The Benefits of Junior Shooting Sports
I have been coaching young rifle athletes for approximately 17 years. When first discussing the benefits of a junior rifle program with inquisitive parents, I often refer back to a book written by Gary Anderson of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). In his book, Coaching Young Rifle Shooters, he discusses several benefits:
Concentration Skills - The heart and soul of firing consistent series of accurate shots is concentration. Developing the ability to fire accurate shots enhances concentration skills to a high degree. Many young shooters and their parents also discover that concentration skills transfer to schoolwork and other pursuits.
Self-Control and Emotional Control - Shooters learn to control themselves and their emotions exceptionally well. Competitive energies are directed towards an inanimate object, the target, and never toward an opponent.
Self-Discipline - Self-discipline is emphasized in target shooting from the first safety lessons, to disciplining oneself to get the most out of every practice, to the self-discipline that determines how hard and how often one practices.
Responsibility - Gun safety begins with accepting responsibility for handling the guns used in shooting safely. Progress in shooting depends upon accepting full responsibility for both good scores and bad scores.
Fair Play and Sportsmanship - In shooting, the ideals of fair play and good sportsmanship lead to a commitment to always follow the rules and respect other competitors as well as coaches and competition officials.
Rewards of Hard Work - Shooting is a sport where strength, size, or speed make no difference in how well one can shoot. Instead, it is a sport where how hard one works makes all the difference. This can become a critical and long-lasting life lesson.
Self-Image Enhancement - Participating in target shooting where progress is almost solely dependent upon how hard one works has helped many young people learn to believe in themselves and to understand that they can achieve their goals and meet difficult challenges.
Personally, I have witnessed many young people make a 180-degree change in the lives for the better. If you have or know a young person who might enjoy the shooting sports, please seek out a qualified instructor or coach. And yes, there is a difference between an instructor and a coach. Instructors introduce the new athlete to the sport and focus on education, firearms safety, and rifle mechanics. Their involement is typically for a brief period of time. Your local 4-H shooting sports program is a great place to start with an instructor. For youth who really enjoy the sport and want to practice and compete, please ask someone for a recommendation for a CMP and/or USA Shooting coach. Who knows, your child may get an NCAA shooting scholarship or get to represent the USA at international competitions like the Olympics.
Shooting for Perfection - Matt. 5:48
Future is now 🔥
@slade_caldwell has been chosen to participate in the 2025 Major League Baseball Futures Game in Atlanta on July 12th as part of All-Star Weekend! #packfirst🐺
��: Sam Kirkegaard