Air Rifle Team

WCSD JROTC programs have a robust history of competitive 10 meter, 3-position air rifle competition events and success with both team and individual national rankings.  The ten-meter, 3-position air rifle competition is both an NCAA and Olympic sport and is conducted in exactly the same manner as the JROTC program. Cadets will study marksmanship safety in the classroom and will have the opportunity to compete with other schools as a member of their air rifle team.  The Silver State Brigade air rifle season normally runs from late fall through early winter and features league competitions, postal matches, shoulder to shoulder competitions as well as regional and state military service competitions.  We host the Northern Nevada Air Rifle Championship match and a junior Olympic match each year. Additional information on the JROTC air rifle program is found below.

 Cadets who are interested in target rifle shooting as a sport and who become members of their JROTC or school rifle team have many special competition opportunities. Competitions are a great way to measure your skills and progress as a shooter. They are always exciting, challenging experiences where you learn to control yourself and do your very best under pressure. They also offer opportunities to travel and meet new friends. The following are competition opportunities available to you:

JROTC or School Rifle Team
If your school has a JROTC rifle team or a school rifle team, your instructor will provide information about that program. Team members have a chance to practice regularly during the rifle season and to participate in competitions scheduled for the team.

Postal Competitions
In postal competitions, participating teams schedule matches where each team fires their score at their home range. Competing teams exchange scores by email, fax, or phone to determine who won. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps JROTC programs all have national postal competitions that all JROTC units are encouraged to compete in. The National Guard Bureau and American Legion sponsor two of the most popular national postals. To learn more about national postal competitions available to JROTC rifle teams, check the CMP website.

League Competition
In many areas of the country, school or JROTC teams organize leagues where they compete against each other in shoulder-to-shoulder competitions. Won-lost records usually determine league standings. There are many JROTC or high school leagues in the United States. The largest and most active high school league is in Georgia, where the Georgia High School Association recognizes rifle as a varsity sport.

 Major School Age Competitions

There are a growing number of major competitions for school and JROTC rifle teams. A program goal of many JROTC or school teams is to do well in one of these major tournaments. They include:

• State Junior Olympic Championships. Almost every state now has a state qualifying competition for the National Junior Olympic Championship in the winter or early spring. Many states organize their qualifiers in three or four different sections so that travel distances are not great and as many teams as possible can participate. Check the USA Shooting website for a listing of state qualifying competitions.

• CMP Cup Matches. These are large regional high school competitions where participants come from several states. CMP Cup Matches have sporter and precision class individual and team events and offer an opportunity to earn credit points for Junior Distinguished Badge awards.

National Recognition Opportunities:

When school-age rifle teams participate in major competitions, they become eligible to earn many special awards. Some of the most important awards are the Junior EIC badges and Distinguished Badges that are offered by the National Three-Position Air Rifle Council. Individual shooters who participate in Junior Olympic State and National Three-Position Air Rifle Championships can earn credit points for EIC badges and the prestigious Junior Distinguished Badge that are shown in Figure 6.10.6. Distinguished Badges are usually awarded in special ceremonies. There also are National Records for three position air rifle shooting, including separate record categories for Army, Navy, and Marine Corps JROTC competitors. The most comprehensive summary of all the competition opportunities available in target shooting appears in the Youth Shooting Opportunities Guide that is published by the CMP. 

Air Rifle is available at all schools.