What is a USA Shooting Certified Training Center? (CTC)
By Michael Theimer, Youth Programs and Athlete Development Manager
FORT BENNING, GA –-(Ammoland.com)- USA Shooting has established a program that identifies clubs with excellent facilities, coaches and training programs for both the training of aspiring Olympic athletes and development of certified coaches.
We have designated these special clubs as Certified Training Centers (CTC). Originally we called them ‘Regional’ Training Centers (RTC), but we want to expand these CTCs across the country and not just limit them to arbitrary regions.
The CTCs receive various benefits from USA Shooting to include grants to help train Olympic athletes and coaches.
At the time of this writing, we have ten CTCs across the country. Three that are focused on rifle and pistol and seven that are focused on shotgun.
Rifle/Pistol
- Los Angeles Rifle & Revolver Club, Anaheim, Ca.
Website: www.larrclub.org - Palmyra Sportsmen’s Association, Palmyra, Penn.
Website: www.palmyrasportsmens.com - Ole Mill Range Complex, Griffin, Ga.
Website: www.olemillrangectc.com
Shotgun
- Willawalla Creek Shooting Center, Saint Jo, Texas
Contact Dwayne Weger at dweger@coppellconst.com - Ben Avery Shooting Facility/Clay Target Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
Website: www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml - Youth International Shotgun Training Coalition, Inc., Muncy Valley, PA
Contact Les Greey at les@greevy.com - Buckeye International Junior Shooting Sports, Inc., Cardinal Shooting Center – Marengo, Ohio
Website: www.buckeyeinternational.org - Gator Trap and Skeet Club, Gainsville, Fla.
Website: www.gatorskeetandtrap.com - South Georgia Youth Shooting and Bridge Creek Clays, Hartsfield, Ga.
Contact Mike Simpson at ermasmom@yahoo.com - Tucson Trap and Skeet Club, Tucson, Ariz.
Website: www.tucsontrapandskeet.com
Obviously we don’t have a CTC in every state or multiple locations in the larger states, but it’s a future vision that we have and we are working toward identifying more CTCs that will support aspiring Olympic athletes across the country.
Our CTCs not only provide training for athletes and run sanctioned competitions to test their learning and skills, but they are also committed to developing coaches for our Olympic level athletes.
For those parents and volunteers who want to learn more about the Olympic shooting sports and/or elevate their coaching skills should contact one of the CTCs to find out when they will be hosting a coach certification course. You can also go to the NRA Training & Education web site (www.nrahq.org/education/training/coaching/coach_training_schools.asp) to find other locations around the country that are hosting coach certification courses.
The CTCs are good for beginners, too. The CTCs run various programs that help introduce Olympic and non-Olympic shooting sports. Not all junior shooters want to commit to an Olympic dream. We want all junior shooters to learn gun safety and enjoy the shooting sport of their choice. Whether it’s just for recreation or competition.
Our CTCs have access to grants from USA Shooting that support Olympic athlete and coach development. This is a new opportunity for our CTCs that began this year. We encourage our CTCs to host Junior Olympic Development Camps, coach certification courses, assist with travel for selected high potential Olympic athletes to competitions and JODCs, assist with coach travel to competitions and our bi-annual Coach Conference here at the Olympic Training Center.
Because of where you currently live, you might not be able to train at one of our CTCs every day, but you should consider traveling to a CTC for access to one of their certified coaches, training camps and USAS sanctioned matches. This will keep your travel expenses down and begin to give you visibility with the CTC coaches and USA Shooting. As your skills and success increase, you may be invited to JODCs and national competitions at the Olympic Training Center.
If you are one of the few that want to pursue the Olympic dream, willing to work hard, train hard and compete with the best, the CTCs can help you get there.
About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.