History of the 4-H Shooting Sports Program
Shooting has been a part of 4-H since the 1930’s when there was competition at local, district and state events. For example, Texas often held a 22-rifle competition in districts and in conjunction with the State 4-H Leadership Roundup. These programs were active because of the interest of some County Extension Agents and volunteer leaders. There was also shooting sports at come 4-H camps that had ranges however, there was no organized training program where leaders were taught how to teach youth how to shoot.
In 1976, a request was made by Tom Davison (Texas 4-H), Don Steinbach and Milo Shult (Texas Extension Fisheries/Wildlife) to the State 4-H Program Leader that the current 4-H rifle project be expanded to include other shooting disciplines. Approval was given and 4-H shooting sports was born! These staff members realized that there needed to be a training program in place to teach volunteers how to teach all the shooting skills as well as to expand the existing rifle project.
In March of 1976, Conrad Liden, Maryland Extension staff member who ran a competitive 4-H shooting sports program and Milo Shult met with Bill Stevens of Federal Cartridge in Washington, D.C. to discuss the concept of the proposed 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Training program. Conrad contacted Wayne Sheets, Director of Education and Training at NRA about working with this small group to develop the 4-H shooting sports program. Wayne met with Tom Davison and it was agreed that a pilot training should be held to determined if the concept would work and if it should be expanded to other states.
In 1977, two NRA/Texas 4-H pilot workshops were held for volunteer leaders and County Extension agents. Both were a success and it was determined that the program should be expanded to other states. NRA agreed to pay the travel of Tom and other individuals who could teach at the workshops. Bill Stevens discussed the program concept with the Minnesota 4-H staff and they agreed to hot a workshop in Minnesota in September of 1979. As in Texas, the workshop was a success and another workshop was held in 1980. In addition to Minnesota, NRA worked with 4-H staffs in New York and Washington. During the time the pilot programs were being evaluated, Stevens talked with numerous State 4-H staffs about the potential of the shooting sports program while making his annual visits to 4-H offices and Conservation Campus. There was a lot of interest and these contacts helped to identify states that would be involved.
In order to expand the 4-H shooting sports program in an organized manner, NRA hosted an organizational meeting in December of 1979. Attendees were: Tom Davison (Texas), Jim Kitts (Minnesota), Ron Howard (New York), Jerry Neuman (Washington), Conrad Liden (Maryland), Jim Miller and Kemp Swiney (USDA), Don Johnson (National 4-H Council), Bill Stevens (Federal Cartridge), and Gary Anderson, Wayne Sheets, Joe Nava, Jim Norine, Harold Newbitt, and John Hunt (NRA). Tom Davison chaired the meeting and the following was discussed:
Develop a systematic plan for project development:
§ Recommend objectives for the project
§ Ascertain volunteer leader training needs
§ Determine literature required
§ Provide a recognition program for participants
§ Garner resource needs and private sector support
§ Recommend events and activities for shooting sports on local, state, regional and national levels
§ Provide a schedule for implementation and make task assignments
The NRA Junior Olympic Shooting Program and 4-H’s future involvement in it was also discussed.
As a result of the meeting, the following conclusions were reached:
Philosophy
§ Shooting sports is a total program including all aspects of shooting sports
§ Shooting sports is to be a hands on activity
§ The program should have a hard hitting, saleable title: 4-H Shooting Sports
General statements
§ Expose youth to a broad array of activities
§ Encourage lasting participation
§ Incorporate 4-H philosophy of lifetime skills
§ Provide opportunities for channeling SS interests into (pyramid) competition, recreation and education
§ Develop knowledge and skills in all shooting sports
§ Demonstrate that shooting sports are acceptable lifelong activities
As a result of the committee meetings a three-part plan was developed:
1. Prepare literature that can be used to teach leaders how to teach the shooting skills. Wayne Sheets provided staff from the NRA Education and Training Department to assist with the development of the curriculum.
2. Develop a delivery system for conducting regional leader training workshops in the four Extension Regions that would teach a cadre of volunteers how to teach other and manage state, county or local 4-H shooting sports programs. (Bill Stevens was to meet with state 4-H staffs, during travels to state offices and conservation camps sponsored by Federal Cartridge, and inform that about the new program and encourage their participation and involvement.)
3. Raise dollars from the shooting sports industry, shooting organizations and conservation groups to under write the costs of the workshop. It was determined that the participants should attend free of charge. (Tom Davison and Bill Stevens were to make contacts with various companies and organizations requesting support for the program.)
Note: The committee meetings were very spirited! The participants did not hesitate to express their views and to a casual observer it would seem that nothing was being accomplished. However, Tom Davison would let everyone express their concern and debate the issue, and then he would summarize and make a recommendation as to the action needing to be taken. Everyone would agree and the group would move forward.
Southern Regional 4-H Shooting Sports Workshop, May 19 –24, 2002, W.W. Long 4-H Leadership Center, Aiken, South Carolina. There were 171 participants from 22 states. Total attendees were 206.
