Note from the range...Instant recognition! Nothing beats a target that gives you instant recognition of a hit, such as a brand new clay (skeet) target or a clanging silhouette, aka sillywets by those old muzzleloading shooters!

Sneaky Prophylactic Education

Talk about perking the ears up on the administration! Sneaky Prophylactic Education in short, in this context, is using shooting sports as the hook to grab the child’s attention, so as to be able to impart knowledge, modify behavior, and ultimately touch the life of the youngster to help them grow into a responsible caring adult. My old friend Dr. Ron Howard of Texas A&M explains it well:

I think you've heard several things. When most youth programs go out to work with shooting, what they are doing is sneaky prophylactic education.

I want you to understand what I mean. Prophylactic means preventative. Our objective through 4-H is to educate the kid. It's sneaky because we sell all of the educational package with fun. When it comes to those parents, it's doubly sneaky prophylactic education because they think that they must be there because only the kid is there.

They don't know that we're going to recruit them and put them to work at the same time. They don't know that we're going to teach them the same stuff that the kids are being taught and therefore try to recruit them as well. Being a spectator stinks. - excerpt taken from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Reaching Out to Existing Youth Organizations, 2005 by Dr. Ron Howard, Jr. Extension 4-H and Youth Development Specialist, Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

Make a difference in the life of a kid by taking them outdoors. They’ll benefit on many levels.

Upholding Our 2nd Amendment, One Child at a Time

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. – The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted on December 15, 1791.

For those of you teaching kids like me in the shooting sports, remember that with every child you reach you are doing something for the greater good of this nation. Have you actually considered your ownership and possession of firearms a right and not a privilege? I must admit, I usually consider it the other way around – even though I know different. As a school child, I remember my teachers talking about our freedoms of religion and speech, but not once did one of them talk about our right to bear arms. Why not do you suppose? Typically those of us in the shooting sports circles talk about it freely among our friends, but perhaps not in the politically correct circles we are sometimes required to associate in. If we spoke about it more in public, the fear is being considered one of those “extremist wackos” probably. What a shame. The next time you teach our youth how to safely handle a firearm; I challenge you to not be shy in explaining to the kids, in terms they can understand that this is one of the rights our founding fathers created for us, that we need to protect.

Professional Shooter

I get paid to see that kids get a safe, fun and rewarding experience in the shooting sports. I guess by that definition of my job, you could say that I’m a professional shooting instructor. Technically its true, but something about the statement seems false. Perhaps it’s too good to be true. Don’t get me wrong, its not like I’m out there teaching defensive tactics or how to put a sniper round through the target at 1000 meters. It’s more like taking a covey of 8 year olds and making sure they don’t shoot each other’s eye out. I’m joking. It’s more than that. It is about fulfilling a kids basic need to squeeze the trigger or release the bow string to let that projectile fly, just like the heros they sometimes imagine to be. At the same time, I might be able to influence the child into becoming a better citizen or someday making wiser choices. Very rewarding.

Last night I skipped out on archery class so that I could attend the Jr. Air Rifle Class up North, which meets the same time. Although I was reluctant to miss archery, it was a good thing. The clubs are supposed to be run by volunteers, and when I’m there the leader lets me take over. I need to help them grow in independence, relying on the parents to step in. I also had to miss seeing my daughter shoot, but that's a good thing sometimes too as she acts differently when I watch. Reports of the meeting were that although things did not go as smoothly as usual, it was a good night anyway.

This is the my first posting...

I call myself a “regular Joe” because I think I am fairly typical of a lot of guys out there.


I’m the grandson of immigrants along with my five siblings, the child of parents growing up in suburbia, a parent of four great kids and the grandpa of four youngins’. I work hard for a living, knowing that while I’m at work I think about home and while at home I think about work. It seems I always need to be somewhere else. My Dad and brother served in the military. Of my children, one of my sons is a student and one is a US Marine. Of my daughters, one is a teacher and one is a student. My Step-daughters are jewels and one of my many many blessings.


Professionally I am an former NASA program manager, and a current government employee working with kids in youth development, teaching all of the shooting sports disciplines. In the program I developed, my volunteers and I teach approximately 1000 kids per year of every imaginable background. I owe my successes to the gifts I’ve received in building partnerships, relating with people (especially youth), a love of the outdoors, great mentors, and an understanding and loving wife. Even though I do not directly mention God. He is creator of all good things to whom I am grateful beyond words.  Listen to this podcast, Size: 1.5 mb, Time: 1:36.

Disclaimer

This blog represents the views of myself and my guest authors, and in no way represents the views and opinions of those individuals or organizations I mention, unless they are specifically quoted. I make every attempt to credit sources I mention or portray when due. In addition, I link to other sites that have been verified by myself but cannot be held responsible for all their content or embedded links they may have. I strive to have appropriate family friendly content, but may on occasion use "colorful" language or write about issues that are for a more mature audience.

Thank you for reading and participating in this project and feel free to leave me feed back.