Hosted by the SIG SAUER Academy Sets Record

MAUMEE, Ohio -- The Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) rang in spring with the pinging of steel at the SPP Northeast Spring Regional hosted by the SIG SAUER Academy. Warm weather - by New England standards - greeted teams for the region's first major SPP match of 2014 and was held at the SIG SAUER Academy ranges in Epping, N.H., April 12.

Over 90 athletes from 14 teams set a record for the largest youth Action Shooting competition ever held in New England. More than 25 squads competed for titles in Junior, Senior, and College divisions.

Representing the College Division were Harvard, University of New Hampshire (UNH), University of Vermont (UVM), U.S. Military Academy (West Point), and Team ELAY, representing students from Yale.

The Junior/Senior Division had nine teams, including Venturing Crews 357, 401, 308, 1675, 70, 51, 633, and 556, as well as Holyoke (Mass.) Revolver.

In Senior Centerfire, Holyoke placed 1st with Crew 556 (N.H.) coming in 2nd. Crew 51-4 (Maine) took 3rd. Crew 308-1 (Maine) took 1st place in the Senior Rimfire division, and Crew 633 (Maine) took 2nd place.

Crew 401-1 (Maine) took Gold in the Junior Rimfire Division with Crew 51-1 and Crew 401-2 (Maine) taking Silver and Bronze respectively.

In the College Centerfire Division, the West Point Black squad won the Gold medal. The UVM Squad A took home the Silver, and Team ELAY earned the Bronze medal. UVM Squad B won 1st place honors in the College Rimfire Division, West Point Gold took 2nd, and UVM C came in 3rd.

Taking Individual High Overall (HOA) in the Rimfire Division was Andrew Gagnon (UVM). Cadet Anthony Veith from West Point was Centerfire HOA. High Lady honors went to Dahlia Windolski (Holyoke) in Centerfire, with the Rimfire title going to Jennie Fritch (UVM).

"This is the second year the SIG SAUER Academy has hosted the SPP New England Spring Regional, and it's our pleasure to continue our support of SPP and the great work they are doing to grow the action shooting sports," said Adam Painchaud, Director, SIG SAUER Academy.

"I would like to thank Adam Painchaud and SIG SAUER Academy Range Master Jay Koucoules for not only hosting a great match, but also for having the facility in great shape after a long winter," said Scott Moore, SPP National Program Director. "It is always great to come to such a first-class facility. We look forward to returning next year!"

Match Director and SPP stage co-designer Paul Dandini was assisted by Bob Stonehill and IDPA Safety Officers from the Pioneer Sportsman Club of Dunbarton: Jon Wolfe, Kevin Clouthier, Gerry Tetreau, Kevin Anderson, Peter Gilbert, Wayne Cormier, and William Nugent. SPP staffers Scott Moore and Tammy Mowry were also assisted by GLOCK SPP liaison and Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) Board of Trustees member Ed Fitzgerald at the match. Serving dual duty at the match was SSSF Board of Directors member and Pine Tree Council Scout Executive Eric Tarbox, who also coached Crew 51. MidwayUSA Foundation staffer Terri DeWitt was on hand to meet the teams as well.

About Scholastic Pistol Program

SPP is supported, in part, by founding partners GLOCK, Smith & Wesson, Action Target, and Larry and Brenda Potterfield of MidwayUSA. Additional partners include Atlanta Arms & Ammunition, Brownells, Browning, GT Targets, NextLevel Training, PACT Timers, Pro Ears, Remington Arms, Rudy Project, Ruger, SIG SAUER Academy, Tactical Solutions, and Winchester Ammunition, among others.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) across the United States. SCTP and SPP are youth development programs, originally developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), in which adult coaches and volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.

To learn more about SCTP or SPP, call 419-794-9924 or visit www.sssfonline.com.

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Media Contact: Sherry G. Kerr, 256-333-0234 or skerr@sssfonline.com.