Cliff Notes at the bottom.

The West Tennessee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America is part of an NRA pilot program to improve year-round shooting sports opportunities for youth.  As part of the program, I've decided to start a Venturing crew in the Union City area focusing on tactical shooting.  For those not familiar with it, Venturing for 14-21 year-old youth and is coed.

I want to help build the next generations of lifelong shooters and rabid Second Amendment supporters.

My rationale for focusing on tactical shooting is because 1) the shotgun/clay sports thing is already being done (and done well) and we need something different, 2) from a marketing standpoint, the video game generation is likely to be attracted by the promise of a real-world FPS-like activity, 3) it allows flexibility for participants to get involved in IDPA-type events, 3-gun competition, precision shooting, and similar activities.

I have identified a potential charter organization that I would like to have as host/sponsor and a firm commitment from another organization to be the charter organization if my fist choice doesn't work out.

I have a bit more than five youth very interested in doing this.  I'd like a bigger program, and one that includes young women shooters, but think that starting small and then recruiting is a better approach than trying to get off the ground with a huge bunch of twenty or more youth members.

I think I have a place to shoot pending BSA review of the site for their liability concerns.

Needless to say, this project is not something I can do alone and I need help with some specific things:

•        I need adult volunteers willing to sign on to help guide the youth in a hands-on way.  This requires BSA membership, some training through the BSA, and a few dollars registration.



•        I will need NRA certified Range Safety Officers every time we go shooting.  I'm NRA certified as an instructor in basic rifle / shotgun / pistol and am an RSO, but I need additional RSO's to maintain BSA approved ratios of RSO's to shooters.  You wouldn't have to be a member of the BSA, but if you were, you could get the required NRA training FREE.  No schedule has been set, though.



•        I need adult female leaders so I can operate a coed program.  This will require BSA registration.  If all else fails, my wife can sign up, but she has her hands full with Girl Scouts.



•        I need contact information for clubs and ranges within a three hour drive or so to find out who hosts competitions and when.  Initially I envision the crew being spectators to learn by observation.  Later on I can see them entering competitions and helping with event setup, cleanup, etc.



•        I need BSA or non-BSA shooters with tactical shooting experience as LEO, MIL, or competitive shooters to help teach youth and keep them engaged.  If it's a one-time visit, an occasional thing, or an ongoing partnership, I'm open to anything.  I'm not a tactical or competitive shooter myself.  I can get kids through marksmanship fundamentals and coach them as they practice, but I need real-world expertise, not just book knowledge, particularly with preparation for competitive events.



•        I probably need some things that I don't even know that I need.  If you know what I've missed, I need that information too.

If any of you good folks are willing to pitch in to help make this a reality, I'd be most grateful.  I'm open to suggestions, criticisms, questions, concerns, and offers of technical, materiel, and moral support.

My timeline goal is to be organized by 1 July and to start meeting about twice a month as soon as possible after that.



TL;DR:  I'm starting a BSA-based youth shooting club in the Union City area and need some help from the shooting community.

No one?

You need to contact the CMP. This is right up their alley and they are tasked to develop the shooting sports for youths.

http://www.thecmp.org

Sounds cool. Would love to get my daughter involved in something like that, but not enough to drive 2+ hours to do it. When you said NW TN you weren't kidding. Would help if you were a bit closer to a major population center.

I have to do it.  It's for the chirren.

Seriously, one of the reasons I'm doing it is because we're so far away from a major population center.  Kids need things to do.  Especially things that help them stay out of trouble, improve their ability to focus, reinforce work ethic, learn to appreciate the Second Amendment, and have a good time doing it.  Not everyone wants to play football or softball.

If you really cared about your daughter, you'd drive the 2+ hrs.  



(Just kidding, of course)

Thanks for looking in.

Sent an email yesterday to the club section.  I had quite forgotten about the CMP's youth club affiliation programs.  Thanks.

Would love to help man, but I farm, so I'm nonexistent for 5-6 months out of the year

Thanks for checking in.  PM sent.

I now have a Charter Organization (sponsor) and two assistant leaders for West TN Area Council Venture Crew # 556 (so far).  It looks like we're going to be able to pull this thing off after all!

No, the unit number is not a coincidence.

IM sent