4 H SHOOTING SPORTS INSTRUCTOR NEWS · 2014-11-06 · 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor News—October 2014 Page 3 Club, Southern States Cooperative, Maryland 4-H Center, the University

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4‐H SHOOTING SPORTS INSTRUCTOR NEWS

DORCHESTER COUNTY ● P.O. BOX 299 ● CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND 21613 ● (410-228-8800)

October 2014

I am writing to share with you that after 25 years of service to the University of Maryland Extension 4-H program and 18 years with West Virginia University Extension that I intend to retire on November 1st. It is pleasing to reflect on all that you and I have accomplished working together to create so many wonderful educational lifelong learning opportunities and experiences for the youth and adults involved in Maryland 4-H programs. Together we have planned, conducted, laughed and at times shed tears as we all are so passionate about the value of 4-H for our youth. I cherish all of those times and wish you the very best as you continue these efforts.

Just so you know, I will retire from UME and begin a new position on a half time basis as Program Coordinator for National 4-H Shooting Sports, under the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee and National 4-H Council. I look forward to new and rewarding challenges as I enter yet another phase of my life and career.

I wish the very best to you and do look forward to hearing from you often. I appreciate having had the opportunity to work with you as well as your friendship, words of appreciation and encouragement over the years.

Keep up your good efforts to continue to make 4-H shooting sports the premier 4-H youth development program in Maryland. I am hoping to continue to have some involvement at some level with Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports programs.

Thank You, Conrad

~Inside this Issue~

Instructor Reports 1

It’s Time 1

Statewide Instructor Updates in the Making 2

Calendar Dates 2

Don’t Let Your Guard Down…. 2

Reminders 2

Maryland 4-H Shooting Shotgun Team Places at National 4-H Invitational

2-3

Annual Instructor Report 4-5

Conrad N. Arnold Extension Educator, 4-H MD 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator

I R D

2014 Instructor Reports DUE

It’s Time

Just a reminder that I really do need your instructor reports for 2014. My deadline for submitting to the National Level is December 15th. Report period is to reflect October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. This will allow us to add our current data to the National 4-H Shooting Sports request for data. Report can be printed and completed then mailed or complete your report online:

http://extension.umd.edu/dorchester-county/4-h-youth/instructor-resources

Please follow the directions for completing this report. You can print a copy of the form or complete it online and send it through email. It is important that you send a copy to your County 4-H Educator. For those of you who have already completed and submitted your reports, I thank you. For the rest of you, please complete this task now.

Thanks for all you do for 4-H.

Brittany Hoffman Environmental and Equine Science Coordinator

Maryland sent four youth to compete at the 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational held in Grand Island, Nebraska the week of June 23-29. 558 youth, 156 4-H Volunteer Coaches & over 1200 family members & 4-H volunteers from 34 states participated in the National 4-H Invitational shoot. The shotgun competition was comprised of 100 targets each in Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays. There were 27 Shotgun teams with 97 youth representing states entered in this event. The Maryland 4-H Shotgun Team Placed 13th Overall. Team placing by events: Sporting Clays 10th; Skeet 14th; and Trap 14th. Full event results found at http://4h.unl.edu/ntlshootingsportsinvitational/results Congratulations to all the team members on their awesome performances at the Nationals!! Lots of event photos in two locations: https://www.facebook.com/National4HShootingSports http://bradmellema.smugmug.com/2014-4H-National-4H-Shooting-S

On Tuesday, the Maryland delegation toured Hornady Manufacturing where they observed the process of how this company manufactures two million bullets a day. The next stop for the group was when the group toured the Case International plant to observe the manufacture of combines. Case produces 25 to 27 combines daily at this plant. Our Maryland 4-H delegation included 4 team members, 1 coach, 7 parents & family members and Conrad Arnold, Extension 4-H Educator, Dorchester County & Maryland State 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator. This trip would not have been possible without donations from the following: Maryland 4-H Foundation, Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Committee, Maryland Ag Fair Board, Chesapeake Chapter Safari Club International, Beretta USA, Mid Atlantic Farm Credit, Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, Hayward Baker Inc., Hoober Inc., NWTF, Kent County 4-H, Carroll County 4-H, Charles County 4-H, Kent County Gun Club, Sudlersville Skeet

Maryland 4-H Shooting Shotgun Team Places at National 4-H Invitational

4-H Shooting Sports Instructor News—October 2014 Page 2

Statewide Instructor Updates in the Making

The time has come when we feel a need to provide an update for all Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Instructors. Our first Instructor training utilizing the National 4-H Shooting Sports curriculum was conducted in 1995. There are instructors still teaching today who were trained as early as that year. Over the years there have been numerous curriculum changes, updates and additions, with some major curriculum adjustments in the last two years. That said, our State 4-H Shooting Sports Committee will be developing plans to hold instructor updates in the near future, possibly in multiple locations around the state. We will look forward to sharing updated curriculum and techniques with all of you who do such a great job of growing this great program. Stay tuned for more information on this as existing instructors will be expected to attend updates. 

Calendar Dates:

Maryland 4-H Foundation Sporting Clays Fundraiser – March 28, 2015 (Schraders, Bridgetown, MD) State 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Training–TBA National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational – Grand Island, NE - June 21-26, 2015 State 4-H Smallbore Rifle Match – September 5, 2015 Marriottsville) State 4-H Archery Match – 2015 (TBA) (Thendara 4-H Center)

Reminders:

Be sure that you continue to follow our established guidelines for 4-H shooting sports. Participants wearing safety glasses? Ear Protection? Arm Guards and Finger Tabs? Closed Shoes? Teach following the 4-H Shooting Sports Curriculum.

Don’t Let Your Guard Down…Accidents Can Happen:

Over the many years of our National 4-H Shooting Sports Program there was just one reported accident across the Nation until 2012. In 2012, there were 3 new reported accidents and one more in 2013. As our program grows in numbers of youth and numbers of instructors, the risk of accidents happening also increases. The recently reported accidents can all be attributed to instructors not following recommended practices and poor judgment. These instructors are very fortunate that none of these resulted in a fatality and that none of these accidents resulted in court proceedings. As was explained in our instructor training sessions regarding Risk Management and Liability, instructors must follow accepted practices when working with youth in any program. Not doing so could result in an accident attributed to instructor negligence.

4-H Shooting Sports Instructor News—October 2014 Page 3

Club, Southern States Cooperative, Maryland 4-H Center, the University of Maryland College of Agriculture & University of Maryland Extension and many additional donors and supporters of the MD 4-H Foundation Sporting Clays Fundraiser. Team members and coaches also wish to say Thank You to Shotgun Team Alternate, Garrett Buckmeier (Frederick Co.), and other members of the State Teams Practice Squad. For additional information about 4-H Shooting Sports programs visit the National 4-H Shooting Sports website at www.4-hshootingsports.org

Shotgun Team members included: (L to R) Tim Duley (Frederick Co.); Robert Jordan (Howard Co.); Coach Jack Kemp; RJ Baldwin (Kent Co.); Tori Mann (Carroll Co.)

Shotgun Team members included: (Front L to R) Tori Mann (Carroll Co.); Robert Jordan (Howard Co.); (Back L to R) RJ Baldwin (Kent Co.); Tim Duley (Frederick Co.); & Team Alternate Garrett Buckmeier (Frederick Co.)