Things are always changing here at NRA Headquarters. There are new people, new events, and new competitions to help expand our work in the firearms community. In the Competitive Shooting Division, one change arrived in the form of a plaque.

Positioned in the center of the hall for all to see, the new plaque is a reminder to all as to the purpose of the Competitive Shooting Department. It reads:

OUR VISION

To be the leading provider of the highest quality competitive shooting programs and services
to America's gun owners.

OUR MISSION

NRA's Competitive Shooting Division will use all available assets to grow the shooting sports
by increasing participation in new and existing programs and to develop and promote competition knowledge,
skills, and abilities.

"We talk about the vision and mission of the of competitive shooting at our meetings," said Disabled Shooting Services Manager Vanessa Warner. "This plaque helps to reminds us that even though we work towards differnt goals, we need to accomplish them in the same vision."

And who came up with the verbage?

"Everyone. That's how we do things here."

West Virginia University's resurgent rifle team sits atop the NCAA and looks to gain its 15th trophy. From The Washington Post:

At West Virginia, the rifle team is a point of pride

Buoyed by grass-roots support, restored program is back in the championship zone

MORGANTOWN, W.VA. — More than 60,000 people jam into Milan Puskar Stadium to cheer West Virginia's football team on Saturdays each fall. This winter, 14,000 will pack WVU Coliseum to root on a Mountaineers men's basketball team with Final Four aspirations.

But neither team is as central to this state's hard-working identity as one that draws virtually no spectators yet is exceptional on two counts.

West Virginia's rifle team is the only Mountaineers squad to have won an NCAA championship -- 14, in fact. And it's the only team with its own line item in the state budget: a $100,000 annual appropriation that represents a none-too-subtle rebuke to a university that dropped its most decorated sport in 2003.

The team's reinstatement and subsequent reclamation of its status as the nation's preeminent shooting power is one of the more improbable comebacks in college sports. Instead of aspiring professional athletes, the key players were rank-and-file taxpayers, disillusioned parents and students, and small businesses such as Donnie's Citgo and Bub's Bar and Grill that mobilized a grass-roots fundraising campaign and lobbying campaign and forced the university to change its mind.

"Hunting and shooting is a big thing here," says junior Brandi Eskew of Petersburg, W.Va., one of two women on WVU's rifle team, who learned to hunt alongside her father as a child. "It's something that pretty much everyone does at some point. And it's something they can relate to more than a lot of other sports."

Read the rest of the article here.

We have something new from the NRA Collegiate & Schools Program. This year, Collegiate & Schools is introducing a NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship that is open to all levels of collegiate shooters.

This new championship includes NRA College Rifle Clubs, ROTC Teams, Varsity Rifle Teams, and independent shooters. Currently, there is no championship match.

Hosted by Purdue University, the 2010 NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship will be held April 8-11.

NRA College Rifle Clubs, Varsity Rifle Teams, and ROTC Teams will have both individual and team champions while Independent Shooters will have only an individual champion.

“I am extremely excited about this new championship and would like to thank Purdue University for generously offering to host. The opportunities this will afford to collegiate rifle clubs are immeasurable,” said Croft. “I eagerly anticipate this brand new championship, and urge all rifle clubs across the nation to shoot in the Intercollegiate Sectionals in hopes of qualifying.”

NRAblog is keeping an eye on several of the NCAA rifle favorites. Below, read about the recent accomplishment of the Murray State University rifle team from theNews.org:

Rifle sweeps Gamecock Invitational

The rifle team took first place in the Gamecock Invitational over the weekend with a cumulative score of 4596, just eight points below the team’s high for this season.

The Racers won the small bore competition with a score of 2281 and won the air rifle portion of the weekend with a team score of 2315. Just behind the Racers, the University of Memphis posted a cumulative score of 4567 out of a possible 5000 with a small bore score of 2253 and an air rifle score of 2314. In third place Jacksonville State University tallied a cumulative score of 4560 with a small bore score of 2257 and an air rifle score of 2303.

Continue reading here.

MSNsportsnet.com reported that West Virginia University opened its home season with a win over the U.S. Army:

Rifle: WVU Tops Army in Home Opener

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 1-ranked West Virginia University rifle team opened its home season victorious, topping No. 5-ranked and Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) foe Army, 4638-4562, this evening at the WVU Rifle Range.

The Mountaineers (5-0, 2-0 GARC) trumped the Black Knights in both disciplines, winning smallbore, 2289-2277, and air rifle, 2349-2285. WVU has yet to lose a discipline match this season.

“I think it is always important to win, and we had some good individual performances today,” coach Jon Hammond says. “Our team score was lower than we had expected to shoot and that is something we can build on.

“We had a really big crowd here to watch us compete, and that was exciting to see. There was an excitement around the range today, and I know the team appreciated the support from the fans.”

