Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) athletes had the opportunity to train and compete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. From May 24-26, 2019 12 Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) athletes learned to shoot the International disciplines of 10 Meter Air Pistol, Sport Pistol and Rapid-Fire Pistol. Athletes stayed at the Olympic Training Center and were trained by USA Shooting Coach Brent McPherson and former USA National Team Member and USA Shooting Board Member Jim Henderson. This was SASP’s first Junior Olympic Development Camp (JODC) in 5 years.
For action shooters the athletes picked up the Olympic disciplines quickly. Before they left the Olympic Training Center 8 of 12 athletes shot 10M Air Pistol scores that would have qualified them last year to be invited to the Junior Olympic Trials for a chance to make the United States Junior Olympic Team. Coach Jim Henderson stated, “In all my years of coaching I have never seen a group of athletes pick this up so quickly, and then perform at this high of a level.”
Congratulation to the following SASP athletes who applied and were selected to attend the SASP 2019 JODC.
Jordan Walton WI, Annie Unsell AL, Bailey Lueders MO, Julia Kassa AZ, Sydnie Gray MI, Natalie Unsell AL, Jacob Pruitt OH, Ethan Jardines VA, Robert Little TX, Sawyer Phipps TN, Zachary Winton TX, and Maccoy Gilkison VA.
SASP coaches and staff also participated in an international discipline coach’s clinic on May 22 and 23 before helping coach the SASP athletes upon their arrival. Russell Gilkison VA, Samantha Engle MI were the coaches that participated in the coach program.
SASP is excited to watch as these athletes continue to participate in the International disciplines with hopes of one day seeing one of them standing on the podium and the American Flag is raised as they represent our county in international competition.
We look forward to again holding a JODC in 2020.
SASP would like to thank USA Shooting, especially Brent McPherson and Jim Henderson for their coaching and working with us to provide this great opportunity for our athletes. We would also like to thank the US Olympic Training Center for their hospitality.
About the Scholastic Shooting Sports FoundationThe Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.
For more information about SSSF, visit www.sssfonline.org