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Not sure if this post belongs here or elsewhere.....I am the Day camp Director For a medium size day camp. This issue rises every year. I and the other directors are told by the head of day camp visitation teams that 'only range trained persons are allowed on the range'. No other adults (except for Tiger cub partners) are to be on range. It is stated in the shooting sports handbook that the 'range officer must be range certified' and then talks about 'adult helpers' and doesn't mention for them to be certified. In the 'Operational Accreditation' handbook that they use to score camp it states:

 

BB-gun shooting (no pellet guns) is

conducted by a qualified on-site

range officer, at least 18 years of

age. Additional adult supervision

and guidance are provided, and

minimum state requirements are

met. All BB-gun range officers

have successfully completed the

BB-gun Safety and Training program

from a qualified instructor,

who is a valid instructor as outlined

in Shooting Sports for Cub

Scouting, No. 13-550.

 

The person that trains our range officers runs the council events and always has parents/adults involved in the process. His theory, as well as ours, is that he does the 'teaching' to the boys and the other adults provide another layer of safety overseeing the boys. One other side note....the accreditation officer works very closely with national and feels that she is right, no matter what the rules say. Great lady...just need to solve this once and for all.

 

My final word...it's all about safety and the more eyes on that goal, the better! Comments?

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Find out her definition of range trained? Could it be that you hold a 10 minute session with each volunteer?

 

While having every adult on the range certified as an instructor is a noble goal, it's just not always feasible. Having a coach along side each shooter often is and very safety minded. A Scout will not be able to accidently turn around with a BB-gun in his hand, the coach will be in a position to stop the swing.

 

The youngest shooters I have instructed have been 9 years old. A very effective method I've used is to have another youth serve as coach. You'd be surprised how effective that can be. They take safety seriously, if they don't, they are off the range. It keeps double the Scouts occupied as well, thereby decreasing the potential for horse play. Try this method if your first doesn't work.

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Guest OldGreyEagle

I thought that a Shooting Sports Director of any BSA run camp had to be a currently qualified Camp School Trained Shooting Sports Director over 21 yrs old

 

The BSA Publication #13-550 "Shooting Sports for Cub Scouting" has the qualifications listed, as long as you follow that you are ok

 

(This message has been edited by oldgreyeagle)

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