Pictured at left competing in the 2009 NCAA National Collegiate Air Rifle Championships, WVU's Bryant Wallizer tied for second overall. 

Continue reading here, and view the complete match results here.

Read NRAblog's coverage of Collegiate championships -- and don't go anywhere. NRAblog will be back on the scene to cover the 2010 season! 

NRAblog is pleased to announce that the site for the 2010 NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship will be Purdue University.

Collegiate & School Programs Manager Tori Croft, the brains behind this new competition, recently came to us with the great news and wanted word to get out immediately.

We will feature a comprehensive post about this great new program in the coming days, but for now we will point out that in order to qualify for the event you must shoot in an NRA Intercollegiate Sectional. Applications are available online and will continue to be accepted for the next few weeks.

For more information about collegiate shooting, visit the NRA Collegiate Shooting Programs page.

Have questions? Tori can be reached atcollegiate@nrahq.org or (703) 267-1473.

Alumni of the West Virginia rifle team hope to show current members a thing or two in a match between past and present. Read the full article from The Daily Athenaeum.

Hammond, Mountaineers excited to bring back alumni

The 1993 classic "Sandlot" told us that "Heroes may be remembered, but legends never die."

The West Virginia rifle legends will have the opportunity to show the current team that they still have it Saturday when they face off in the program’s annual alumni match.

The 4-0 Mountaineers will partake in the exhibition match, giving them the chance to compete against many of the great shooters in West Virginia rifle history, including head coach Jon Hammond.

"Alumni have fun coming back and competing against the current team," Hammond said. "It’s a really good time; I’m looking forward to a fun weekend."

Graduate assistant coach Lafe Kunkel is one of the many alumni who will compete in the match. Kunkel is in his first year as a graduate assistant, returning to the program he helped return to prominence after it was reinstated in 2005.

Read the rest of the article here.

We've already covered some of the interesting accomplishments of Jon Hammond, the head coach of West Virginia University's Rifle Team. After this weekend he can add one more thing to that growing list. Hammond has become a big name in Collegiate Shooting and it will be interesting to see how he and others impact the growth and popularity of the sport.

From WVUToday comes this story:

Olympic competitor and WVU Rifle Team Head Coach Jon Hammond will lead hundreds of participants in the West Virginia University Homecoming parade on Friday, Oct. 23. He also will be honored at halftime of the WVU-Connecticut football game on Oct. 24.

Hammond, in his fourth year as head coach, led his team to a national championship in 2009. In his first three years, Hammond was named Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Coach of the Year, Great American Rifle Conference Coach of the Year, and the 2008 National Rifle Association (NRA) Distinguished College Coach.

“Coach Hammond is an extraordinary choice to lead our annual Homecoming parade,” said Stephen L. Douglas, president and CEO of the WVU Alumni Association. “Under his leadership, our rifle team has continued a long-standing tradition of excellence nationally. On a personal level, Coach Hammond has excelled in his own right, competing in the most recent summer Olympics. This is a great opportunity to recognize him for his amazing accomplishments.”

A native of Scotland, Hammond began shooting at a young age and joined a club team in his hometown of Aberdeen. At the age of 17, he won the World Junior Championships and went on to compete for the University of Leeds’ rifle team.

More...

From The Daily Athenaeum comes an article about WVU continuing to shoot at a high level after their 2008-09 title season.

Rifle begins title defense with weekend sweep

The West Virginia rifle team started the defense of its nation’s-best 14th National Championship title Saturday.

It was back to its old ways.

The Mountaineers claimed wins over Air Force and Nebraska to start their season on the right foot.

WVU defeated the Falcons 4655-4587 Saturday before downing the Huskers 4660-4634 Sunday in Lincoln, Neb.

"It was nice to finally have a real game. It was fun to be back," said West Virginia head coach Jon Hammond. "It was not a bad weekend. There is a lot we can improve on, but we performed well and had good results."

The Mountaineers defeated Air Force 2305-2301 in smallbore, followed by a 2350-2286 victory in air rifle.

WVU senior Bryant Wallizer finished first overall with a score of 1167, including a first-place air rifle performance of 590.

He continued his success in smallbore, posting a score of 577 – only two points short of his personal best of 579.

"I am satisfied. It was enough to build on, and we finally got to play and see what everyone is capable of," Hammond said.

Read the rest of the article here.

From West Virginia University's MSNsportsNET, comes an article on WVU's Rifle Team starting their season.

WVU Opens 2009-10 Season on Road 

The defending NCAA champion West Virginia University rifle team opens its 2009-10 season in Lincoln, Neb., this weekend against Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) foe Nebraska on Sunday. Both matches will begin at 9 a.m. ET.

The contests mark the Mountaineers’ return to the range following their nation-best 14th national championship run last March. In addition to the national title, WVU also secured the NCAA air rifle championship with a team score of 2353.

