03-01-12 FR low res.pdf - Fluvanna Review

4H Sport Shooting club started
BY RUTHANN CARR
CORRESPONDENT
About 20 kids from Fluvanna and Louisa gathered
with their parents Sunday (Feb. 26) in a room at Zion
Methodist Church to hear about a 4H Sport Shooting
Club.
Kaleb Rinaca, 15, of Fluvanna, is interested in joining
because he “just wants to see what it is like.” His
dad, Todd Rinaca, is a former member of the military
and shoots recreationally.
Jerry Reimers, of Fluvanna, sat with his daughters,
Jordan, 12, and Megan, 9, listening to the presentation.
He said both have been interested in shooting
ever since he took them to a shooting range about a
year ago.
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“They asked me to take them out and they loved
it,” Reimers said. “Jordan got a bulls eye the fi rst time
out.”
Ben Smith, of Louisa, brought his camoufl age-clad
son, Ty, 9, who likes to hunt.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent Jenny
Thompson told those gathered that the main goal of
the shooting program is to teach the responsible and
safe use of fi rearms.
Thompson showed the prospective marksmen a
video that said shooting is one of the fastest growing
sports. More than 300,000 are involved in 4H shooting
sports, according to the video. Kids between the
ages of nine and 18 can join the club.
Travis Cash, who is a former member of the U.S.
Army, will teach rifl e shooting while Fluvanna Extension
Agent John Thompson will teach shotgun shooting.
He said they’ll be using 20-gauge shotguns and
air rifl es.
“Because shooting is inherently dangerous, we’re
going to have a safety review before every practice,”
John Thompson said.
Safety is key, he said. Even when shooters bring a
gun in a case, he will expect them to know which end
the muzzle is pointing. Shooters will be given ammunition
as they need it and not before each bullet is
accounted for, he said.
“It’s like Barney Fife – you get one round at a time,”
John Thompson said referring to the much loved but
hapless deputy on the Andy Griffi th Show who had to
keep his one bullet in his pocket to avoid an accidental
shooting.
Jenny Thompson said the group plans to begin with
rifl e and shotgun and will add other disciplines, such
as archery and muzzle-loading as the group grows.
Cash said the marksmen will learn to shoot in four
positions: prone, seated, kneeling and standing.
“This is the junior version of the shooting sports
you see in the Olympics,” he said. “We’ll be teaching
you high-quality marksmanship skills.”
Eventually, the group could take part in 4H regional
marksmanship competitions.
Shooters can use their own guns, John Thompson
said. He put in for a grant, but he hasn’t heard yet
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“Because shooting is inherently dangerous,
we’re going to have a safety review before
every practice.” – John Thompson
Jerry Reimers and his daughters Megan and Jordan.
Photos by Ruthann Carr.
what form it will take – whether he’ll get a check to
buy what the group needs, or if materials will be provided.
It is possible, he said, that the grant will allow
him to buy guns if students need them. 4H will provide
eye and ear protection, but shooters can bring
their own.
Megan may want to bring her own. Her dad said she
had to have pink earmuffs and pink safety glasses.
The next meeting for those interested will be held
at 2 p.m. March 11 at Zion Methodist Church on Zion
Road. Shooting will begin March 25 at a location yet
to be determined. For more information call the Cooperative
Extension Offi ce at 434-591-1950.