What is NRA Doing to Attract More Shooters Into Competition?

by
posted on September 15, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
mento1.jpg
I have frequently been asked the question: “We seem to be losing shooters, so what is the NRA doing to attract more of them into competition?” In reality, the NRA should ask you the same question.

When I started shooting competitively, I was enticed to attend my first conventional pistol match by a competitor. I was shown the “ropes” and helped along the way. Lyle Schroeder of the Michigan State Police was my mentor. I later started shooting Police Pistol Competition (PPC) after being encouraged by another shooter to try it, and was again taken under the wing of fellow competitors who showed me the “ropes.” Ron Lapp of the Michigan State Police was my mentor.

A few years later I wanted to shoot high power rifle but didn’t know where to start. As a result, I called a friend of mine and asked if he would take me to a match and show me the “ropes.” Doug Greiner was my mentor. (For you Army shooters out there, this was Vince Greiner’s father.) Once there, many fellow competitors learned of my interest, took me under their wing and helped me along the way. Folks like Baird “Kim” Copenhaver, Harlan “Butch” Davenport, Bill Newman and Bruce Schlemmer were my mentors.

A few years ago I had the urge to shoot Action Pistol. I mentioned this to a current Action Pistol competitor and, guess what? I was shown the “ropes” and shot the Bianchi Cup that year. Martin Johnson and John Sanders were my mentors.

Did anyone notice a pattern of mentoring here?

At no stage in my shooting career did I ever contact the NRA to obtain a rule book to get me started in a discipline. The rule books were obtained, but only after I was exposed to the sport and had an interest in learning more about it. The NRA provided the courses of fire, the rules, the classification systems, the national records, the tournament sanctioning, the tournament reporting, etc., but it was *you*, my fellow competitors, who started me on the path to competitive shooting. You helped grow the sport one shooter at a time. The shooting ranks grow because of your desire to bring in new shooters, to expand your sport and to make new shooters feel welcome.

The NRA has everything you need for support, but we cannot go door-to-door asking people to come to the range. In the end, that’s up to you. Do you want your sport to grow or slowly wilt away because of inaction? I would probably not be a competitive shooter today except for the actions and desires of other competitors. I hope that you will become a mentor and help us grow and advance shooting sports so that others might experience the same enjoyment that we have had.

Latest

Ruger 1022 Carbon Martens 1
Ruger 1022 Carbon Martens 1

Review: Ruger 10/22 Carbon Fiber

Precision meets speed: Ruger’s 10/22 Carbon Fiber raises the bar for rimfire competition, especially Steel Challenge.

Winstead-Severin Outlasts Field To Win 2025 Iron Man Silhouette Championship In Montana

Cathy Winstead-Severin clinches 2025 Iron Man Silhouette Regional Championship in Missoula, Montana, showcasing elite endurance and precision over two grueling days of competition.

A New Generation Rises At Close Of 1970s: 1979 National Matches

New champions emerge as legends endure in a defining year at Camp Perry.

NRA America’s Rifle Challenge Takes Center Stage On Shooting USA

Shooting USA heads to Camp Atterbury for a deep dive into the NRA’s latest action shooting format, designed for both new and seasoned AR-15 competitors.

Springfield Armory 1911 AOS Series Showdown

Springfield Armory’s modern 1911s—TRP AOS, Ronin AOS and Operator AOS—go head-to-head in a 1911 AOS series showdown.

Legends: J.B. Hodgdon 1936-2025

Shooting sports icon and Kansas native J.B. Hodgdon leaves behind a legacy of innovation, service and outdoor passion.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.