Eight student-athletes return to make the push for their second-straight title, with fourth-year coach Jon Hammond, the 2009 College Rifle Coaches Association Coach of the Year, again guiding the squad.

“I’m looking for good scores this weekend. Though it's early in the season, this weekend will factor into our qualification for the 2010 NCAA Championship,” Hammond says. “On the other hand, we do not need to shoot personal-bests or school records this weekend. These matches will serve as a good measuring stick to see where the team stands and where we need to focus our training.”

WVU’s match with Air Force will be its first since 1974; the Mountaineers have never lost to the Falcons and own a 15-match win streak.

“I’m excited to be shooting against Air Force again after such a long break in our series,” Hammond says. “They are an up-and-coming team, and their coach (Launi Meili) has really progressed them over the last two seasons.”

Read the rest of the article here.

From HometownAnnapolis.com: 

Rifle team is improving skills, learning focus 

NEW LONDON, Md. (AP) — Focus. It's one of the most important skills shooters on Linganore High School's air rifle team acquire.

Blocking out distractions like a bad grade on a science test or a ball smacking a nearby wall, and just breathing steadily and with control are key to success, Henry Lane said. Lane, a senior naval science instructor who has led Linganore's rifle team since its 2004 inception, is learning how to teach his shooters.

The team is part of Frederick County's only Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Program, he said.

At practice, he applies the analogy of riding a bicycle to shooting. Once your body learns the mechanics, you can focus on the refinements of skill, the art of the sport, he said.

In March, the team took second place in a statewide National Rifle Association championship and third in a statewide Junior Olympics tournament.

Continue reading here.

Learn more about the NRA's collegiate and school department!

This year at Camp Perry there will be two informational NRA College Nights held during the Smallbore Matches for those interested in continuing their shooting development while in college.

These events are designed for high school and junior high shooters as well as their families to learn about what the NRA can provide for in the world of collegiate shooting. NRA Collegiate & Schools Program National Manager, Victoria Croft, as well as various college and university rifle coaches will be on hand to speak about collegiate shooting programs and answer any questions shooters and their parents may have.

Additionally, plenty of informational pamphlets and brochures will be available to take home and look through afterward.

Both events will be held in the Hough Theater and are:

• July 23 at 6:00 PM, immediately after the NRA Competitor Meeting.
• July 26 at 6:00 PM, followed by the Army Marksmanship Unit Meeting.

If you are interested in pursuing the shooting sports in college, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

As NRAblog reported earlier, the July issue of Shooting Sports USA is available online. NRAblog is proud to excerpt articles for readers' convenience. Below, Chad Adams writes about one of the programs of the NRA's Competitive Shooting Division, the Annual NRA Intercollegiate Pistol Championships

Under Pressure  

While most of the country basked in the NCAA’s March Madness, collegiate athletes of a different sport gathered in Ft. Benning, GA, for the 2009 NRA Collegiate Pistol Championships. And while buzzerbeaters in the basketball tournament provide the signature drama for sports fans during March, for shooters, little could have matched what turned out to be an extremely competitive Championships, highlighted by dramatic finals, come-from-behind victories and dominating performances.  More...

This next trophy we're highlighting, unlike the others, is not given out at Camp Perry. It is the Redfield Trophy, and is awarded annually to the individual rifle champion in the NRA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships. 

The Redfield Trophy is an upright, sterling silver global-type vase with three handles placed evenly around the vase and directly over the three pedestals at the base. Adorning its surface and adding depth to the decorations are three-dimensional flowers and leaves. It sets upon a black painted wooden base which contains a plaque displaying information on the trophy.

In 1955, Watt Redfield of the Redfield Gunsight Company, based in Denver, Colorado, donated the trophy to the NRA. Founded in 1909, Redfield was well known for designing and manufacturing quality equipment that hunters and shooters trusted for accurate, rugged, and reliable sighting. 

The National Junior Air Gun Championship (NJAGC) isn't just about competing for this year's title- it's also about learning to improve and advance in the shooting sports. A training summit is held each year in conjunction with the NJAGC to help competitors, coaches, and parents learn how to train properly, as well as to introduce young shooters to future opportunities.

Today's training sessions are already underway in the Civilian Marksmanship Program Headquarters building at Camp Perry. Today's training topics include a seminar on nutrition by Paul Davis (pictured below) and a "Technical and Tactical Skills" lecture by Marcus Raab.

Shooters, coaches and parents will learn about NRA programs for young competitors during a talk on collegiate shooting opportunites from NRA Collegiate Program Manager Tori Croft, and an information session on NRA's Youth Programs Division by NRA Program Coordinator Amanda Millward.

A new set of training sessions will be held tomorrow, so check back with NRAblog to see what topics are up for discussion!