Team

Well it’s finally here, opening week of the 2014 Mason-Dixon season… and it’s a busy one.

Our first week kicked off yesterday at Keystone Shooting Park with an Olympic Trap competition. Donovan, Mark, Dan, and Sam participated and all shot well considering the harsh conditions.  Making it to the final and taking home the Junior Gold was Donovan!!! Mark took the Bronze while Dan and Sam both took home class awards. Great job gentlemen!

TRAP DIVISION – Next up is our first Trap practice at Izaak Walton on Wednesday (4/2/14). Our ammo order just arrived but I’m not sure we’ll be able to get it organized for this week so please bring along at least 2 boxes of ammo with you. With all this wet weather it’s going to be a muddy mess so make sure you take it slow down the access road and you wear your boots.

SPORTING CLAYS DIVISION – Thursday (4/3/14) brings our first Sporting Clays practice at Hopewell. Again make sure you bring ammo and your boots.

OLYMPIC TRAP DIVISION – Saturday (4/5/14) is our last Olympic Trap practice before our SCTP/USAS PA State Junior Olympic Trap Championship next week. NOTE: our start time has been moved back to 10AM.

TRAP, SPORTING CLAYS, and SKEET DIVISIONS – We finish out the week on Sunday (4/6/14) at Loch Raven. Loch Raven has Trap, Skeet, and Sporting so make sure you bring 2 boxes of ammo for each of the disciplines you signed up for.

As always please plan to arrive on time and if you’re not able to attend any of these events, or any others you signed up for this year, please remember that you are required to let us know. This year we are assuming that everyone is coming to everything they signed up for unless we hear otherwise. IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SHOW PLEASE LET US KNOW!!!! If you have any questions visit the website for the complete schedule.

Lastly, the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters will be using a text message service (Remind101) to send out last minute changes and cancellations to Mason-Dixon events.

To sign up to receive messages via text, text @mdcb to 412-455-6347. You can opt-out of messages at anytime by replying, ‘unsubscribe @mdcb’.

In addition, if you would like to receive these messages via email, send an email to mdcb@mail.remind101.com. To unsubscribe, reply with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line.

*When signing up for the text messages, it asks for your name, please reply with your first and last name.

Visit https://www.remind101.com/join/mdcb for more information…

Well it looks like we may have a decent weekend shaping up so I thought I would throw a few options out there…

• Mark and I are heading down to Prince George’s County Skeet and Trap on  Saturday to get in some Olympic Trap practice before our trip to Georgia in March. If anyone would like to tag along you’re more than welcome… just give me a shout.
• Southern Lancaster County Farmer Sportsmen’s Association (aka Quarryville) is having their Cherry Pie Shoot Saturday, starting at 11:00am. This is a lot of fun… you shoot a regular round of trap (25) and sometime during the round they throw a green bird. Break the green bird and you win a Cherry Pie….It’s that easy!!!
• Loch Raven is open all weekend and Sunday they host their Winter Skeet League. Starts at 10:00am and goes to noon.

Anyway… whatever you do get out there and have some fun!!!!

Corrected the Glen Rock Shoot date…

Hello all, if you’re like me you are just sick and tired of all this winter weather, so I’m doing my best to think positive thoughts. On that note, I’m happy to say that we are just 30 days away from our first team meeting on Mach 19th and only 6 weeks from our first week of practices!!!! I can smell that gunpowder already.

One thing I would like everyone’s help with… we still have a few openings in each of the disciplines that we would like to fill.  Please put the word out.  We’re especially looking for shooters in 6th-8th grade. We usually pick up a few new members from Jefferson’s Beginner Program, but unfortunately I was not able to do this program this year. So tell all your buddies and anyone interested to get back to me ASAP.

Couple dates to pass on. Please add these to your calendar. Make sure you check the website for the latest information.

May 18, 2014… our local shoot for MDCB competitive track trap shooters.  Glen Rock Shooting Club will host this 100 target trap shoot. The shoot is open to ALL Youth Teams (SCTP, AIM, 4-H, ACUI (College), etc). AIM members will have the additional benefit of having their targets count for the AIM Zone Championship!!!! This is shaping up to be a really nice shoot. We have six area teams who are interested in attending. For Mason-Dixon trap shooters, the cost of this shoot is covered in your fees.

May 3, 2014… our local shoot for MDCB competitive track sporting clay shooters.  Blue Ridge Sportsmen Club will host this 100 target youth sporting clays shoot. For Mason-Dixon sporting clays shooters, the cost of this shoot is covered in your fees.

I’m trying to set up a 100 target skeet competition at Loch Raven for our skeet shooters. I’ll let you know when we come up with a date.

It’s taken a lot of hard work but in just two short years Mason-Dixon has grown its MidwayUSA Foundation endowment account to over $100,000.

