DATE: 8/19/04                                                                                                CONTACT: Rick Willey , 656-3090                                                                             WRITER: Susan Bedingfield , 864-656-3876

 Clemson 4-H shooting sports offers  instructor certification workshop

CLEMSON -- The 4-H Shooting Sports instructor certification training will be held on Sept. 18-19 at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources office on the Clemson University campus.

Registration deadline is Sept. 3. The workshop fee is $60. The class is limited, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Anyone interested in teaching 4-H shooting sports at the county level is required to complete this training. It will be taught by nationally certified instructors,” said Rick Willey, Clemson Extension 4-H natural resources specialist.

Certification will be offered in a rifle, shotgun and archery.

Volunteers who work directly with the 4-H’ers must be 21 years old. They must agree to a background check, be endorsed by an Extension agent and receive three days of training that includes written tests and teaching practicum.

“The shooting sports program teaches young people knowledge, responsibility, citizenship, leadership, sportsmanship, ethics, critical thinking and an appreciation for the outdoors and its inhabitants,” said Willey. “If you are interested in volunteering or joining a 4-H shooting sports club, contact the Clemson Extension office in your county.”

Over 300,000 young people participate in the program making it one ofthe largest shooting education programs in the United States.

For more information or to receive an application contact Rick Willey, 656-3090 or email rwlly@clemson.edu.

The agenda and application can be accessed at http://www.clemson.edu/4H/september_state.htm.

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