Zipsrifle Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Typically folks, I don’t do this kind of thing, our sport of Target shooting is in need of your help. I’ll get to the details below, but in a nutshell, for the second year in a row, one of the TOP NCAA shooting programs is under threat to be eliminated. Last year it was West Virginia University who tried to eliminate a program that won 13 National Championships. Through the effort of countless persons, West Virginia changed their minds. Now, another top shooting school, Xavier University, has announced that they are eliminating their program. To sign a petition showing your support for the team, please go to: Xavier Rifle Petition -- Click Here! I’ll start out with some background on our sport of target shooting. It is an indoor sport that consists of shooting smallbore .22 rifles and air rifles at paper targets from 50ft and 10m respectively. In a typical match you can shoot anywhere from 100 shots to 160 shots over several hours from 3 positions, standing, kneeling, and prone. The goal is to hit a dot smaller than the width of your mechanical pencil lead, which is worth 10 points. No scopes are allowed while you are shooting. It is not a physically demanding sport in terms of shear strength, but is exhausting in terms of endurance. For example, in some matches I would hold my gun, for up to three hours in the standing position alone. Then, add another hour and 40 minutes for the other positions. Though it can’t compete with most sports in terms of being physically demanding, it is without a doubt the most demanding sport mentally. If you don’t believe me, try focusing on one, inanimate object for 5 hours straight and not let ANYTHING enter your mind but that object. I’m sure my tag (Zipsrifle) immediately conjures up images of some guy with a room full of guns living somewhere in the backwoods of Michigan. Sorry folks, you have the wrong stereotype of most of the shooters I know. Actually, the only guns I own are my target Rifles, I don’t hunt or fish, and I live in the burbs. First of all, most of my teammates in college were female. Most of my shooting friends are now engineers, architects, teachers, nurses, policemen, accountants, lawyers and other professionals. The point that I am getting to is that I feel there are other forces that are trying to down the Collegiate shooting teams. It has to do with the fact that guns are associated with the sport. It has nothing to do with the fact that it is probably the safest of all NCAA sports. Nothing to do with the fact that is teaches exceptional self-discipline that is carried over into other areas of life. Rifle shooting is relatively inexpensive for the Universities. Most shooters have their own equipment and the teams are small which means small food and lodging bills. The sport is unique in that it is co-ed and actually UA has had more female shooters than male shooters for some time now. Most shooters are very focused on their education since the next level is Olympic and National teams. If you would like to join the nearly 350 persons from across the country that have already voiced their opposition to Xavier’s decision today alone, click the link above. Thanks for all your help! Go Zips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z.I.P. Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Good job. Thanks Steve. Was that you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipsrifle Posted November 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2004 Pretty good for a guy, a computer, and a room full of guns in the backwoods of Michigan eah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipboy Posted November 27, 2004 Report Share Posted November 27, 2004 Just signed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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