“Our partnership with the SASP provides an opportunity for our Young Marines to receive quality instruction on firearms safety and marksmanship,” said Col. William P. Davis, USMC (Ret), the executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “Combined with opportunities for competition within the SASP program and the intramural competition within our program, the partnership opens new doors for our Young Marines.”
SASP offers young shooters (grade school through college) the opportunity to safely participate in team-based action sports that offer a level playing field across genders and age. Youth participate in the program using .22 rifles, .22 handguns or center-fire handguns, and steel circle or rectangular plate targets. The National Rifle Association of America is a Founding Partner of the SASP.
“We are excited to partner with the Young Marines,” said Rick Leach, interim national director of the SASP. “Both of our programs are targeted toward youth development, so it's a perfect fit.”
The Young Marines strengthen the lives of America’s youth by teaching the importance of self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring veterans, good citizenship, community service, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The SASP is designed to instill in young people a set of personal values and character traits for fair play, compassionate understanding, individual responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline and personal commitment.
It is hoped that the above qualities will stay with youth participants in these programs throughout their lifetimes, helping each young athlete reach their full potential.
Read SSUSA's coverage of the 2016 SASP National Championship.