Where did all that money come from? Well for one, it came from people like you who support our raffles and provide personal donations. It also came from endowment awards that Mason-Dixon earned based on their performance at some of our state and national competitions. However the overwhelming majority of our money came directly from the MidwayUSA Foundation and Larry & Brenda Potterfield. These people have a heart and passion for what they are doing and their goal is to provide sustainable funding to every high school, college, and other youth shooting team in the United States.

 What’s does all this money mean to our program? This is an endowment account, not a bank account. It means that Mason-Dixon will be able to draw up to 5% of our endowment account’s balance per year for the life of the program. With our account currently at $100,000, that equates to $5,000 per year for the life of the program. This money can be used for things that we need such as practice ammunition, targets, travel, entry fees, uniforms, etc.

Where do we go from here? While $100,000 in our account and $5,000 per year sounds like a lot, it’s still well short of what it costs to run our program. The more support we have for our MidwayUSA account, the more it can grow and in turn we can draw more money each year to help ease the burden on our athletes and their parents.

What can you do to help? The next time you see an email about a shoot that has endowment funds or, a raffle whose money goes toward our fund, stop and consider the short term as well as the long team benefits to our program.  With your help and support, and by us using this sustainable funding model, we will insure that Mason-Dixon will continue to provide youth shooting opportunities to the community for years and years to come!

To visit Mason-Dixon’s endowment page and to see for yourself what’s going on visit http://shar.es/UgDEi. For more information about The MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc., and to see the great job they are doing please visit www.midwayusafoundation.org.

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is setting up a Booth at this year’s Great American Outdoor show and we are looking for volunteers to help man it. This is a great opportunity to give back to an organization that has given so much to us. It’s really easy; all you need to do is sit at the booth for a couple hours and tell people who stop by about the SCTP. We’ll have everything you need for reference and for your trouble we’ll give you free admission to the show. I’m going to do as much as I can but I can’t do it all… please consider helping if you can.

Click here to be taken to the Sign up Sheet

Show Hours:
February 1, 2014 (Saturday)
9:00am – 7:00pm

February 2, 2014 (Sunday)
10:00am – 5:00pm

February 3 – February 7, 2014 (Mon-Fri)
10:00am – 7:00pm

February 8, 2014 (Saturday)
9:00am – 7:00pm

February 9, 2014 (Sunday)
10:00am – 5:00pm

Looks like the weather is going to be fantastic tomorrow so come on out to Loch Raven at 10am to enjoy some FREE targets… and cookies!!!  Click here for more information.

Also, last call to get in on the ammo order!!!! Click here for more information

[mappress mapid=”23″]
Loch Raven Skeet and Trap
12301 Dulaney Valley Rd, Phoenix, MD 21131

Bulk Ammo Order

UPDATE: Delivery of our ammo order was delayed  a few weeks and will now be shipped in early January. The distributor has allowed me add to the order for a few more days so if you missed out the first time around and would like to join in on our order please contact me ASAP. Click here for more information

FREE Targets for ALL past, present & future Clay Busters!

REMINDER: Santa is planning a trip to Loch Raven on Saturday, December 21st and he has put FREE TARGETS under the tree for all his good little boys and girls! All Past, Present, and Future Clay Busters are encouraged to attend, just let us know that you’re coming. Click here for more information.

Ho Ho Ho…Santa is planning a trip to Loch Raven on Saturday, December 21st and he has put FREE TARGETS under the tree for all his good little boys and girls!

All Past, Present, and Future Clay Busters are encouraged to attend, just let us know that you’re coming.

We plan to arrive at 10 am and depending on how many show up, stay until early afternoon. Whoever comes will get to shoot Trap, Skeet, and/or 5-Stand. The club is open to the public on the 21st so we’ll need to work around the other people there. Make sure you bring lots of ammo because Santa put a bunch of targets under the tree and whoever is there gets to shoot till they’re gone.

Rumor has it that Santa is bringing milk and cookies too! So, mark your calendars for a fun time to catch up, meet new shooters, and avoid the crowds of shoppers.

I’ve always said that I wouldn’t mind shelling out my hard earned money to Uncle Sam, if only I had more of a say in how the government spends my money. Well, if you make a tax-deductible donation to the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters, in effect, you ARE choosing how your tax dollars get spent.

When you make donations of money or property to qualified charitable organizations such as the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters, you may be allowed to take that donation as a deduction off your income taxes. It’s not exactly a dollar-for-dollar exchange, but if you know you’re going to owe some income taxes, it’s a great way to offset that. Personally, I’d much rather give money to the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters than to the government!

