The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the country.  At least two-thirds of JROTC units offer rifle marksmanship programs as an elective and most of these have rifle teams.
   North Henderson High School, Hendersonville, North Carolina and East Henderson High School, less than five miles southeast in East Flat Rock, were recently selected to start an air rifle program in conjunction with the Air Force JROTC program this academic year. 
   “We are very excited about bringing on this new program because we feel this will provide an excellent opportunity for our cadets to mature and develop discipline in a structured program that allows competition at the individual level for male and female cadets.” stated James H. Grigsby, Jr., Lt. Col., USAF (Ret.), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at North Henderson High School.  “Our headquarters  provided the initial seed money to purchase air rifles, targets, and training for instructors.” added Lt. Col. Grigsby. 
   Robert S. Clark, Lt.Col., USAF (Ret.), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at East Henderson Hign School stated “Based on the enthusiastic response from the incoming class of freshmen to our newly-equipped marksmanship program, we fully expect to double the number of students enrolled in the AFJROTC program.”
   In support of these highly-motivated youth program leaders, the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance (YSSA) provided additional equipment including shooting mats, kneeling rolls, targets and pellets to each of these sister AFJROTC units.
   The shooting sports industry has traditionally served as the primary supporter of youth shooting sports programs nationwide.  The industry’s collective leadership effort in supporting youth program initiatives has enabled youth and social organizations to expose millions of kids to the shooting sports.
   As a service to the industry, the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance (YSSA) provides guidance as to which programs should be considered as priority in having the greatest return on investment measured by projected program growth and participation.  Based on the ranking provided by a panel of industry reviewers of the proposals for assistance submitted to the YSSA, several JROTC programs in North and South Carolina were selected in the prestigious category of “priority” youth shooting sports programs.
   The YSSA has established a sound foundation in providing product support for these priority youth shooting sports programs in partnership with some of the most respected manufacturers in the industry.  Archery and firearm industry leaders are partnering with the YSSA in support of its objectives and our kids across the nation. 
   The Eugene Ashley High School Navy JROTC unit in Wilmington, NC has a corps of cadets that is enthusiastic and motivated to help their school, community and country to be successful and proud.  The corps, led by CWO2 David W. Foster, USCG (Ret.), the shooting coach and NJROTC instructor at the school, is comprised of over 130 cadets and its air rifle team has won the North Carolina State Championship four years in a row.  Eugene Ashley High School also sponsors a club team that shoots archery, shotgun and .22LR.  This club, also coached by Mr. Foster, is open to the entire school population.  The school club requested assistance in acquiring archery equipment and ammunition.
   Bowtech, a subsidiary of the Savage Sports Corporation, provided four compound bows and Winchester Ammunition provided ten cases of shotgun target loads in support of the schools shooting sports program.
   Winchester Ammunition has demonstrated a leadership role in support of youth shooting sports.  The company made a groundbreaking $500,000 pledge in April, 2007 to permanently endow NRA’s Marksmanship Qualification Program.  Many youth program leaders consider this program an indispensable way to encourage young people to develop their shooting skills and grow their interest in the shooting sports.  With this gift, Winchester became the exclusive, permanent sponsor of the program now known as the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.
   Greg Kosteck, Director, Winchester Marketing said “Winchester Ammunition is proud to support the needs of successful youth programs that create measurable improvements in youth participation in the shooting sports.”
   The Emsley A. Laney High School  in Wilmington, NC has a long-established JROTC unit in a suburban neighborhood that has recently been designated as one of a handful of Air Force JROTC units to establish marksmanship programs for their cadets. 
   “This is a significant step forward for our unit.” stated Gary O. Green, Lt.Col., USAF (Ret.), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.  “We expect that we will have about 60-80 cadets interested in participating in the mar   ksmanship program.”
Daisy Outdoor Products, the world’s oldest and largest producer of airguns, has been a long-time supporter of youth shooting safety and youth shooting sports programs.  The company recognized the impact that the YSSA is having on enabling more organizations to introduce young and first-time shooters safely to airguns and to all disciplines of the shooting sports.  
   Daisy Outdoor Products donated five Avanti 853 Legend Competition rifles and two pellet traps in support of the AFJROTC program at Emsley A. Laney High School. 
“YSSA is doing a tremendous job of identifying, assessing and prioritizing needs.  They are matching up donors who want to perpetuate the shooting sports with organizations which have a passion for youth shooting programs but may lack the finances to acquire the equipment,” said Joe Murfin, Vice President of Marketing for Daisy and a member of the YSSA Board of Directors.
   The YSSA also provided shooting mats in support of the Emsley A Laney High School program.
