Emmaus High School is a rarity in that it actually has a shooting team as a part of its athletic department. The school caused a bit of an uproar when its 2013 yearbook omitted any mention of this team.
The school claims the omission was accidental. Not surprisingly, a number of pro-gun people cried foul, claiming the team was a victim of a liberal agenda. Possibly.
I think Thomas Seidenberger, the school’s Superintendent, may have explained the problem better by noting, “that most high schools don’t even have rifle teams anymore.”
This is more telling and, sadly, is the fault of gun owners. Organized shooting events aren’t more popular because most gun owners don’t participate. 98% of the NRA membership doesn’t hold a classification in any NRA event, despite the fact that every NRA member can hold at least a “Marksman” card simply by showing up to a Sanctioned/Approved/Registered event, regardless of score. And these events are published in Shooting Sports USA which available online for free. Problem is, they’d first have to show up…
Before protesting, indicate which organized disciplines you currently compete/participate and hold classifications in.
If the honest answer is “none”, you have your reason why shooting teams like this remain ignored. Gun owners don’t care enough to show up, so why should the general media bother to pay attention?
The same goes for Junior teams. Getting young people involved is a great idea, but I’ve met far too many adult organizers that don’t currently, and never have, participated in the event the Junior team is supposed to promote! If it’s such a great idea for youngsters, why isn’t it an equally good idea for adults to do likewise, especially if they’re involved with the kid’s team?
But, pointing out such things just makes people mad at me. Better to blame those damn liberals than look in the mirror and ask why shooting sports aren’t more popular.
Firearm User Network 
Award-winning Pennsylvania high school rifle team left out of yearbook | The Gun Feed
Oct 20, 2013 @ 15:13:11
Oct 20, 2013 @ 17:32:40
“98% of the NRA membership doesn’t hold a classification in any NRA event, despite the fact that every NRA member can hold at least a “Marksman” card simply by showing up to a Sanctioned/Approved/Registered event, regardless of score.”
I’m a member of the NRA.
First of all, none of those events are close enough to make the cost of the drive and time worth the effort.
Second, “Badges? I don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”
PISTOL COURSE OF FIRE
Marksman:
Position:Standing, two hands.
Distance:15 feet.
Target:Paper plates or paper disks(nine-inch diameter).
Time:No restrictions.
Course of Fire and Rating
Requirements: Shoot 10 plates with 10 shots on each plate. All
shots must be inside a one and a half-inch margin from the edge of
the plate.The 10 plates do not have to be fired in succession or
on the same day.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
10 shots at 15 feet in a 6″ circle X10 = 100 rounds of ammo wasted.
I can shoot 5 rounds at 15 yards (45 Feet) inside the 10-ring of a B-27, well, maybe one in the 9 ring now and then.
With a good scoped rifle I can do 2MOA 3 shot groups at 100 yards, any caliber.
5 shots, 30-06 150gr.JSP, 10X scope.
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 15:09:59
What you’re describing is the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, a self paced program for beginners. MQP is designed to prepare a marksman for higher level organized shooting, such as competition. However, a “Distinguished Expert” on a Marksmanship Qualification Program course is roughly equal to a “Sharpshooter” Classification in competition.
The specific pistol course you list isn’t even designed for competition. “Distinguished Expert” on this is a goal for a new shooter at a beginner’s course. It obviously isn’t used in competition because it’s far too easy. It’s like criticizing an arithmetic test for second graders as being too easy; it’s only a challenge for someone still in second grade.
Look at the courses and Classification standards used in Action Pistol and Conventional Pistol for a comparison:
Click to access act-book.pdf
Click to access pistol-book.pdf
MQP is completely different from a Sanctioned/Approved/Registered event. For a breakdown of formal competition courses and Classification standards, get the current rulebooks:
http://compete.nra.org/official-nra-rule-books.aspx
I go over the differences in detail here:
https://firearmusernetwork.com/marksmanship-classification-qualification/
This is a PERFECT example of the problem I’m talking about. NRA members don’t even recognize the difference between the Marksmanship Qualification Program and Competition Division events and classifications. The NRA stupidly shared the classification names of these two programs, adding to the confusion.
>> I can shoot 5 rounds at 15 yards (45 Feet) inside the 10-ring of a B-27, well, maybe one in the 9 ring now and then.
When you can do that at 50 yards, you’ll be ready for PPC competition:
http://ppc.nra.org/ppc-rule-information.aspx
>> With a good scoped rifle I can do 2MOA 3 shot groups at 100 yards, any caliber.
5 shots, 30-06 150gr.JSP, 10X scope.
When you can do that with iron sights, rapid fire for 10 shots at 300 yards, you’ll be ready for High Power:
Click to access hpr-book.pdf
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 20:56:58
>> All of the ranges where these are held require a membership that is downright expensive, some as high $400 initiation and $300/yr to be a member. Some are cheaper, but again, too darn far away. AND you must know a member to even be considered for a membership.
I have never heard of a range or club running matches that required membership to participate. For almost all of them, you’re able to attend matches whenever you’d like without joining the club or range.
