4-H Extension Corner

4-H SAFE SHOOTING

AWARENESS FUN EDUCATION

BY CAROLYN DRINKARD

The Alabama 4-H Shooting Awareness Fun Education program (SAFE) covers the safe use of firearms. It gives 4-H’ers hands-on training while teaching them to handle, use and store weapons responsibly and safely.

Alabama 4-H offers five disciplines: Archery, Shotgun, Rifle, Western Heritage and Hunting & Outdoor Skills. Founded on the principles of positive youth development, 4-H SAFE clubs strive to ensure that youth are welcomed, that they grow in leadership independence, and that they are inspired to be generous in service to others.

A youth development program, Alabama 4-H SAFE emphasizes peer mentoring and positive interactions between youth and adults. To participate, youth must be at least 9 years old. In the SAFE program, 4-H’ers learn essential life skills while acquiring the skills and disciplines of safe shooting and responsible firearm ownership.

All Alabama 4-H SAFE programs and events are conducted under the supervision of an adult volunteer or staff members who have successfully completed the 12-hour state 4-H SAFE coach certification class. Every year, each Alabama 4-H shooting sports discipline offers a state championship event, and the first-place senior team is eligible to attend the National 4-H Shooting Sports Championship. In 2021, the groups finally got to compete after the pandemic shut down in-person competitions. Congratulations to these state winners!

2021 4-H - State Archery Championship

Ace Ashley Jr. of Etowah County proudly displays his Archery Championship medals.

Individual and Team Results

JUNIOR COMPOUND W/O SIGHTS

FITA Individual

1st – Dalton Harrison: Washington

2nd – Eli Postma: Washington

3rd – Eli Pullen: Marshall

3-D Individual

1st – Eli Postma: Washington

2nd – Timothy Harlow: Washington

3rd – Dalton Harrison: Washington

Overall Individual

1st – Dalton Harrison: Washington

2nd – Dalton Harrison: Washington

3rd – Eli Pullen: Marshall

TEAM

1st – Washington County

2nd – Tuscaloosa County

3rd – Winston County

JUNIOR COMPOUND W/SIGHTS

FITA Individual

1st – Tyler Mosley: Marshall

2nd – Brody Smith: Marshall

3rd – Bryce Mitchell: Etowah

3-D Individual

1st – Tyler Mosley: Marshall

2nd – Brody Smith: Marshall

3rd – Bryce Mitchell: Etowah

Overall Individual

1st – Tyler Mosley: Marshall

2nd – Brody Smith: Marshall

3rd – Bryce Mitchell: Etowah

TEAM

1st – Marshall

JUNIOR RECURVE W/O SIGHTS – FIT- A/3-D/OVERALL

1st – Addie Watwood: Marshall

JUNIOR RECURVE W/ SIGHTS – FIT- A/3D/OVERALL

1st – Samuel Craft: Mobile

SENIOR COMPOUND W/O SIGHTS

FITA Individual

1st – Alexandria Spruill: Jefferson

2nd – Reese Bell: Jefferson

3rd – Walker Bell: Jefferson

3-D Individual

1st – Walker Bell: Jefferson

2nd – Reese Bell: Jefferson

3rd – Alexandria Spruill: Jefferson

3rd – Delaney Dixon: Marengo

Overall Individual

1st – Reese Bell: Jefferson

2nd – Walker Bell: Jefferson

3rd – Alexandria Spruill: Jefferson

TEAM

1st – Jefferson

SENIOR COMPOUND W/SIGHTS

FITA Individual

1st – Aaron Ashley Jr.: Etowah

2nd – Davis Jackson: Marshall

3rd – Hunter Matthews: Marshall

3-D Individual

1st – Aaron Ashley Jr.: Etowah

2nd – Micah Wainwright: Etowah

3rd – Davis Jackson: Marshall

Overall Individual

1st – Aaron Ashley Jr.: Etowah

2nd – Davis Jackson: Marshall

3rd – Hunter Matthews: Marshall

TEAM

1st – Etowah County

2nd – Marshall County

2021 Air Rifle

Championship Winners

JUNIOR DIVISION INDIVIDUAL

Sporter - 1st Place

Standing: Myles Pierce

Kneeling: George Wright

Prone: Jacob Edwards

High Overall Scorers

1. Mylee Pierce

2. George Wright

3. Natalie Smith

4. Jacob Edwards

5. Brice Newman

SENIOR TEAMS

1. Hawkeyes-Calhoun

2. Post 133-Montgomery

Senior Precision-1st Place Standing, Kneeling and Prone:

Andrew Duryea

High Overall Scorers

1. Andrew Duryea

2. Grayson Ellis

3. Gabriel Bianca

Precision Air Rifle-1st Place Team (Hawkeyes-Calhoun County)

SENIOR DIVISION INDIVIDUAL

Sporter - 1st Place

Standing - Trinity Sandoval

Kneeling - Isabel Martin

Prone - Devyn Chapman

Grayson Ellis-Preparing for the match.

High Overall Scorers

1. Devyn Chapman

2. Trinity Sandoval

3. Brandon Edwards

4. James Cord

5. Isabel Martin

2021 4-H Smallbore

Rifle Championship

JUNIOR INDIVIDUAL

Rimfire Sporter

1st - Bryce Newman

2nd - Jagger Scott

3rd - Mylee Pierce

Silhouette

1st - Bryce Newman

2nd - Jagger Scott

3rd - Jedd Scott

TEAMS

Rimfire Sporter-Junior

1st - Excalibur: Lee County

2nd - Hawkeyes: Calhoun County

3rd - SCSSA: Shelby County

Silhouette-Junior

1st - Excalibur: Lee County

2nd - SCSSA: Shelby County

3rd - Hawkeyes: Calhoun County

Rimfire Sporter-Senior

1st - SCSSA: Shelby County

2nd - Hawkeyes: Calhoun County

3rd - Excalibur: Lee County

Kayla Moore-Jones - Rifle competition.

Silhouette-Senior

1st - Hawkeyes: Calhoun County

2nd - SCSSA: Shelby County

3rd - Excalibur: Lee County

Overall Team Winner: SCSSA

SENIOR INDIVIDUAL

Rimfire Sporter

1st - Joshua Grimm

2nd - Emily Buck

3rd - Clark McWhorter

Silhouette

1st - Joshua Grimm

2nd - Trinity Sandoval

3rd - Devon Chapman

Pistol

1st - Luke Christian: Excalibur-Lee

2nd - Silas Frick: Excalibur-Lee

3rd - Luke Cooper: Excalibur-Lee

Overall Pistol Team:

Excalibur

Shooting the standing position