Shooting Sports Continues To Draw Young Talent

A recent Washington Times article titled 'Millennials love guns as shooting sports rapidly gain popularity at high schools' explored the explosive growth of younger shooters throughout the shooting world.

It comes as no surprise that the rising generation of millennials are interested in the shooting sports. The firearms industry has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity over the past decade. Just look at the number of firearm-themed TV shows, websites, and online personalities devoted to discussing the latest guns and gear. The fact of the matter is the shooting sports are fun and they're easy to pick up thanks to programs by groups like the NRA and the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation.

Just how easy is it to learn to shoot? The NRA's network of more than 120,000 NRA Certified Instructors means you can find a basic marksmanship course anywhere in the country. Throw in our 7,200 credentialed NRA Coaches, who work closely with schools and shooting ranges to develop pistol, rifle, shotgun, and high power rifle teams, and any student can receive basic training and be a part of an organized team in no time.

The NRA Collegiate and Schools program plays an integral role in the creation of and organization among shooting teams, providing the development materials that schools and NRA Coaches need to get their teams up and running as well as organizing competitions between programs. It also assists teams with receiving financial aid for guns, ammunition, and equipment through The NRA Foundation, America's leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. For individuals, the NRA Collegiate and Schools program helps shooters take their shooting talents to the collegiate level and receive scholarships to assist with their higher education while enjoying the sport they love.

How do we know this is working? The NRA Foundation is giving out more grants, more schools are creating shooting teams and existing programs are growing, and participation in NRA pistol and rifle championships and NRA-affiliated shotgun championships increases each year.

An important point the Times's article touches on regarding the shooting sports' popularity is its inclusive nature. "...all the kids can compete — heavy, thin, tall, short, fast, slow, boy or girl — it doesn’t make them any different..."

In short, get ready to see a lot more articles about the resurgence of the shooting sports. Thanks to America's rising interest in firearms, the wide availability of training, programs that facilitate the creation and aid of shooting teams, and the fact that competitive shooting is just plain fun, it's never been easier to get involved.