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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.

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)

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.

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.

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

Shooting the standing position