NoVA Sharpshooters Host the 2020-2021 Virginia USA Shooting Pistol Junior Olympics State Championship

By Mark Budgeon 

Every year USA Shooting invites shooting clubs across the United States of America to host qualification matches called Junior Olympic State Championships (JOSCs). These events allow junior athletes to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with their counterparts from across their resident state as well as non-residents. For the past three years, the NoVA Sharpshooters have hosted these qualification matches at the Arlington-Fairfax Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America.

This year athletes, parents and coaches all pitched in to put this event together in spite of the COVID 19 pandemic. Following Virginia guidelines, the club successfully hosted the Sport Pistol and Air Pistol JOSCs allowing 26 athletes to compete for qualification scores and potential invitations to the USA Shooting Junior Olympics planned for 2021.

On Sunday morning, November 22nd, seven athletes from the NoVA Sharpshooters and Team LocoMotion met at the Rifle Pistol Range for a 60 shot Sport Pistol match. Suman Sanghera placed first winning the Junior Women gold medal and also recognition as the Virginia State Champion. Josephine Mou won the silver medal and Lauren Creese won the bronze. For the junior men, Victor Mou won the gold medal, Ethan Jardines placed second winning the silver medal and William Regala won bronze.

Sport Pistol JOSC (L to R): Suman Sanghera, Ethan Greenhaw, Josephine Mou, Ethan Jardines, Lauren Creese, Victor Mou, William Regala

After the sport pistol match, these seven athletes participated in the air pistol JOSC held across the road at the Sills Air Range. Nineteen junior athletes from the NoVA Sharpshooters, Team LocoMotion (Purcellville), Rockin’ Rockets (Rockingham County 4-H), Lafayette Gun Club (Grafton) and an independent shooter from Frederick, Maryland competed in the 60 shot match. Since there were six or more competitors in each gender category, a state champion could be named for both the junior men and the junior women.

For the junior women, Suman Sanghera again placed first winning the gold medal and recognition at the state junior women champion. Makenzie Anne Wygans from the Lafayette Gun Club won silver and Christina Alvarez won bronze. For the junior men, Bhavjeet Sanghera placed first winning the gold medal and recognition as the state junior men champion. Victor Mou won silver and William Regala won bronze.

Air Pistol JOSC (L to R): Makenzie Anne Wygans, William Regala, Christina Alvarez, Victor Mou, Suman Sanghera, Ethan Greenhaw, Josephine Mou, Zachary Dantzlerward, Madeline Matney, Connor Shea (nine athletes not pictured)

These athletes scored high enough to earn automatic invites to the 2021 Junior Olympics: Suman Sanghera (sport and air pistol), Bhavjeet Sanghera (air pistol) and William Regala (air pistol). When all the clubs across the country complete their matches and report their scores, USA Shooting will establish cutoff scores for each event and age category. Then USA Shooting will extend invitations to athletes for the 2021 Junior Olympics. The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is the traditional location for the USA Shooting Junior Olympics. However, the facility is restricted to preparing the USA Team for the Summer Olympics. USA Shooting will announce the location for the Junior Olympics at a later date.

Congratulations to these junior athletes and their parents and thanks to coaches Lei-Ann Chang, Tim Greenhaw, Jennifer Alvarez for taking the time to lead the program. Only in its fourth year, the NoVA Sharpshooters Junior Shooting Program has grown to be the largest and most successful junior international pistol program in the state of Virginia.

Scholastic Action Shooting Program Virginia State Championship

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) recently held its state championship at the Winchester Izaak Walton League (WIWL) in Winchester, VA. The match had a total of 58 entries across five different shooting disciplines. SASP is a team sport where athletes compete in squads of four. Athletes shoot for time at five steel targets that are arrayed in four different stages.

Athletes from as far as Ohio participated in the Virginia SASP State Championship.

SASP began in earnest in Virginia in 2015 when Team LoCo Motion was established in Purcellville. In 2016, the Winchester Izaak Walton League established the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets. This year, Liberty University established a collegiate team which took 2nd Place in the SASP Collegiate Nationals in the Spring. A number of new SASP teams are being established in the Commonwealth, with participation in the state championship expected to double next year.

