November 05, 2024

Arizona growing air rifle program by lending equipment to posts

Dispatch
Arizona growing air rifle program by lending equipment to posts

The American Legion department purchased enough equipment to help a post start a team of up to four youth marksmen.

The American Legion Department of Arizona found a successful way to support the organization’s Junior Shooting Sports Program (JSSP) at the post level.

The department purchased sporter air rifles, air tanks, kneeling pads, mats and spotting scopes to lend to posts to help start a JSSP team of up to four youth marksmen at no cost.

By providing this equipment, “there’s no cost incurred to the family of the kids that want to be involved (in air rifle),” said Department of Arizona JSSP Chairman Mike Simon. “You get them involved, and you spread the word about the program. If the post chooses to add shooters to their teams, that cost (for additional equipment) is incurred to them. But the department at least gives them a foundation to build upon.

“It was to say to parents, ‘We want you to come on board. We want you to feel welcome. We want to make sure there's no pressure from a monetary perspective. We want to give your child the opportunity to learn a skill.’ That’s why we made sure we had equipment readily available for posts starting a JSSP team.”

While the posts do not get to keep the equipment, there isn’t a timeline when they must return it to the department. The goal is to get the post’s JSSP team established where they can purchase their own equipment.

“The goal is for posts to promote their team, gain shooters, give the equipment back and continue the process (for another post to start a JSSP team with the equipment),” Simon said. “And the best part about the whole entire program is you end up getting individuals that become part of the team whose parents become members of the post.”

At Post 91 in Chandler, Ariz., where Simon is a member, its former JSSP team gained interest when a local TV station highlighted the program.     

“We had a huge response because we promoted the fact of the fundamentals of JSSP with safety and discipline; not, you know, it's a firearm and it shoots and things along those lines. We had an overwhelming response. Plus, we showed them that here’s another American Legion youth program that most people don't think about. Because when you think American Legion, you think American Legion Baseball, you think Girls State and Boys State. But JSSP was kind of low on the ladder. So it was a big push for Arizona (to be on TV).”

Since the department does not provide target stands and pellets, posts are directed to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) or local businesses to purchase them. Some posts have even built target stands.

Simon is currently working with a few posts in Arizona to start a JSSP team. “As chairman, it’s just constant education, constant communication to get the program back up and running. People are shocked when I tell them that it doesn’t cost a post anything here in Arizona to start a team. All we ask in return is at some point you build your foundation, build your own internal foundation, and give the equipment back for the next team.”

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