   The relative success of the Cary High School Navy JROTC rifle team in Cary, NC has brought increased popularity to marksmanship as an NJROTC activity.  As a result, the team is growing and presents the unit with a need to acquire additional equipment.
   “Marksmanship allows many cadets an opportunity to experience the camaraderie and improved self confidence that comes from belonging to a competitive team.” said Chief Paul Brown, USN (Ret.), Naval Science Instructor/Rifle Coach.  “Due to physical characteristics, many cadets would not otherwise belong to a competitive team while in high school.  This is one of the great attractions of the shooting sports for many kids.” 
   In recognition of the quality of this program, Leupold & Stevens, Inc. donated three Leupold Sequoia 15-45x60mm angled spottingscopes to Cary High School’s NJROTC unit.
   Leupold & Stevens, Inc., recognized worldwide for precision sports optics bearing the Leupold name, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007.  Its products include rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; mounting systems; and optical tools. 
   Cyndi Flannigan, Sales Manager, Leupold & Stevens, Inc. said “Our company is proud to support the needs of these priority JROTC programs that create measurable impacts on the introduction and retention of youth participation in the shooting sports.”
   The Laurens District 55 High School in Laurens, South Carolina hosts an above-average size Navy JROTC unit in South Carolina.  “Our rifle team is working hard to improve with limited resources.” states CDR John Lancaster, USN (Ret.).   “Last year, one of our talented cadets made us stands in his welding class to help us improve our program.  We have struggled over the years, but have managed to make it work and we have one of the top shooting programs in the state.”
   Daisy was impressed with this program’s commitment and resourcefulness and donated five Avanti 887 Gold Medalist Competition rifles to the Laurens District 55 High School NJROTC unit.  CDR Lancaster said “Our rifle team is thrilled and these rifles will enable us to expand our team and will allow us to become more competitive.”
   The YSSA also supplied the program with pellets and targets.
   CWO4 Tom Campbell, Naval Science Instructor/Rifle Team Coach at the North Buncombe High School Navy JROTC unit in Weaverville, NC, said “Our goal is to develop a greater awareness in firearms safety and to create an interest in these young people in the sport of competitive shooting.  By better educating young people in the sport of marksmanship, we teach important life skills such as self discipline and responsibility.”
    Leupold & Stevens, Inc. donated two spotting scopes to the program.  Campbell’s response was enthusiastic.  “The Leupold scopes meet our program needs fantastically and they will enhance our present shooting program immensely.”
   In addition, the YSSA provided shooting mats and kneeling rolls to the unit.
   PO-1 Chad Williams, Rifle Team Captain at North Buncombe High School, said that the discipline and concentration required of the shooting program has improved his grades.  His thoughts were shared by Seaman Justace Rincom who said “I look forward to shooting all day.  My grades before entering the shooting program were not so good, but now I get only A’s and B’s.”  Seaman Michael Alvarez said “The shooting program provides a great bonding opportunity for me and my Dad.  We enjoy going to the range and shooting handguns together.”
   Vincent C. Giani, Col. (Ret.), USMC, Senior Naval Science Instructor at Western Alamance High School Navy JROTC in Elon, NC states “We currently have a varsity and junior varsity marksmanship team at our unit.  Our marksmanship team is still in need of some ancillary shooting support materials to include shooting mats, gloves, targets, rifle cases and kneeling rolls.”
   Cabela’s provided five Cabela’s heavy canvas rifle cases and five pairs of Cabela’s premier leather shooting gloves to the Western Alamance High School NJROTC program.  The YSSA provided additional kneeling rolls, shooting mats and targets.
   In August, 2007, the YSSA began identifying and prioritizing youth shooting sports program needs and assisting priority program leaders to address factors which are limiting the growth of their respective programs.  The YSSA conducted a National Youth Shooting Sports Program Needs Assessment to identify limitations to program growth attributed to the need for shooting sports equipment and supplies. 
   As referenced earlier, the YSSA convened a panel of select members of the industry to review the proposals received from these organizations and identify the priority program needs that will best address the future market goals of the industry. 
   In recognition of a company’s generosity and support of youth shooting sports programs, the YSSA prepares a press release for publication on the YSSA website www.youthshootingsa.com and for distribution to a number of well-recognized media outlets.  The YSSA also welcomes and encourages industry supporters of youth programs to take advantage of the free promotional service on its website to feature special offers to youth program leaders for their products, services or fundraising ideas.
   The YSSA’s 2008 National Assessment of Youth Shooting Sports Program Needs will be initiated in June.  Based on this year’s success in identifying priority youth shooting sports programs and the concurrent support of the shooting sports industry in addressing the needs of those programs, we look forward to identifying additional youth programs that show great promise in increasing the number of youth being introduced to the joy of shooting.