We have provided cash grants to help train more youth shooting sports coaches for the second year. This year, 54 cash grants have been awarded for a total payout of $250,000. We feel this Coach Training Grant Program further proves our impact and commitment to changing the future of youth shooting sports. These cash grant funds will directly assist like-minded organizations in collectively certifying over 1,600 shooting sports coaches. In addition, over 2,000 youth shooting teams will benefit to help nearly 40,000 athletes across the nation. Eric Pueppke is the current Executive Officer for the North Dakota Shooting Sports Association and not only a North Dakota Shooting Sports Hall of Fame member but also a pistol coach at the highest level.
“MidwayUSA Foundation has had a tremendous effect on youth shooting sports, one that is far more reaching than one can imagine. Having the funding to help offset the cost of a coach school immediately opens the door to more coach candidates attending. Properly trained coaches lead shooters with the knowledge to hit the target, which makes them smile and stick with the sport allowing it to grow and prosper.”
Pueppke helped North Dakota Shooting Sports Association receive five coach training grants, all for unique initiatives, totaling $24,000. These grants alone will assist 1,600 youth shooting sports athletes and help 114 coaches. He agrees that funding and coach training are both critical to the sport.
“In my years of working with Junior Clubs, there are typically two major needs, or factors that hold a club back or prevent it from thriving or even surviving. First is money. MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment funds have helped insure the future of so many programs, as well as helping them grow into better equipped and funded programs that reach more youth. The second need of Junior Clubs is in having well trained and effective coaches. Here in ND, this [coach training] funding made it possible for a club to send not only the main coach to a school, but also some new assistants that otherwise probably wouldn’t have attended.”
In addition to nearly 2,800 youth shooting team endowments, we fund over 70 state and national youth shooting sports organizations through Agency and Donor Designated endowments. These organizations, including SCTP, SASP, ATA, ACUI, and more, are eligible for the Coach Training Grant Program. Youth shooting teams interested in certifying more coaches should reach out to their state, regional, or national organization. Find a list on this Partner Community Page. The Coach Training Grant cycle runs from February 1 to March 1.
