Support a college rifle team!

[Ned Christiansen]

Guys, I thought some of you might appreciate an opportunity to support some young people doin' it right.

I got onto this through a very good friend of mine, High Master in NRA High Power, who has mentored a young lady into quite a target shooter. Now she's off to college and part of their rifle team, and they are really making a mark.

What's that you're saying? Can there really still be a school out there with a rifle team! YES THERE IS, several in fact. And I think it'd be great to show them a little support via a donation-- which I have just done. I got a request in the mail since I was part of my pal's mailing list but you can donate too, just go to

http://www.utmsports.com/sport/rifle

Check them out and see what they've accomplished, then go up an click on Development/Marketing and follow the prompts to "donate now", and select the rifle team.

Personally I find it very exciting and encouraging that young people are still being encouraged in this way-- great stuff for now and the future.

If you want to make a comment so they know where this mysterious influx of money comes from, well, I don't want to give out the young lady's name and I don't want to take credit so just put
something like "friend of the student from southwest Michigan".

I hope some of you think it's as worthy as I do. Heck for that matter, check out some of the schools they're shooting against and if one is your alma mater, support them instead (or also).

[M4C]

Thanks for posting this Ned. My wife is one of the professors at that school, and while she's not involved with the rifle team, I know they have a good program, and offer some terrific opportunities to some really good kids (young adults). Being part of the UT system, but way out west in a rural part of the state, I don't think they have access to the level of funding some of the bigger schools do. I'm sure your support is greatly appreciated, and will be well spent by the team.

To anyone else who's reading this and considering helping out, remember that these are worthwhile programs, and important to the future of firearms freedoms. Like Ned said, even if you don't contribute to UTM's team, consider helping out your alma mata, or a team close to you.

[Javelin]

Guys, I thought some of you might appreciate an opportunity to support some young people doin' it right.

I got onto this through a very good friend of mine, High Master in NRA High Power, who has mentored a young lady into quite a target shooter. Now she's off to college and part of their rifle team, and they are really making a mark.

What's that you're saying? Can there really still be a school out there with a rifle team! YES THERE IS, several in fact. And I think it'd be great to show them a little support via a donation-- which I have just done. I got a request in the mail since I was part of my pal's mailing list but you can donate too, just go to

http://www.utmsports.com/sport/rifle

Check them out and see what they've accomplished, then go up an click on Development/Marketing and follow the prompts to "donate now", and select the rifle team.

Personally I find it very exciting and encouraging that young people are still being encouraged in this way-- great stuff for now and the future.

If you want to make a comment so they know where this mysterious influx of money comes from, well, I don't want to give out the young lady's name and I don't want to take credit so just put
something like "friend of the student from southwest Michigan".

I hope some of you think it's as worthy as I do. Heck for that matter, check out some of the schools they're shooting against and if one is your alma mater, support them instead (or also).

Great idea and I totally agree. I think we all need to pull together and support collegiate shooting sports as well as local and regional ones. It supports our hobby by introducing new comers to the sport of target and precision shooting.

It is amazing what such a small school can accomplish. They do need financial support . Dr. Beard is a great shooting coach (as well as very accomplished he's a former Army LTC, Ranger, President's Hundred, and Queens Fifty distinguished marksman) and UTM has a very fine NCAA Rifle team and unlike most NCAA sports where athletics is only concerned about playing, Dr. Beard makes sure his athletes focus on education and the team usually has a high cumulative 3.3+average. What other collegiate sport can boast that? Definitely one of the best in the country and represents our hobby/sport very well.

[Ned Christiansen]

The fundraising letter I got also mentioned some deal where Midway USA would match donations. I need to look into that.

[sboers]

I know several of the shooters on the team, as I did my undergrad at UTM. They're a great bunch of people. Coach Beard is a very nice gentleman, and was kind enough to allow students to pay a nominal fee for the semester (a whopping $10) to shoot handguns on the range on Tuesdays. He's been known to hand out some informal instruction as well. That's a rare sight in the current academic climate.

[Parputt]

Thank you for sharing this. I will be sending some monetary motivation.

*EDIT* Done

Might I also suggest that those reading Ned's post check the NCAA website and see if your state has a rifle team that could use some monetary motivation also.

[3 AE]

Being a member of a rifle and pistol club that sponsors a junior shooting team, I make my donation to help support our team when the yearly membership fee is due. Thanks Ned for the kind reminder to help assist these dedicated young men and women as they progress through their college careers. Will definitely check out to see if Oregon has a collegiate level shooting team.