Squad results were:
Rimfire Pistol
Varsity (High School) and Intermediate (Middle School) Divisions
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Rimfire Rifle – Iron Sights
Open Division (High School and Middle School mixed)
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Rimfire Rifle – Optic
Open Division
State Champion – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Team LoCo Motion

Pistol Caliber Carbine
Open Division
State Champion – Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

SASP athletes are also recognized at the individual level with high overall awards. Team LoCo Motion Captain Adam Jardines who was the rimfire pistol state champion, became the Commonwealth’s first athlete to compete in the centerfire pistol division.

Individual results were:
Rimfire Pistol
Varsity Division (High School)
State Champion – Ethan Jardines, Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

Ethan Jardines of Team LoCo Motion receiving the rimfire pistol championship cup from Liberty University Head Coach Dave Hartman.

Intermediate Division (Middle School)
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Lauren Creese, Team LoCo Motion
3rd Place – Scarlett Leatch, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

Rimfire Rifle – Iron Sights
Varsity Division
State Champion – Ethan Jardines, Team LoCo Motion
2nd Place – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Talon Morris, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ayden Wilson, Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Hayden Thomas, Ross County Steel Ringers

Rimfire Rifle – Optics
Varsity Division
State Champion – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Adam Jardines, Team LoCo Motion

Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Ayden Wilson, Ross County Steel Ringers
3rd Place – Hayden Thomas, Ross County Steel Ringers

Alexander Baird of the Blue Ridge Bullets with Match Director Mark Prater and WIWL Representative Stan Kugler.

Pistol Caliber Carbine
Varsity Division
State Champion – Maccoy Gilkison, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Andrew Sullivan, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
3rd Place – Jack Bright, Team LoCo Motion

Intermediate Division
State Champion – Alexander Baird, WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets
2nd Place – Lauren Creese, Team LoCo Motion
3rd Place – Walter Davis, Jr., WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets

SASP State Advisor Dr. Eliot Jardines stated, “Our state championship went exceedingly well and it is clear our athletes have come a long way this season. I look forward to a strong performance at SASP Nationals in mid-July. We owe a big debt of gratitude to the Winchester Izaak Walton League for hosting the championship. We certainly could not have asked for better hosts, or more dedicated volunteers. We were honored to have Dave Hartman, the Head Coach of the Liberty University SASP team present awards at the noon ceremony, and representing WIWL for the afternoon awards ceremony was Mr. Stan Kugler.”

Alexander Baird, Maccoy Gilkison, Talon Morris and Andrew Sullivan of the Blue Ridge Bullets receiving their squad awards from Stan Kugler.

As the teams gear up for the new shooting season staring in September, SASP is keenly interested in expanding the program throughout Virginia. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the VA State Advisor at admin@locomotionfoundation.org to learn more about establishing a team, available funding and scholarship opportunities.

VSSA Affilated Team Raffle to Support Trip to National Championship

Team LoCo Motion, a Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) team and VSSA affiliated club, is attending the SASP National Championship in Marengo, Ohio in mid-July. The team is selling SASP National Raffle Tickets as a means of raising funds to offset the cost of the trip. Team LoCo Motion recently took first place in pistol caliber carbine division at the Virginia SASP State Match, hosted by the Winchester Izaak Walton League.

The raffle has five fantastic prizes including:

• Dan Wesson Firearms – Pointman Nine PM-9
• STI – DVc Limited Island 2011 Pistol
•  Mossberg – MMR Tactical with Vortex Red/Green Dot Combo
• Browning – 1911 .380 Medallion Pro
• Taurus – PT111 Millennium G2 9mm

Tickets are $10 each. The drawing will take place on Friday July 19 at the SASP National Championship in Marengo, Ohio – raffle ticket holders need not be present to win.

To purchase raffle tickets please visit:
http://www.locomotionfoundation.org/2019-raffle
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eliot Jardines admin@locomotionfoundation.org

Scholastic Action Shooting Program All-State Shooting Team Announced

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) has named its All-State Team consisting of the four top high school and middle school athletes in the Commonwealth. SASP was created by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation in 2013 and consists of youth ages 10 – college competing in pistol and rifle. Athletes shoot at five steel targets that are arrayed in four different stages while timed. The program currently boasts approximately 1,200 participants across 42 states.

SASP began in Virginia in 2015 when the LoCo Motion Foundation established Team LoCo Motion in Purcellville. In 2016, the Winchester Izaak Walton League established the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets. Both teams received significant support from Friends of the NRA/NRA Foundation. Three new teams were established in 2018 - two sponsored by the Young Marines and one by the US Naval Sea Cadets. Liberty University established a collegiate SASP team this year.

