TargetTalk

If I could have some help from some folks that have been there done that......Are the sb and air competitions held in the same arena/building? Do the competitors shoot on the same days just various relays such as a JORC? Are the competitors segregated due to gender/status (J1, J2, and J3) or do they shoot across the board regardless of level? For example: would all WR J2’s shoot air together on 4/13 and then shoot 3p on 4/14???

Thanks in advance

Each competition is two days. All the age groups shoot together, guys and girls are separated. I'm not sure how the squadding is decided for the first day (qualifying scores maybe?), but everyone is re-squadded the second day based on their first day scores.

Probably the best way to get an early idea of the schedule and how it lays out for you or your shooters is to go to the USAS website and look at the match results from last year. You can see the dates on the results.

Men's rifle is pretty busy as it shoots air, then SBR prone and SBR 3-P ... combined, mixed and stirred. Ladies is a bit easier as they shoot air first, and then SBR 3-p next.

And yes, the events are held on both upper & lower decks of the USA Shooting range in the Colo Springs OTC.

On the lower deck where there are support columns, they do make an effort in air rifle to keep the lefties/righties away from smacking the rifles on the beams when they lay out the relays.

See this thread for the dates this year:
viewtopic.php?t=32563

Any more info regarding the ins and outs of the JO's such as timeframe, lodging, transportation, requirement, what worked and what did not etc..... would be appreciated....I may have the chance to take a few shooters this year and need all the help I can get. Thanks

Shoot for 1st round invitations. 1st round invites are allowed to stay in the dorms w/ meals at the cafeteria for cheaper than you can ever hope to stay in town. Also, getting the chance to be around so many great shooters and other OTC athletes is a great experience. Some of the best friends my daughters have were met at the JO's.

Fly into Colorado Springs .... usually on United which has a very good policy of traveling with your guns ... almost all other airlines do not allow a youth to travel with a firearm w/o an adult with them ... many JO shooters come in by themselves with both air & SBR rifles. Also, USA Shooting has volunteers that will go to the airport and bring you to the OTC (and take you back after the competition is over). No need to rent a car unless you are going to go touring the town. With most of the kids having to take off school to come and shoot, it's probably best to have them studying and making up assignments when they are not shooting. Most of the rooms have TV/DVD players now so if they want to bring some discs they will probably be able to watch them.

Also make sure you plan for the "Official Training" day which they will run thru equipment check and get a chance to get on the range and check out their gear & shoot on the targets ... good to settle the nerves if they have never shot on "strings" (Air) or Electronics (SBR) before. Even though we drive up, I like to get up there and be able to give the whole day to the training day. If your shooters are up there for the 1st time, the less crazyness you give them the better I think.

For the parents of the kids going .... If they are staying in the dorms the juniors (anyone in the comps ... even if they are 20) are basically confined to the OTC facility. They are allowed to check out if they are going with a parent out on the town for dinner, touring, etc. They have volunteer "dorm-moms" they they have to check in & out with. Lights out times, bedchecks, etc. Coaches, that means if you are not volunteering, you can get a hotel & relax knowing your charges are still under a thumb. If you have a USA Shooting Officials and volunteer form turned in you may be asked if you want to help with driving, scoring, RO, dorm-mom, You then are allowed to stay in the dorms too ... me personally, working the JOs has always been a highlight of my year ... so many great young shooters to be around ... great kids overall.

If your shooter gets a 2nd round invite then they have to have an adult with them as they'll need to get a hotel/car & get around for meals. If they get a 1st round and a 2nd round (say in air then smallbore) they are allowed to stay in the dorms for the whole competition.

In my opinion, even if they only get a 1st round invite in one event, have them there for the whole competition if you can. (i.e. will they study and make up schoolwork on their own?) Besides getting them and having them around the other great "kids", you'll probably break even on the extra you pay to keep them in the dorms an extra day or so against the savings in airfare keeping them there a few extra days.

USA Shooting sets this up as a class act type of event.

I was unable to attend last year, but I just shot the auto qual score for smallbore, so I will be going this year.

I have a teammate who went last year, and he said that there was a rumor going around that the OTC would not be holding the MENS (or boys) JO's because of some equipment theft last year. I do not know if this is true or not, just telling you what I heard.
Matt

Matt .... CONGRATS for the auto-qualifier.

I sincerely doubt there will be no JOs for the guys. Press on positively assuming that all will work out and we'll see what happens when they post the 1st round invites.

USA Shooting had us host these qualifiers matches in good faith and the masses of us just don't know the whole story/rumors - plans.

Plan on shooting well in April!

When do the Invite letters typically go out?

I'm guessing they will have the first round lists up on the USAS website by feb 11 or 12.