Anderson team  Oconee team

DATE: 5/12/05

CONTACT: Rick Willey, (864) 656-3090

WRITER: Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

4-H Shooting sports teams participate in BB gun competition

CLEMSON -- Two Upstate 4-H shooting sports teams participated in the annual Georgia State BB Gun Competition at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center near Eatonton, Ga. on April 30.

The two teams, representing Oconee and Anderson counties, qualified for participation in this event at the first South Carolina State Championship match.

Out of 80 4-H teams who participated, the Oconee team finished 10 th overall, while the Anderson team, having only been organized for approximately 2 months, finished 35 th overall.

James Quarles of the Oconee team took individual third place in the prone position phase of the match. Quarles’s Oconee teammates were Julianne Quarles, Ross Davis, Kody Klepper, Dallas Stephenson, Leah Stephenson, and Richard Miller.

The Anderson team consisted of Ian Cummings, Adam Willey, Chase Campbell, Kathryn Shoemaker, Kevin Tuten, Scooter Barnwell, and Hunter Martin.

Hubert Cox, volunteer coordinator of the Oconee team, put the day in perspective, “Look at the size of this match and the competitive abilities of the shooters, then remember that this is a 4H event, meaning it’s about kids, helping them have fun and instilling life skills.”

Rick Willey, Anderson coordinator and 4H natural resource specialist at Clemson University, expressed pride in his shooters and the involvement of their parents. He hopes to increase the number of teams in South Carolina.

“At some point I hope to eliminate the need to participate in Georgia’s state competition by having an event of equal magnitude in South Carolina,” he said.

Willey encourages any interested parties to contact him at (864) 656-3090 or email at rwlly@clemson.edu.

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