>> Now I’m retired and have all kinds of time, but the money situation precludes any kind of sanctioned competition. I have my own backyard 50 yard maximum range for rifle and marked off distances for 3 to 15 yards for pistol. Backstop with ~1000 pounds of sandbags and 300 yards of pine woods behind it.
My definition of a good gun owner is anyone capable of keeping and bearing arms without causing vandalism or undue injury to self or others.
https://firearmusernetwork.com/good-gun-owners/
Everyone’s personal situation and interests are unique. It’s not likely that a majority of the membership would ever throw their hats into the ring, but the numbers have dwindled drastically. It’s disconcerting to active marksmen, especially when the NRA leadership doesn’t care.
Up though the 1960’s roughly one third of the NRA membership participated in enough events to earn a classification. That’s one in three members, before the Internet when communication was limited primarily to snail mail and print publications. Today, for every 100 members only one or two have done likewise. We have plenty of gun owners but very few skilled marksmen.
Even if you’re unable to participate formally, your personal range set up is enviable! Perhaps you could set up some events for personal practice, then have some family and friends join in.
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 20:34:55
Thanks for clearing that up. You’re right, the NRA doesn’t explain the distinction between the two.
However, going to a real NRA competition is still out of the question for me.
I live in rural South Carolina, and the closest ones I can find listed are more than 100 miles one way, even if I could afford it.
All of the ranges where these are held require a membership that is downright expensive, some as high $400 initiation and $300/yr to be a member. Some are cheaper, but again, too darn far away. AND you must know a member to even be considered for a membership.
I’ve looked at many of them, hoping to find a place with more than 100 yards to shoot the AR-15 I’m buying next month. I’ve been shooting rifles since I was a teenager, with a long break during Military service, marriage and raising 6 children. Now I’m retired and have all kinds of time, but the money situation precludes any kind of sanctioned competition. I’ve been shooting a semi-auto 9mm. pistol for only 2 years and I am satisfied with my ability to hit a target at any range. Even 50 yards benched.
I have my own backyard 50 yard maximum range for rifle and marked off distances for 3 to 15 yards for pistol. Backstop with ~1000 pounds of sandbags and 300 yards of pine woods behind it.
Geoff
U.S. Air Force Veteran
NRA Member
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Oct 24, 2013 @ 16:02:18
I would like to try a competition some time. But finding one close is a problem.
I did a some checking on NRA shoots. The closest one is Nov.9 in Waxhaw, NC, at the Charlotte Rifle and Pistol Club, ~150 miles from me.
http://www.cr-pc.org/pistol-nra.asp
It’s a private club. It costs $20 as a non-member. This event is not sanctioned. It will be next year. There is also one in South Congaree, SC, also ~150 miles. (outside Columbia,SC)
I looked up high power rifle also. For November there is one in Sneads Ferry, NC (~150 miles) and one in Belton, SC (~200 miles). The info on the shoots I got from page 62 of America’s 1st Freedom magazine. I don’t have a problem with an entry fee, but I do with a 3 to 4 hour drive to get there.
I think I’ll stick with my backyard shooting and not worry about cards or badges or whatever the winner gets. There just aren’t any ranges within reasonable distance to me where an event could be held. FYI, I’m about 20 miles NW of Myrtle Beach.
Sorry to keep bugging you.
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Oct 24, 2013 @ 16:17:30
You’re not bugging me. I’m happy to find a gun owner interested enough to ask questions about this. Unfortunately, that’s rare.
>> I would like to try a competition some time. But finding one close is a problem. … There just aren’t any ranges within reasonable distance to me where an event could be held.
Another example of the problem. An NRA member interested in organized shooting that actually bothers to seek out events struggles to find events.
I wish I could direct you to a reliable place where you could punch in your zip code and see an up-to-date list of active clubs and upcoming events but such a resource doesn’t currently exist.
No shooting organization, NRA or otherwise, does this effectively. Despite being a USPSA and NRA member, there have been times when visiting a new area (or helping a friend there) and tried to find out where matches were being held. I already knew about the sport, yet as a card-carrying member, there isn’t a good clearinghouse of events.
Worse, these organizations make creating your own club overly difficult. You already own a range! That should be enough to be your own club and host events there.
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Oct 26, 2013 @ 00:45:00
Dang.
Would you believe that in the ’70’s, even NEW JERSEY!! had seven or eight high school smallbore rifle teams? I was on the Parsippany HS team for the three years I lived and attended there. The school actually had a 50 foot indoor range purpose-built in a basement! It was the some of the most fun I’ve ever had (along with the NRA junior club that also used the range). There was a school state championship shoot every year. In 1975 I managed to shoot a perfect score and took home a very nice trophy. Only major win I’ve ever had, it’s been all downhill since. ;-) What a great experience, too bad it’s now denied to so many.
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Oct 26, 2013 @ 09:18:13
>> What a great experience, too bad it’s now denied to so many.
Shooting leagues/teams aren’t being denied, gun owners aren’t bothering to join or organize them.
Just because a high school doesn’t sponsor a team doesn’t make it forbidden. For example, some areas have youth soccer and bowling leagues even though the sports aren’t officially supported by the school. Gun owners can do likewise.
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