Athletes were selected for the Virginia SASP All-State Team based on their academic qualifications and achievement at the state and/or national championships this past year. The All-State Team consists of a high school and middle school squad, each with the four fastest athletes in the Commonwealth. All-State athletes for 2018 include:

High School Squad
- Adam Jardines of Purcellville
- Jack Bright of Leesburg
- Andrew Sullivan of Stephens City
- Corinne Whisenant of Middletown

Middle School Squad
- Ethan Jardines of Purcellville
- Talon Morris of White Post
- Maccoy Gilkison of Boyce
- Lauren Creese of Purcellville

SASP State Advisor Eliot Jardines stated, “The SASP program in Virginia has grown tremendously in the past three years, and we are very excited to have so many new teams and competitors. Every member of the 2018 Virginia SASP All-State Team is a nationally ranked athlete who brings great credit upon the sport and the Commonwealth.”

SASP is looking to continue its expansion and interested parties are encouraged to contact the State Advisor at admin@locomotionfoundation.org to learn more about establishing a team, available funding and scholarship opportunities.

VA SASP Teams Dominate In Virtual Match Series

Virginia’s Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) teams dominated the rimfire pistol divisions in the SASP National Virtual Match Series for the 2017-2018 season. The Virtual Match Series is open to all 235 SASP teams across the country whose athletes compete both as individuals and in squads. The competitions take place locally but the rankings are tallied nation-wide.

SASP was created by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation in 2013 and consists of youth ages 10 – college competing in pistol and rifle. Athletes shoot at five steel targets that are arrayed in four different stages while timed. SASP began in Virginia in 2015 when Team LoCo Motion (Round Hill) was established. In 2016, the Winchester Izaak Walton League established the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets. Both teams received significant support from Friends of the NRA/NRA Foundation. Currently in the Commonwealth, three new teams are being established, two of are sponsored by the Young Marines and one by the US Naval Sea Cadets.

SASP teams compete in squads of four athletes but individual results are also recognized. In the Rimfire Pistol Intermediate (Middle School) Division, the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets squad took first place with the Team LoCo Motion squad taking second. In the Rimfire Pistol Senior (High School) Division, the Blue Ridge Bullets fielded two squads which took first and second place with the Team LoCo Motion squad taking third.

At the individual level, virtual match standings are ranked across all divisions (Rookie, Intermediate-Entry Level, Intermediate-Advanced, JV, Varsity and Collegiate). The Commonwealth’s young ladies made an impressive showing with Lauren Creese of Team LoCo Motion taking 2nd place and Amelia Lunceford of the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets taking 3rd place nationally. In the men’s division, Michael Soltis of Team LoCo Motion captured 3rd place in the national rankings.

Eliot Jardines, the SASP Virginia State Advisor stated, “We are very pleased with the results of the 2017-2018 SASP Virtual Match series. Virginia teams have come a long way in a span of a few short years and we are excited to see what the 2018-2019 season brings. Not only are we looking to build on our success in this series but also at SASP Nationals. Our goal this season is to help our two new Young Marines and one US Naval Sea Cadet teams get up and running to add them to the Commonwealth’s competitive roster.

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program now has two teams out of Round Hill, as well as teams in Winchester, Woodford and Mason Neck. As a means of introducing youth action shooting and youth development to more Virginia communities, SASP is looking to establish new teams. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the State Advisor at admin@locomotionfoundation.org to learn more about establishing a team, available funding and scholarship opportunities.

Virginia Action Shooting Program Grows

By Eliot Jardines

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) has seen significant growth in Virginia this year. SASP was created by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation in 2013 and consists of youth ages 10 – college competing in pistol and rifle. Athletes shoot at five steel targets that are arrayed in four different stages while timed. The program currently boasts approximately 1,200 participants nationally and 50 within the Commonwealth.

The SASP program began in earnest in Virginia in 2015 when the LoCo Motion Foundation established Team LoCo Motion in Purcellville. In 2016, the Winchester Izaak Walton League established the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets. Each of these teams has grown significantly both in terms of numbers as well as competitive prowess. Both teams received significant support from Friends of the NRA/NRA Foundation. Three new teams are being established, two of are sponsored by the Young Marines and one by the US Naval Sea Cadets.

Members of the Blue Ridge Bullets sponsored by the Winchester Izaak Walton League at SASP Nationals.

