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Junior Shooting SportsThe American Legion Junior Shooting Sports Program is a marksmanship program encompassing the basic elements of gun safety, education, enjoyment, and competition. Male and female shooters age 18 and younger learn from NRA-trained instructors and compete using the .177 caliber air rifle. Both males and females can participate, Through Legion sponsorship, disabled youth are encouraged to join, as competitive shooting is a sport that creates an equal playing field for all competitors. Contact your local Legion post, Sons of The American Legion squadron or Auxiliary unit for information about affiliating as a club or individual.Junior Shooting Sports is a three-part program that combines the Basic Marksmanship Course, Qualification Awards and Air Rifle Competition into a well-rounded activity. |
Participate in Junior Shooting Sports
Who Can Participate?
In shooting sports, you don’t have to sit on the sidelines: Anyone under 18 (or high school seniors no older than 20) can participate. Physical ability and size are no match for mental toughness and discipline in this co-ed skill sport.
Why Shooting Sports?
After demonstrating knowledge of safety techniques, you will join the centuries of Americans who have mastered marksmanship for survival and sport. But the appeal doesn’t stop at our nation’s borders — the best shooters from around the globe vie for Olympic gold. In fact, 2002 American Legion Three-Position National Champion Jamie Corkish won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. As you become a better shooter, you’ll gain responsibility, confidence and self-reliance. To hit your mark, you will also have to improve your ability to concentrate. Plus, you’ll develop a skill you can enjoy and hone throughout your life.
What Will We Do?
You’ll practice and study with your Legion affiliated club, but get to compete as an individual.
Beginner: Safety First All participants start with rifle safety and fundamentals. The Legion prides itself on safety. There has never been a rifle-related injury in Junior Shooting Sports Program history. You’ll learn the right way to handle, load, aim and fire a rifle. The student handbook is available under the Resources tab of the Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports Program website, www.legion.org/shooting.
Intermediate: Build Skills Once you have mastered the basics, you can take air rifle courses from the National Rifle Association or the Civilian Marksmanship Program through your club. These will help you develop your skills, set personal goals and work to achieve established performance standards.
Advanced: Compete With Others Your club may hold competitions among its own members, or it may host or attend regional matches. The two basic kinds of competitions are postal and shoulder-to-shoulder. In a postal match, you and fellow participants shoot at targets and then mail them off to be scored. Shoulder-to-shoulder matches are in-person and scored in real-time. The American Legion Junior Three-Position Air Rifle Tournament begins with state and regional postal matches. The top shooters from that round participate in a qualifying round, which is also a postal match. The best 30 junior shooters from across the country earn an expense paid opportunity to contend for the National Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo. In the same facility where Olympians train, those junior shooters will compete in a shoulder-to-shoulder match for the title.
How Much Does It Cost?
Some American Legion posts lend participants gear, including rifles, or some equipment. Many charge a registration fee to cover these costs and the cost of the practice facility. Often students are required to provide their own pellets and targets. Contact your local post for detailed information.
When Can I Start?
If your local Legion post supports a Junior Shooting Sports Program, contact them directly to check on practice dates and course schedules. If you have questions, contact juniorshooting@legion.org.
In shooting sports, you don’t have to sit on the sidelines: Anyone under 18 (or high school seniors no older than 20) can participate. Physical ability and size are no match for mental toughness and discipline in this co-ed skill sport.
Why Shooting Sports?
After demonstrating knowledge of safety techniques, you will join the centuries of Americans who have mastered marksmanship for survival and sport. But the appeal doesn’t stop at our nation’s borders — the best shooters from around the globe vie for Olympic gold. In fact, 2002 American Legion Three-Position National Champion Jamie Corkish won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. As you become a better shooter, you’ll gain responsibility, confidence and self-reliance. To hit your mark, you will also have to improve your ability to concentrate. Plus, you’ll develop a skill you can enjoy and hone throughout your life.
What Will We Do?
You’ll practice and study with your Legion affiliated club, but get to compete as an individual.
Beginner: Safety First All participants start with rifle safety and fundamentals. The Legion prides itself on safety. There has never been a rifle-related injury in Junior Shooting Sports Program history. You’ll learn the right way to handle, load, aim and fire a rifle. The student handbook is available under the Resources tab of the Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports Program website, www.legion.org/shooting.
Intermediate: Build Skills Once you have mastered the basics, you can take air rifle courses from the National Rifle Association or the Civilian Marksmanship Program through your club. These will help you develop your skills, set personal goals and work to achieve established performance standards.
Advanced: Compete With Others Your club may hold competitions among its own members, or it may host or attend regional matches. The two basic kinds of competitions are postal and shoulder-to-shoulder. In a postal match, you and fellow participants shoot at targets and then mail them off to be scored. Shoulder-to-shoulder matches are in-person and scored in real-time. The American Legion Junior Three-Position Air Rifle Tournament begins with state and regional postal matches. The top shooters from that round participate in a qualifying round, which is also a postal match. The best 30 junior shooters from across the country earn an expense paid opportunity to contend for the National Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo. In the same facility where Olympians train, those junior shooters will compete in a shoulder-to-shoulder match for the title.
How Much Does It Cost?
Some American Legion posts lend participants gear, including rifles, or some equipment. Many charge a registration fee to cover these costs and the cost of the practice facility. Often students are required to provide their own pellets and targets. Contact your local post for detailed information.
When Can I Start?
If your local Legion post supports a Junior Shooting Sports Program, contact them directly to check on practice dates and course schedules. If you have questions, contact juniorshooting@legion.org.
JSSP Affiliate Form
All clubs must file this form annually.
(Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion)
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National champions in two categories receive $5,000 college scholarships
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Basic Marksmanship Course
The Basic Marksmanship Course, given to Shooting Sports participants, offers comprehensive instruction for beginning shooters with little or no marksmanship experience. Designed for an instructor’s easy use, the course teaches gun safety and marksmanship fundamentals, using short lectures or discussions, followed by hands-on activities. The package includes: Student handbook Now in its third edition, a comprehensive reference text for beginners that thoroughly covers the fundamentals of position shooting. Download from the JSSP Resources page, or by clicking here. Learning tools Six quizzes and a final exam. Qualification Awards Graduates who want to keep improving their skills can enroll in air-rifle qualification courses provided by the National Rifle Association and the Civilian Marksmanship Programs. These courses offer personal skill-development ladders for shooters to achieve established performance standards. Air Rifle Competition The annual 3-Position Junior Air Rifle National Championship is a tournament that begins with postal matches. State and/or regional champions are determined and advance to a qualification round (also a postal match) to determine the athletes who will earn expense-paid trips to compete in the national championship. The national championship is a shoulder-to-shoulder match held each August at the USA Shooting range facilities at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. |
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