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- LaSalle 4-H Youth Participate at the 2021 Regional Shooting Sports Competition
With a spot at the state competition on the line, more than eleven-hundred youth registered for the Northern Regional 4-H Shooting Sports competition held March 2-7, 2021.
Going out with a rememberable performance for his senior year, Rhett Fannin, Jena High 4-H, took top honors in Senior CMP Scoped Rifle. James Sanders, also of Jena High 4-H Club, brought home the first-place medal in the No-Scope Senior CMP competition.
LaSalle Parish also captured the top position out of 113 competitors in the Junior CMP Scoped Rifle when William Harris, Home School 4-H, scored a 297 of 300 points earning his first-place medal. Just behind Harris was Hannah Zeagler, Nebo Elementary 4-H Club, with her third-place finish. Rounding out the state qualifiers were Jack White, Jena Jr. High 4-H, with an eleventh-place finish and Bralyn Cripps, LaSalle Home School 4-H, qualifying for the state competition.
Striving to grow and challenge herself, Hannah Zeagler competed for the first time in the NRA Rifle competition. Out of thirty-six other competitors, Zeagler brought home the third-place medal.
LaSalle 4-H rifle shooters were well represented in the silhouette competition. All four 4-h’ers finished in the top ten. Jack White led the parish with a second-place finish just one point behind the first place competitor. Hannah Zeagler finished one point behind White for a third-place medal. Bralyn Cripps brought home the fifth-place medal and William Harris took ninth.
In the Junior Genesis Archery competition, Leanna Womack of LaSalle Jr. High 4-H club earned a first-place medal with Lucas Vickers, Goodpine Middle 4-H club, bringing home a third-place medal. Wyatt Wheeler, Temple Christian 4-H Club, rounded out a tenth-place medal for the contest.
Junior Genesis 3-D was led by Leanna Womack with her second-place finish, followed by Lucas Vickers, third-place, and Alyson Womack, LaSalle Jr. 4-H club, fourth-place finish. Lynzee Bowie, Jena Jr. High 4-H, rounded out the top ten with her medal.
The Senior Genesis competition was led by Hannah Parker, Jena High 4-H, finishing sixth and Phaedra Dorsey, Jena High 4-H, qualifying for the state competition. Parker also placed eleventh in the Senior Compound division.
Senior modified trap was another tight race this year. Martin Williams, Nebo Elementary 4-H, lead LaSalle Parish Senior Shooter finishing fifth breaking 47 of 50 clay targets. Travis Morris, LaSalle High 4-H, also recorded 47 broken clays, however finished sixth behind Martin based on longest string of hits. Rounding out the qualifying senior division shooters included Mason Zurfluh, Jena High 4-H, with a score of 46 for a twelfth place and Brayden Poole,
LaSalle Homeschool 4-H, making the cut-off for state.
LaSalle 4-H was also represented in the junior modified trap division. Neal Reeves, Fellowship Elementary 4-H Club, lead the LaSalle group finishing fourth with 45 broken clays. Aiden Bird, Fellowship Elementary 4-H Club also hit 45 clays yet finished sixth using the longest string as a tie breaker. Blaine Roshto and Waylon Breithaupt, both of Jena Jr. High 4-H, qualified for the state shoot.
The 4-H shooting sports program is designed to teach youth life skills through hands on activities through a coach-pupil method. These methods include teaching youth the fundamentals of firearm safety and marksmanship in shooting skills. The program’s goal is not only to increase safety and shooting abilities of our youth, but also to use the firearm or archery equipment as the primary tool used to teach youth responsibility, independence, leadership and character.
One of the main driving forces of the program is the volunteers. Volunteer Level I Shooting Sports instructor are adults who have completed a 12-hour training in a discipline of their choice. Once trained, they are eligible to sponsor or host a shooting sports workshop for 4-H youth.
The Outdoor Skills Program is largely a family and community affair. During the workshops, it requires many parents to help instructors oversee the activities and provide instruction for youth. Facilities for youth to practice is necessary which volunteers and the LaSalle Sheriff’s office provide their residence or facilities to host practices.
The LaSalle 4-H Shooting Sports program has very successfully trained and nurtured life skills. Fifty-five youth have received instruction in the safe handling of firearms and archery equipment while developing self-confidence, determination to reach a goal, winning graciously, and accepting setback with dignity.
Shooting sports is an expensive program. To reach youth from every social economical background, funds are needed. Supporting the 4-H Shooting Sports Program is the Friends of the National Rifle Association Foundation. This year’s program was supported through a $6,200 grant. Activities through these grant funds are designed to promote firearm and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context.
The next leg in the shooting sports events includes the State 4-H Competition held in Port Allen and Gonzales. Those competing at the Northern Regional included:
For more information about 4-H and other youth development programs, or if you are interested in serving as a volunteer in the 4-H Shooting Sports, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service at (318) 992-2205. It is the policy of the