So think about it: your hard-earned money could be going to enrich the lives of young people by supporting our shooting sports program ….or your money can go to buying something stupid like $360 government hammers. It’s up to you!

To make a donation contact coach@masondixonclaybusters.com or for your convenience we have added a link to our PayPal account below – every penny helps.

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Be Safe, Have Fun, and Shoot Well

Based in South Central Pennsylvania, the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters is a Youth Clay Target Shotgun Shooting Sports Program that participates in Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays. Organized under the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Amateur Trapshooting Association’s AIM program, the primary focus of all Mason-Dixon Clay Busters activities is SAFETY. The program goals are to teach the safe handling and use of firearms, provide a supportive team-based environment that emphasizes positive character traits and citizenship values and, to introduce young people to shooting sports that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

We are a fully qualified 501(c)3 not for profit organization governed by a board of directors. All of our board members, coaches, and mentors are volunteers so every penny donated to our program goes directly to supporting our young people. As you finalize your year-end tax planning, please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters.

UPDATE: Delivery of our ammo order was delayed for a few weeks and will now be shipped in early January. The distributor has allowed me add to the order for a few more days so if you missed out the first time around and would like to join in on our order please contact me ASAP. 

We are putting together a bulk ammo order. Below is a list of everything they have in stock right now. The price is $55 per flat (10 boxes) for anything on the list. If you would like to place an order get back to me as soon as you can. We need to order a minimum of 60 flats to get free shipping. I would like to put the order in on the 29th so I’ll need to have your payment by then. Ammo prices are expected to go up in January so if you place your order now you’ll get a good deal and you’ll have what you need when the season starts back up in March.

NobleSport

Congratulations to the gang from Mason-Dixon who attended this weekends ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships at PG Trap and Skeet. Thanks to your awesome shooting Mason-Dixon added over $5000 to its MidwayUSA Foundation endowment account!!!!!! Thank you Larry and Brenda Potterfield for supporting youth shooting and events like these!!

2014 Sign-ups

If you have any interest in shooting with the team next year, please make sure you get your [download id=”75″] in ASAP if you haven’t already done so. We have a few spots remaining in each of the disciplines however the first round of signup will close on November 30th, after that all remaining spots will be first come first served.

Coach Training School

Looks like we have a firm date and location for our Coaches Training School…March 1-2, 2014 at Jefferson Sportsmen’s Association. The cost of the training school is $175 and I need a minimum of 15 participants in order to hold the class.  I have put in for an NRA grant however I will not know if they will cover the cost of the training until early next year. If you are interested in attending the class, and paying the full $175, please visit our website and sign up.  If you sign up now you will be guaranteed a spot in the school, and if the grant comes through you will be covered. If the grant does not come through I’m going to try and find some way to defray the cost of this training for our Mason-Dixon coaches.

Visit the NRA Level I Shotgun Coach Training School page to get more information and to SIGN UP. If you previously sent me something saying you would like to attend the school, I still need you to visit the site and go through the sign up process.

Thank you… our coaches are the heart of our program and we could not exists without you!

Sporting Clays Clinic

Looks like we have a tentative date for our Sporting Clays Clinic with Anthony Matarese for this spring.. April 19, 2014 at M&M Sporting Clays. For those of you who don’t know Anthony, he is one of the top sporting clays shooters and instructors in the country.  This is an incredible opportunity for both the experienced and beginner shooter.

This will be a group lesson at Anthony’s range, M&M Sporting Clays, located in Pennsville, New Jersey (date TBD).  From York, it takes approximately 2 hours to get to M&M depending on traffic.  This three hour group lesson is limited to 10-12 shooters and includes 100 targets.  Cost for the Clinic is $95 per person.  Ammo and transportation to and from M&M are the responsibility of the shooters.  This is not a drop off clinic, a parent or guardian must attend and is required to follow the participant around the course.  Eye and ear protection is mandatory for everyone.

To try and help defray the cost of this event, I have applied for a NRA Grant to cover both the cost of the clinic and the ammo.  I plan to hold this clinic even if we don’t receive the grant so if you are interested in paying the full $95 please visit our website and sign up.  If you sign up now you will be guaranteed a spot in the school, and if the grant comes through you will be covered.

Visit the Sporting Clays Clinic with Anthony Matarese page to get more information and to SIGN UP. If you previously sent me something say you would like to attend the school please visit site and make sure your name is one the list, if not make sure you go through the sign up process.

UPDATE – October 15, 2014 – we are about a month into the signup process and it looks like we are about half full. Don’t delay…get your paperwork in now.  

In an effort to have our athletes practice and compete together as a unit, we are asking our athletes to make their competitive intentions known prior to signup.  I know it’s early to start thinking about the 2014 competitions, but we really need to do this so we can kick off our registration process and begin grouping our athletes who would like to attend competitions together.  Does this mean you must participate in competitions to be on the team?  NO… as space permits, we will continue to accept participants who are only looking to attend our practices and work on their shooting skills.

