Pathways to Participation - by senior correspondent Jennifer Martens

SSAA (Vic) attracts junior shooters with Pathways to Participation - Schools Program

With three shooting programs geared towards people 25 years and younger, SSAA (Vic) is taking the future of the sport seriously. The newest of its three junior programs is the Junior Pathways to Participation - Schools Program. The program was the brainchild of SSAA (Vic) Sports Administration Manager Shane Oliver and Sports Project Officer Melony Grand-Court. The small number of junior members in Victoria was the impetus behind the program. Shane and Melony received support and direction from the coaches involved in the program, as well as Olympic shotgunners Russell and Lauryn Mark and the former national shotgun coach and current Beretta Australia manager Greg Chan. Their collective experience and knowledge has contributed greatly to the overall success of the program.

The Schools Program runs for 10 weeks during school terms one, two and four and is available to youths in years seven to 12. It includes the introduction of firearms, importance of firearm safety, safe handling of firearms and expert coaching. The course concludes with a mini competition that has been a hit with the school kids.

The main goal of the program is to increase junior participation in the sport and school competitions are seen as a vehicle to achieve that. The hope is to have at least six to eight schools taking part in a state-wide schools challenge at any given time.

The curriculum is based on the Victorian Police Registry Longarms Licence Course, with safety being the most important lesson. That component is drilled into students during the first two weeks of the classroom session, as well as during the eight weeks of hands-on instruction at the range. Students who complete the course and who can demonstrate proper firearm safety receive a firearms safety certificate. As the program continues to grow, Shane and Melony are hoping to incorporate the Victorian firearms safety test into the curriculum so students who wish to get a firearms licence at the conclusion of the course can do so.

Currently, there are nine accredited coaches involved in the program. They are Allen Bingham, Bill O’Connor, Jodie Bedford, Nancy and John Disher, Vic Alexander, Darren Pearce, Stan Cations and Kerry Knight. A few other coaches have recently offered their assistance as well. The ratio of coaches to students is a generous three to 10. This ensures close supervision, effective instruction and attention to safe practices.

The pilot program was held during term two of the 2007 school year. It proved to be very successful, with 150 students expressing interest in the 40 positions available. The students were predominantly male, but Shane was expecting a higher ratio of girls in term four of this year. He said that a few of the schools set to participate in the program are promoting shooting as a sport which will put the girls on an even playing field with the boys.

During the trial, students were broken up into two groups: shotgun shooters and rifle shooters. Metallic Silhouette, Benchrest, 3-Positional and Sporting Clays were the disciplines used to teach the students how to handle the respective firearms.

The students filled out evaluation forms after the completion of the course. The results showed that 66 per cent of the students felt better about themselves after finishing the class; 90 per cent enjoyed the program; 79 per cent thought it was very exciting; 69 per cent said they would like to continue in the sport; and 66 per cent said they would be interested in taking part in a schools competition. These results gave Shane and Melony the confidence they needed to approach additional schools.

Shane says that the one school that took part in the pilot program was instrumental in the program’s future success. The feedback that the organisers received from the students was so positive that other schools were able to see the benefits that shooting offers. These benefits include improved concentration and hand-eye coordination, confidence, relaxation, opportunities for socialisation, self-control and discipline, family friendly atmosphere and activities, accessibility to all and a fun, new and safe activity.

The pilot program ran for one hour and 20 minutes, but the students enjoyed the course so much that they said they would be willing to give up their lunch hour to extend the length of the class.

The comments about the trial have led to a few modifications for term four. For example, Shane is hoping to get the schools to agree to a full two hours, and students in years seven and eight will focus on rifle shooting because the shotguns proved to be too heavy for them to handle.

At this stage of the program, Shane has decided to target rural and regional schools simply because shooting is perceived to be a more acceptable pastime for students in these areas than it is for metropolitan students. However, there are still barriers for the program’s promoters and sponsors to overcome. Aside from the often negative general perception of the sport, Shane says the initial concerns of principals and the parents have proved to be their biggest obstacles.

Programs of this sort don’t come without their expenses. Funding for the Pathways to Participation - Schools Program comes from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Vic Health and Beretta Australia. Students taking part must pay $50 a term. The firearms used are provided by the hosting club or the program’s coaching staff, the ammunition is purchased by the money obtained from government grants and the transportation is supplied by the schools.

The Pathways to Participation - Schools Program is off to a great start and its organisers are excited, committed and ready to tackle and overcome any barriers. The future of the program will depend on the success of the next few terms, but if the pilot is any indication, the shooting sports will soon see an influx of junior shooters in Victoria.

For more information on the program, visit the SSAA (Vic) junior’s website.