zach Snow, NSSF Director, Member Development.
“The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s approach of teaching young athletes about safe and responsible firearm handling and introducing them to clay target, handgun and rifle shooting sports aligns perfectly with First Shots’ mission of supervised introductions,” said Rick Leach, SSSF’s Executive Director. “This is a mutually beneficial partnership if I ever saw one.”
As part of its partnership, the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation will encourage teams to use First Shots to introduce newcomers to the challenge and fun of recreational shooting. First Shots will serve as a recruitment, community outreach and potential fundraising tool for participating teams.
In addition to its student-athletes enjoying shooting competitions for all skill levels, SCTP and SASP serve as feeder programs for national governing bodies like USA Shooting, National Skeet Shooting Association, National Sporting Clays Association and the Amateur Trapshooting Association.
NSSF invites other organizations associated with the shooting sports and industry to consider becoming a First Shots partner. The benefits to the organization and to the future of the shooting sports are considerable. Learn how to become a First Shots partner by contacting Zach Snow at 203-286-5681. To become a First Shots host range and or instructor, contact Ann Gamauf at 203-426-1320 ext. 247.
About the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. The SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.
Provide and enhance personal growth and development opportunities for student athlete members; become the premier authority in all things pertaining to firearm-related pursuits for youth; pass on to future generations the legacy of lifelong, safe, responsible enjoyment of the shooting sports. This includes serving as the primary feeder/pipeline for organized, sanctioned shooting organizations and teams, like USA SHOOTING, TEAM USA, and the NGBs (NSSA, NSCA, ATA).
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