So here is how it’s going to work.  Each discipline/division is going to be treated individually. Athletes will have the opportunity to sign up for Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, and/or Olympic Trap. For each discipline/division an athlete signs up for, athletes will be expected to attend every practice in that discipline/division unless you are ill, or have made prior arrangements with your coach.  If you’re not committed to attending practice, please do not sign up.  Exceptions to the practice requirement will be reviewed on case-by-case basis; however the request must be submitted with your Interest Form.

In addition, for each discipline/division, athletes will be asked to declare whether or not they will be attending that discipline/division National and/or State Championship.  Priority will be give to athletes who commit to attending our National and/or State Championship. Signups for athletes who commit to attending our National and/or State Championship will begin on September 15, 2013 and run through November 30, 2013. Any openings remaining after November 30, 2013 will be filled on a first come first served basis. If you have any questions please call 717-235-0743.

Openings will be filled for each discipline/division in the following order:

• Returning Team Member attending the SCTP American Team National and a PA SCTP Championship
• New Team Member attending the SCTP American Team National and a PA SCTP Championship
• Returning Team Member attending a SCTP PA SCTP Championship
• New Team Member attending the SCTP PA SCTP Championship
• New Team Member attending Practice Only
• Returning Team Member attending Practice Only

As you will see in the information listed below, we have decreased the number of athletes in each discipline/division.  Our hope is to have fewer, more committed participants this year.  This will allow us to dedicate our limited recourses toward the people who value it the most.

Signup Instructions:

• Review the [download id=”10″]. Make sure you can commit to the practice schedule.
• Fill out the [download id=”75″] and select the disciplines/divisions you would like to participate in.
• Mail complete interest form to:  Mason-Dixon Clay Busters, 213 Pine Street, Glen Rock PA 17327
• Once all the openings have been filled, SCTP registration forms will be sent out and any National and/or State Championship fee will be collected at that time.

Looking for high school juniors and seniors who are interested in competing in the the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Upper East Coast Conference Championships on November 8–10, 2013 at Prince George’s County Trap and Skeet Center in Glenn Dale, Maryland. High school juniors and seniors are now invited to compete in the High School Division of this conference championship. By competing alongside college students, high school students can learn about colleges and universities with shooting sports teams in their local area, and college and university teams can recruit prospective students to build their team for the future. If you are thinking about shooting in college, this is an excellent opportunity to get some experience and your name out there.

Three events make up this championship, you can enter one, two, or all three; it’s totally up to you. Weekend schedule and fees listed below. If interested get back to me ASAP at coach@masondixonclaybusters.com.

Tentative Schedule

Friday Practice – November 8, 2013

• 2 p.m.   First flight of Sporting Clays

Saturday – November 9, 2013

• 9 a.m. Second flight of Sporting Clays
• 9 a.m. American Trap
• American Trap shoot-offs (if necessary) followed by Sporting Clays and American Trap awards

Sunday – November 10, 2013

• American Skeet
• American Skeet shoot-offs (if necessary) followed by American Skeet awards

Fees 

• American Trap                  $56
• American Skeet                $56
• Sporting Clays                  $70
• All Three                           $182

Hello all, sorry this took a little longer than I anticipated. Below is a link to the SCTP’s 2013-14 Volunteer Position Registration Form. If you are interested in becoming a registered assistant coach for the Mason-Dixon Clay Busters please fill out the form and send it back to ME, not the SCTP, as soon as possible. The process includes a background check and a couple hours of online training. The team will pay the fees ($30) as long as you commit to coaching the kids for the 2013-14 season.

As I discussed with many of you at the end of last season, I’m really counting on a few of you going through this process because for all SCTP events (practices, matches, etc.), Team Members must be under the supervision of the Team’s Head Coach. In the event the Head Coach cannot be present, he/she must designate an Assistant Coach/Adult Volunteer who is registered with the SCTP and covered by SSSF Insurance. Violation of this rule voids the Volunteer Liability Insurance Policy coverage, disqualifies the Team from entering an event, and may result in the removal of the Head Coach from the SCTP. To keep this program going, we need more committed support.

Volunteer Position Registration Form – [download id=”68″]

Assistant Coach Duties: Assist Head Coach, or designated Assistant Coach, to organize and run practice and competition  sessions, oversee squads and provide firearm safety and basic shooting fundamentals, work with individual shooters as needed, carry out drills or other shooting related activities, and most of all providing lots of positive feedback to a great group of young people!!!

Return completed Registration Form to: Mason-Dixon Clay Busters, 213 Pine Street, Glen Rock PA 17327