USA Youth Education in Shooting Sports Foundation Creates 14 State Affiliates and 31 New Youth Shooting Teams in 2013
OutdoorHub 12.09.13
USA Youth Educations in Shooting Sports Foundation (USAYESS) has announced that in 2013 USAYESS and their state affiliates created 31 new youth shooting teams and awarded $155,000 in endowment funds to those teams. Each new team was awarded $5,000 in endowment funds. The endowment money came from a generous donation by Larry and Brenda Potterfield of Midway USA. All endowment funds will be deposited to the teams account at the Midway USA Foundation.
“We are very excited about the support that the Larry and Brenda Potterfield give to USAYESS and our state affiliates. The resources the Potterfields provide to youth and college shooting programs is unprecedented. I cannot say enough about their generosity and the difference it will make in the future of the hunting and shooting industry. ” said USAYESS Executive Director Mike Borg.
The teams were created as a result of the six USAYESS Youth Outdoor Experience events (YOE) that USAYESS and partners held in 2013. The YOE events are one day events that are free to the general public. In 2013 YOE events were held at Colville WA, Billings MT, Reno NV, Salt Lake City UT, Phoenix AZ, and Stockton CA. The first day of each event is held in cooperation with the local chapter of national conservation groups and the appropriate state fish and game departments. Over 1,200 young people, ages 10 to 18, plus their families had an opportunity to experience a variety of outdoor activities ranging from shotgun shooting and archery to wildlife conservation. The conservation groups that partnered with USAYESS and the YOE events were the; Mule Deer Foundation’s MULEY program, Wild Sheep Foundation’s SHEEP program, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and National Wild Turkey Federation’s JAKE program. The state agencies that partnered with USAYESS were Arizona Fish and Game Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Washington Fish and Game Department, and the Montana Fish and Game Department.
USAYESS has scheduled six additional YOE in 2014. If your organization or range is interested in holding a YOE event please contact the USAYESS National Office at info@usayess.org .
USAYESS is committed to growing youth shooting and outdoor experiences that the entire family can enjoy together. USAYESS advises and works in partnership with affiliated state youth shooting programs. USAYESS affiliated states with current 501 c 3 status are Alaska, Arizona, California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington. Affiliated states that are working on their 501 c 3 status are Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Michigan, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas. Some of the events that USAYESS and affiliates organize are Youth Outdoor Experience Events, Clay Shooting Basics, USAS, NRA, and CMP Level 1 Shotgun Coach Certifications, Breaking Clays Clinics Coaching for Success, Clay Target Cup Series and liability and medical insurance for youth shooting teams and coaches.
USAYESS is a nonprofit educational association which introduces, grows, supports and educates youth and coaches about the shooting sports and wildlife conservation. The mission of USAYESS is to use hand-on events, competitive shooting sports, wildlife and habitat conservation programs to introduce and educate young people about safe firearm handling and outdoor activities that they and their families can share together for a lifetime.
