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Shooting Sports Program ends with round robin
CLOVERDALE -- Putnam County 4-H'ers competed Saturday at the Cloverdale Conservation Club in the Putnam County 4-H Round Robin. Students competed in rifle, pistol or shotgun shooting in hopes of earning the title of Top Gun or champion of one of the categories.
Before the competition, the 4-H'ers completed five weeks of shooting three nights a week, training in rifle, pistol or shotgun shooting as part of the 4-H Shooting Sports Program.
"It's about the process," Project Coordinator Jerrod Baugh said. "We work safety into every aspect."
It was apparent that safety was the No. 1 concern throughout the competition as instructors were the ones telling the students when they were allowed to load and shoot the guns as well as handling all of the ammunition.
"It's the way firearms should be used in a controlled setting. Lack of control is lack of safety," Baugh said. "The big thing we try to teach is the control factor of your safety when dealing with firearms. That's above any other thing that we do."
A total of 12 instructors teach the program, which is only offered once during the summer. The majority of the instructors were at one time 4-H members, holding this program particularly close, as it was not offered when they were in 4-H.
"We always think it's so neat now to be able to provide something that we didn't have," explained Baugh. "Now that we have it, we constantly are happy that there's a program around for safe gun use that we didn't have when we were in 4-H. It's a really neat program for kids to learn how to safely use the firearms."
For the entire year, more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition is used, all of which are paid for through donations. Students participate in the program at no cost to them.
"It's a very controlled atmosphere for shooting and that keeps it safe," said Baugh. "A phrase we use is that 'Safety is Non-negotiable,' and that's a term that was coined from my dad."
The safety rules are gone through every time the group begins a class. Those rules are: Treat all firearms as if the are loaded, never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy, keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and always be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Baugh went on to explain that in the six years of doing this program there has only been one instance where someone has had to be removed.
"It's a testament to their kids and their families," he said. "Safety really is the biggest thing for the program."
During the Round Robin Tournament, 4-H'ers can pick and choose which categories they'd like to compete in. However, to earn the title of Top Gun the student had to participate in all three.
"We have a champion of pistol, rifle and shotgun," explained Baugh. "The one who did the best in all three receives a belt buckle, which is handed out yearly and is engraved."
During the course of the training, students are not allowed to use any of their own equipment, except for in the case of the shotgun competition.
"It's always interesting to see who comes out," Baugh said. "It's not always the best in all categories. The person who won last year did not win any of the championships, but they were real good in all three and that's what we're looking for in an overall good shooter."
In each category shooters begin with a buzzer and end when they shoot the last target. Each category is based on speed and accuracy. If one were to miss a target there is a five second penalty.
Winners of the Round Robin Competition included: Top Gun, Shotgun Champion, Handgun Champion and Rifle Reserve Champion Jacob Williams, Reserve Grand Champion Daniel Borre, Rifle Champion Joey Nelson, Handgun Reserve Champion Nick Keck and Shotgun Reserve Champion Daniel Williams.
Sponsors for the program include the Cloverdale Conservation Club, The NRA Foundation, Greencastle Wal-Mart Distribution Center, West Central Indiana Quail Forever and Dr. Daryl Hodges.