The 4-H Shooting Sports Program is a youth development education program, which uses a prevention education model that strongly emphasizes positive youth-adult interaction and peer leadership.
Photo courtesy of Catherine Shelley
ELLERBE — Richmond County 4-H invites you to attend the 4-H Regional Shooting Sports Tournament this Saturday, August 19 at Millstone 4-H Camp and the Lentz Range, both in Ellerbe, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
The tournament is an opportunity for youth to showcase their knowledge and skill in certain shooting disciplines that they have practiced throughout the year. Teams and individuals are competing for their spot in the state tournament. The top five teams and top 10 individual sportsmen will advance to the state level. This year, the Richmond County 4-H Shooting Sports Club, led by Patrick Collins and Rick Seccondro, will have two junior rifle teams in addition to individual competitors in both open rifle, telescopic rifle, and compound archery disciplines.
Youth competing this year are Elijah Robinson, Nathan Osborne, Mason Simmons, Knox Collins, Jett Collins, Olivia Ford, Annalisa Ford, Jackson Reeder, and Daniel Seccondro. These youth have been practicing several times each month in preparation for this competition and would love to have your support as they aim to advance to the state level.
If you plan to attend the event, gates open at 7 a.m. Please be advised that there is no food on site so bringing snacks and plenty of drinking water is advised. If you plan to watch various disciplines, I also suggest bringing a camp chair, sunscreen, hat, and comfortable shoes. The awards ceremony will take place after all competitions are complete. This is usually after 5 p.m.
The 4-H Shooting Sports Program is a youth development education program, which uses a prevention education model that strongly emphasizes positive youth-adult interaction and peer leadership. It uses skills and disciplines of safe shooting and conservation to assist young people and their leaders in attaining knowledge and developing essential life skills. The program can enhance family communications and quality time together. It creates an environment for a caring relationship between a young person and a significant adult, whether this is a family member, other adult, or teen volunteer.
These activities provide the opportunity for immediate gratification to the youth and satisfaction and self-worth to the adult/teen leader who acts as teacher and role model for younger 4-H youth members. The program relies on 4-H certified instructors to conduct classes in the various disciplines (archery, pistol, shotgun, muzzle loading, rifle, wildlife/hunting, and coordinator).
Each local program is guided under the administration of the 4-H County Extension Agent and must be delivered by an instructor that has been certified by the NC 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator, registered in the 4-H Online system and endorsed as a volunteer through the N.C. Cooperative Extension background check process.
The primary focus of the North Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports program is the total development of the young person. This is achieved by focusing on the following goals.
• To encourage participation in natural resources and related natural science programs by exposing participants to the content through target shooting, hunting and related activities.
• To enhance development of self-concept, character and personal growth through safe, educational and socially acceptable involvement in target shooting programs.
• To teach safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment including sound decision making and self-discipline.
• To promote the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
• To expose participants to the broad array of vocational and life-long shooting sports activities.
• To strengthen families through participation in life-long recreational activities.
• To complement and enhance the impact of existing safety, shooting sports and hunter education programs using experiential education methods and progressive development of skills and abilities.
For more information about 4-H or the shooting sports club, read more at: https://nc4h.ces.ncsu.edu/youth-3/nc-4-h-shooting-sports-program/ or call the NC Cooperative Extension Office, Richmond County Center at 910-997-8255.