Team LoCo Motion head coach Eliot Jardines was recently appointed the SASP State Advisor for the Commonwealth. “We are very pleased with the growth of SASP in Virginia. With the help of our steadfast supporters the NRA and the SASP national staff, we were able to pull off the first ever Virginia SASP State Match,” he stated. Held at the NRA Headquarters Range, the state match was contested in the rimfire pistol, rifle-optic and rifle-iron sights divisions. In addition to the two VA teams, an SASP team from Gaston County, North Carolina also participated. In addition to the competition, attendees were given a guided tour of the National Firearms Museum and had a chance to meet newly elected NRA President Oliver North who was on hand to welcome the competitors.

Members of Team LoCo Motion at SASP Nationals.

The culmination of the competitive season is the SASP Nationals in Ohio however and there is where Virginia’s teams have made their presence known. This year’s SASP Nationals had a record 1,200 entries, making it simultaneously the world’s largest youth action shooting event and the largest steel match in history. Given this level of competition, the Commonwealth’s teams achievements were quite remarkable.

Newcomers to Nationals this year, the WIWL Blue Ridge Bullets acquitted themselves quite well with their Intermediate (middle school) rimfire squad placing 18th out of 23 squads. The team also fielded two squads in the open rimfire division (squads with both middle and high school students), which placed 21st and 45th out of 68 squads. At the individual level, Amelia Lunceford placed 10th and Carigan Cogle placing 12th in the ladies Intermediate Advanced Division. Graceleigh, Genevieve and Emmaline Blodgett placing 14th, 18th and 19th respectively in the Intermediate Entry Level Division. On the men’s side, Talon Morris took 7th and Maccoy Gilkison took 12th in the Intermediate Entry Level Division.

Team LoCo Motion returned for its third year to SASP Nationals. The Senior (high school) squad took 9th out of 32 squads in rimfire pistol with the Intermediate squad placing 15th out of 23 squads. At the individual level, team captain Adam Jardines placed 16th in the highly competitive men’s Varsity Division, squad leader Corrine Whisenant taking 6th in the women’s Junior Varsity Division and Jack Bright taking 15th in the men’s JV Division. At the intermediate level, squad leader Ethan Jardines took 5th place in the men’s Intermediate Advanced Division while Lauren Creese likewise took 5th in the women’s IA Division. The team also tried their hand at the new pistol caliber carbine (PCC) discipline and took 5th place in the Open Division.

As the teams gear up for the new shooting season which starts in September, the Scholastic Action Shooting Program will be adding three new teams before the end of 2018. SASP is keenly interested in expanding the program outside of Northern Virginia and interested parties are encouraged to contact the State Advisor at admin@locomotionfoundation.org to learn more about establishing a team, available funding and scholarship opportunities.

Loudoun Youth State Shooting Champions

Members of Team LoCo Motion have risen to state-wide prominence having recently won state championships at the Scholastic Action Shooting Program State Match.  Established in 2015, Team LoCo Motion participates in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) where youth, ages 12 – college shoot pistols and rifles at steel targets while timed.  The state match took place at the NRA Headquarters range in Fairfax.  In one of his first official acts, NRA President Oliver North was on hand to welcome the athletes.

During the competition, athletes competed as a four-person squad shooting both rimfire pistol and rifle.  The Team LoCo Motion Red Squad took 2^nd place in the rimfire pistol division, just missing first place by only 0.62 seconds.  Red Squad members included Nathan Ellis of Leesburg, Adam and Ethan Jardines of Purcellville as well as Corrine Whisenant of Harpers Ferry, WV.   In the rimfire rifle - optics division, the Team LoCo Motion Crimson Squad took 3^rd place.  Squad members included Lauren Creese of Purcellville, Anna and Ben Soltis of Round Hill and Corrine Whisenant.

At the individual level, the team took the lions share of championships:

-        Michael Soltis of Round Hill took 1^st place in the collegiate rimfire pistol as well as collegiate rifle - iron sights divisions

-        Adam Jardines of Purcellville took 1^st place in the high school rimfire pistol division

-        Ethan Jardines of Purcellville took 1^st place in the middle school rimfire pistol and rifle – iron sights divisions

Team LoCo Motion, has received grant funding from the NRA Foundation and the Town of Purcellville.  As a way of assisting other youth development programs, the team runs pistol qualifications sessions for the VIKING Division Sea Cadets in Purcellville, as well as the Leesburg and Winchester Civil Air Patrol squadrons.  For more information about the team, visit www.locomotionfoundation.org.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eliot Jardines – admin@locomotionfoundation.org