Board approves air rifle program
After a two-month delay, the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously to approve the creation of an air rifle program at Maricopa High School.
Voted on during the board’s Feb. 8 meeting, the decision effectively creates a program funded by the National Rifle Association where students enrolled in the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program can receive marksmanship training using an air rifle, which fires pellets at a 10mm target. Students enrolled in the program can also compete in competition run through the Arizona Interscholastic Association, said Maj. James Alonzo.
In order to use an air rifle, Alonzo said students receive an eight-hour training course; half of the course is devoted to learning safety protocols, while the rest is used to train students to use the rifle. Once the training is completed, Alonzo said students must receive a 100 on an ensuing exam to participate in the program; students who fall short of that mark have to restart their training.
4-H Shooting Sports offers classes in archery and air rifle
SIOUX CITY – Youngsters interested in air rifles and archery are invited to become part of the 4-H Shooting Sports Club.
The program will be offered at the Midtown Family Community Center at 14th and Nebraska streets.
Archery classes will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays from Feb. 22 through March 21. Air rifle classes will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays from Feb. 23 through March 22.
To pre-register, call 712-276-2157. Parents must sign release forms in order for youths to participate. Youths must be 9 years old or older and the classes are limited to 12. Participants must be between fourth and 12th grades.
The national champs you’ve never heard of
LEXINGTON – University of Kentucky rifle coach Harry Mullins accepts that his sport does not play the significant part of our popular culture that games like basketball, football, baseball (and in the north, hockey, Mullins notes) do.
But there’s also some irony in that fact for the 47-year-old Mullins, who’s made UK a national power in rifle in 25 years of coaching at the school.
“I don’t expect rifle to ever get in the spotlight like the major sports, but I am surprised that it’s not more prevalent as far as publicity goes, and involvement, with as many people that own firearms,” Mullins says. “I find it kind of ironic in a country where it’s easier to buy a gun than in 90 percent of the countries that compete in the sport internationally, and yet it’s a huge sport in Europe. And here (United States), it is – I don’t want to say hidden – but it’s definitely not in the spotlight.”
But therein lies part of the rub: Guns are a hot, emotional topic in this country…a very political topic…and some people don’t differentiate between those who aren’t responsible with firearms from athletes who truly see guns as a sport. And when we say sport, we’re not talking about the weekend, recreational deer hunters, we’re talking about the disciplined, talented athletes coached at Kentucky by Mullins and his assistant coach, Stacy Underwood.
“Part of the issue is because we do use guns (smallbore guns and air rifles at the college level), we always fight that political battle,” Mullins said. “Even though our athletes look at a rifle just like a basketball player looks at a basketball, minus the safety aspect, just as a tool for them to accomplish their sport.”
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