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Minnesota 4-H State Shoot Renamed in honor of late Federal Premium Conservation Manager Bill Stevens

Federal Premium Conservation Manager Bill Stevens

FederalPremium.com

ANOKA, Minn. --(Ammoland.com)- The Minnesota 4-H Shooting sports has honored the late Federal Premium Conservation Manager Bill Stevens by renaming their annual shoot.

Stevens was a noted conservationist and avid hunter who passed away Sunday, July 3, 2011 at the age of 72 after a battle with cancer. The 2011 Bill Stevens Memorial Invitational is being held in Fairmont, Minn. this weekend.

“A True Friend of 4-H”
Bill Stevens was known by thousands and thousands as a man who never stopped promoting his true passions—hunting, shooting, youth, family and conservation.

“Bill was a true friend of the 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife program,” said Kia Harries, Minnesota 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. “He was energetic, enthusiastic and supportive of young people and their interests and the volunteers who were trained to lead. He shared his dreams and ideas and helped to implement them—making 4-H Shooting Sports programs a reality across the nation.”

Stevens was instrumental in several programs and areas within Minnesota 4-H.

“He started the Silent Auction at the MN 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Invitational to help keep training costs low and we have appreciated his ideas and generosity to the 4-H program, said Harries. “The 2011 MN 4-H State Shooting Sports & Wildlife Invitational has been renamed the 2011 Bill Stevens Memorial Invitational as a tribute to Bill for his passion, energy and support for getting young people involved and excited about the outdoors.”

A Tribute to a Father, Husband, Conservationist and Friend
Stevens’ enthusiasm was evident in all he did. He spent time with family, friends and youth doing what he loved all across the country. “Bill was a great mentor and a true friend,” said Federal Premium Conservation Manager Ryan Bronson. “He received so many accolades during his career and in retirement that he always downplayed. It doesn’t surprise me at all that he continues to be recognized after he is gone. These honors are a true testament to the man Bill was.”

Federal Premium has put together a few photos of Stevens as a tribute to a man who contributed so much and was liked by so many.

• Images of Bill can be seen at http://www.federalpremium.com/conservation/bill_stevens.aspx

About Federal Cartridge Company
Headquartered in Anoka, Minnesota, Federal Cartridge Company has been providing hunters and shooters with high-quality rimfire, centerfire and shotshell ammunition since 1922. It pioneered the Premium category of ammunition and is part of the world’s leading ammunition manufacturer, ATK Security and Sporting. For more information on Federal, visit www.federalpremium.com.

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Coach, Can I Get My Pin Now – 4H USA Shooting Passport Program
By Michael Theimer, Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager

USA Shooting

FORT BENNING, GA --(Ammoland.com)- A few years ago USA Shooting’s Passport program was established in partnership with 4-H.

It is designed to reward junior athletes for achieving the next level of skill in rifle, pistol or shotgun. It’s an excellent tool for motivating juniors.

I was talking to one 4-H club coach, Kevin Henry about the success of the Passport program at this club and asked him to write an article about their experience. Here is an example of just one 4-H club’s experience.

“Coach, can I get my pin now?” I looked up from scoring targets to find Cameron, one of our young air rifle shooters standing in front of me. I smiled and replied, “Well, if you can you wait until the end of practice, we will make a presentation in front of everyone.” He paused to think about it, and then with a little bit of impatience said, “Alright”.

4H USA Shooting Air Rifle Gold III Pin

Just three weeks earlier we introduced the USA Shooting Passport Pin program to our shooters. During those three weeks, Cameron was on a mission. He worked really hard to get the required score; getting very close a couple of times, but not quite close enough. When he finally did reach his goal to get his first pin, there was no doubt he knew that he had worked for and achieved something that had stretched him.

I am exactly one half of our coaching staff at our local 4-H club. We are a young club, both in longevity and shooting experience.

We only have some basic entry level equipment and our shooters are just starting to go to their first matches. We practice in “The Barn”; a metal building with a concrete floor but no air conditioning to combat the Texas heat. Show goats, pigs, and an occasional steer live directly behind the barn. From time to time the wall behind our backstops will rattle from a kick or head butt. This usually is followed by a round of giggling from the younger shooters. We use these random distractions as part of our “Mental Conditioning and Focusing Program” to learn how to block out distractions at a match. The barn actually is quite nice as it gets us out of the sun and wind. We are grateful to be able to use it.

Our shooters don’t have the benefit of looking to older, more experienced shooters to see how they are doing. All they get to see every week are their own scores; they have nothing else to compare their results to. As the coach, I find it difficult to find ways to stretch them. The USA Shooting Passport Pin program gives us some easy to use tools to grow our shooters. The bite sized increments of the scores in the program give us attainable and realistic goals to work toward. Everyone can see what they need to do in order to advance to the next level.

Every time someone earns their next pin, we make as big of a production out of it as we can. We gather everyone we can find: shooters, coaches, and parents. We even had a goat try to get in once. One of the coaches announces what pin they have won, congratulates them and then we always take a picture and applaud. Every pin so far has produced a proud smile.

Recently we took one of our best shooters, Allie, to a Junior Olympic match that was held at a local university. This was the first match she has ever been in. She was shooting a sporter air rifle in a precision event wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes. Even though she needs a lot more experience and equipment to get up to the level of the top shooters, she rose to the occasion, beat her personal best, and earned her next pin. I didn’t tell her before the match, but I had her next pin in my pocket already. After the match, we stood by the university flag and her father took a picture of her with her smile and new pin.

When asked about it later, Allie said “It was a pleasant surprise when I scored high enough to receive my first pin!”

Back at the Barn, after one of our award ceremonies, our newest member eyed his fellow shooters newly awarded pin and asked “what is the highest pin there is?” You could see a look of determination in his eyes already.

Kevin Henry lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife and 2 daughters, age 9 and 11. He is one of the coaches at the Eagle Mountain 4H Club in nearby Saginaw, Texas. Both daughters are in the 4H shooting club.

Thanks for sharing this with our members and supporters, Kevin. We look forward to seeing your juniors achieve higher goals. And with your help and guidance, maybe even a future Olympian.

You can order your Passports and pins from the 4H National Supply Service: http://www.4-hmall.org/Home.aspx

Michael Theimer, Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager (michael.theimer@usashooting.org)

I would like to announce that we are partnering with Target Talk (www.targettalk.org) to be ‘the’ bulletin board/forum for buying, selling and trading used Olympic/international shooting equipment and guns. Also, I will be monitoring and contributing to the Youth Programs forum. Stop by for a chat and learn from other junior shooting coaches across the country.

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