The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation's (SSSF) has had a record-breaking season in 2023-2024. The numbers alone are beyond impressive: 11,600 event entries; 40 states; 3 million rounds fired without incident; 2 million White Flyer targets thrown; and 31% female participation! The stories behind those numbers, of course, are of the greatest importance. The SSSF's Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championship broke the world record for the largest action shooting event in the world ... and it was all youth athletes!
The Championship took place at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, and this well-loved and well-attended annual youth shooting sports competition encompassed both clay target shooting and action shooting. Between the SSSF's clay target (SCTP) and action shooting (SASP) youth programs, juniors continued to break shooting-sports records. What's driving this increased interest in the youth shooting sports?
Part of it is the popularity of "action" shooting sports programs like 3-Gun. Action shooting sports participation continues to grow throughout the nation for young athletes, and had a strong showing at the SSSF's Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championship. Once again in 2024, the SASP broke the world record for the largest action shooting event in the world, with over 2,600 entries. SCTP participation surged as well, with over 3,100 athletes and over 9,000 event entries during the 12-day event schedule. This marks the largest national championship the SCTP has ever conducted.
Did you notice that 31% female participation statistic above? Although it still falls short of everyone's goal of 50%, this is a huge improvement in gender equality among shooters. It shouldn't be a surprise ... after all, the shooting sports represent a level-playing field, where being the biggest, the strongest or the fastest doesn't matter. Many juniors who aren't well-suited for traditional ball sports find success on the firing line.
An example of the above can be found with the SCTP Nationals' Last Competitor Standing or "Annie Oakley" event. This massive scale elimination event saw well over 700 clay target athletes lined up across the length of two-dozen trap fields to determine who would come home with bragging rights and impressive prizes from SCTP sponsors. When narrowed down to the top male and female athlete, the two went head to head and Karly Turinske kept her mental game strong, claiming the title of Last Competitor Standing.
But the success of the SSSF Nationals goes well beyond numbers, changing lives and shaping futures. Junior shooters enjoy a clear social benefit from the team-based environment the SSSF's two programs offer. With a year-long season that encompasses local, state and regional events, teens can form meaningful, lifelong relationships. Youth development programs hold industry-wide support, with many sponsors present on site to support the event such as GLOCK, Remington, Winchester, Browning, Kolar, Beretta, Ruger and more.
Participating in SCTP and SASP may someday mean Olympic medals! Athletes competing in the international disciplines of the SCTP and SASP often have Junior Olympic and Olympic goals in mind, and some have achieved them. Currently at the Paris Olympics are three active SASP athletes who are representing the USA along with SCTP alumni, most prominently Vincent Hancock, a now four-time Olympic Skeet Champion, four-time World Champion and 16-time World Cup medalist.
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