Youth Shooting Sports

[Bruce Day]

I was working this morning and got a call from a friend who asked what I was doing so I told him and he asked me to post photos and explanation on the forum, as the PGCA has a youth shooting sports initiative.

So, about 20 days in the summer and several saturdays in the spring and in the fall I am involved in teaching Boy Scouts in first steps and advanced shooting, shotgun, 22 rifle, 22 and 38 pistol and black powder muzzleloading. All instructors have to be NRA certified and I am certified in shotgun and pistol. We have 11,000 youth ( boys and Venture age girls) in council and we run about 5000 through a shooting program every year.

We have about 100 qualified instructors but only about 30 can be counted on time after time. Shotgun takes one instructor per student, rifle and pistol , one to five. You get some students and they have never shot before and they are hitting after a few shots, others take a lot of instruction effort.

So, some folks find this rewarding and all BSA councils have these programs that a person could help out on if he was so inclined. Its a way to preserve a traditional sport for future generations. I know the NRA was putting out a general call for shotgun instructors for the national jamboree in West Virginia next summer, but I am already committed to help out at our council camps then. We have young women in the Venture program and we had no female instructors in the council, so a couple of us asked a well known local woman shooter ( Captain, USN, Ret) to help. She had no BSA connection but she has been wonderful in working with the young women.

So, here's some photos.......oh we use 870's and run about 20,000 rounds per year through them in just part of our total program. We have five and its the close of season and we need to work on two of them. We burn a lot of powder.

[calvin humburg]

That is great stuff!

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Bruce,

This is very important work. Each member of the PGCA has the responsibility to bring a young person (or someone who has never shot before of any age!) to the range. The future of our organization, hobby, and gun rights are in our own hands in this regard. There is nothing better that we can do for our future. Let a kid/grandkid experience the thrill of breaking some clays with one of your guns and Parkers. Our gun collecting abilities and shooting destiny are in our own hands on this issue- thank you for sharing these photos and reminding us of this very important work.

[Brian Stucker]

I really like seeing the older guys teaching the kids the correct way to handle guns and ammo. JLoew is absolutely right about making the effort to pass the sport/hobby along to the next generation. My brothers and I were involved with the YMCA and there was a shooting range at summer camp. We were lucky enough to have patient camp leaders show us the proper way to shoot and handle guns safely. We were young teens and that memory is etched solid in the vault.

We work with a group (Field of Dreams) and grant them hunting and fishing access to our ranches. They serve war veterans and the kids of fallen soldiers. Over the 15 years we've been involved, they have helped many who wouldn't had the opportunity to shoot game or catch a nice bass.

Great pictures and a beautiful setting for those kids. Those will be some great memories. Very nice indeed.

[Bill Mullins]

Bruce,
I echo Josh's post and his sentiments! What you and your fellow instructors are doing is oustanding. Thank you for being a great "Ambassador" to the shooting sports-----and the PGCA!!
Bill

[Bill Mullins]

Bruce,
I echo Josh's post and his sentiments! What you and your fellow instructors are doing is oustanding. Thank you for being a great "Ambassador" to the shooting sports-----and the PGCA!!
Bill

[Carl Erickson Jr]

As an NRA rifle coach, Boy Scout Shooting Sports Director and NRA instructor in rifle, pistol, shotgun and black powder I echo the above comments. We have to get our youth shooting if our sport is to continue. Our clubs must set aside time for youth shooting and set up instruction programs and teams. When some club member complains about is losing range time to youth instruction explain to him that if we do not teach youth how to shoot then our sport will die.
I suggest that those who wish to teach youth get trained as a NRA-USA Shooting-CMP coach! Then work with youth and get a great experience!

[Bruce Day]

I think I will for our advanced shot gun kids.....these are the ones getting the Shotgun merit badge..... after they shoot their 50 for score, that I will let them shoot a Parker 20 ga for some shots. I'll tell them the gun is 100 years old, let them see the quality and give them the sense of the gun. Who knows, that may stick and they will be joining us here someday.

I have that light 20 ga DHE 24" that is perfect for a youth gun....its the one that John Dunkle wanted to borrow for a season grouse hunting and you fellows up there told me to never let him borrow it. I don't know, what could go wrong? So maybe he uses the gun for a season and I use one of his Porsches for that time?

[Bruce Day]

I thought I would mention something more before letting the subject go.

There are many of these boys who have no father or father interested in their lives. In our own troop , half are children of divorce and we seldom or never see fathers.

Many of the moms are unfamiliar with guns and view them with female concern.

Sometimes dads who do show up, we have to ask them to just not commment. They are so demanding of perfection in their boy and critical when the boy misses.

You disassemble a gun and they pay attention because they like the way things fit together and function.

Some of these boys have no good male role model in their lives. Drugs, alcohol, unsteadiness, little anger control.

Maybe think about it?

[Carl Erickson Jr]

I can't agree with Bruce more. I would presume that anyone looking at this site is a collector. Share your collection with a group of youth while explaining the 3 rules of firearm safety and Eddie Eagle topics. They will probably have a chance to hold something that they might only see in a museum. Watch them smile! Let the leaders and parents have a chance to shoot, most importantly the mothers. Make sure that the firearm is suitable and that you aren't giving the individual a firearm that will cause discomfort. Watch the leaders and parents smile....
At my club we have a rule that parents are NOT allowed to coach their child, and that any comment made must be positive. We do not deviate from this rule!
By the way, I feel passionately about this topic and wish that more of the gun community would feel the same way.

[John Dallas]

I'm an instructor in Michigan's Hunter Ed program. I concur on the observation about lack of male role models. Maybe it's jsut wishful thinking, but we think that we see a bit of a difference in the young boys who come in with hats on backwards, pants low and a surly attitude. After two days, they often have a smile on their face, and a different attitude. Interesting what a little structure and genuine interest can do.

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Carl- great point about sharing your Parkers with folks. I regularly shoot my VH 12ga and I always share the gun with anyone that asks about it. We all have a responsibility in the future of our hobby.