The Warren County 4-H Shooting Sports Program has a long history of a strong and vibrant program with 60-80 enrolled participants and a large group of certified coaches. After the pandemic, many parents were interested in getting their children out of the house and into the great outdoors and found that the 4-H shooting sports program was a perfect fit. In 2022 enrollment in the shooting sports program jumped 43% to 103 participants and in 2023 enrollment increased to 123 participants. This increased enrollment necessitated an urgent need to increase certified volunteer coaches to safely meet the needs of such a dramatic increase of participants.

The reporting youth development agent worked with the shooting sports coordinator to recruit more volunteers. The call for coaches was met with a strong response from willing volunteers. Over a four year period, certified volunteer coaches jumped from an all-time low of 6 volunteers to an all-time high of 25 volunteers, a 24% increase in certified coaches. These coach volunteers were certified in archery (3), black powder (4), rifle (4), pistol (2), trap (7) and coordinator (2), and five volunteers were certified in more than one discipline. Of these volunteers, 8 were teen leaders.

The volunteers attended training at the Lake Cumberland 4-H Center and were taught by nationally certified Level 2 instructors. The volunteers learned how to teach firearm and bow safety to youth. They also learned specific information and details about the discipline they were being certified in. The overall goal for volunteer coaches was to teach 4-H members safety and marksmanship, to teach them to enjoy the great outdoors, and to help 4-H'ers develop enough confidence to participate in the state 4-H Shooting Sports contest.

These volunteer coaches came back to the Warren County 4-H Program and taught 4-H members shooting sports safety and marksmanship for four months in the summers. In 2021 and 2022, the Warren County 4-H program had one of the largest group of shooters at the state contest. A great testament to the dedication and passion of the certified volunteers who worked weekly to prepare the 4-H members for the state contest.

In 2022 and 2023, the 4-H Shooting Sports coordinators rallied their coaches and other parent volunteers to host a shooting sports contest in all shooting sports disciplines. This tournament attracted 4-H members from all across the state. Over 200 shooters participated in the 2023 event. This event gave 4-H members an opportunity to test their skill in marksmanship as well as practice good safety protocols. Many parents and coaches from all across the state commented at how well organized the event was run. They were impressed with the facilities (held at the Green River Gun Club), the detailed organization and volume of volunteers working the event. The 4-H agents assisted with this event but the volunteer coaches and coordinator organized and ran the entire event.

When asked why it is important to have a shooting sports program for youth, the coordinator of the Warren County 4-H Program said, “In today’s virtual society, if you get shot, you just re-do. In the shooting sports program we teach kids the reality of what firearms can do. There is no do-over. This teaches respect for firearms with all of the responsibilities of gun ownership. The skills we teach will make a lasting impact on the child for life.”