Extension Matters

Volume 11 Number 3

What’s New in Extension

Mississippi 4-H holds first state slingshot competition

Compiled by Leah Bowers | Photos by Kevin Hudson

Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports is the first in the nation to offer a slingshot discipline and hold a statewide tournament. In late September, the Mississippi 4-H Slingshot State Championship hosted 49 4-H’ers at the Jimmy Bryan 4-H Youth Complex in West Point.

The competition featured three components: a written quiz, a trail course, and a speed range. The trail course had 20 steel targets, and participants had five opportunities to hit each target from a set distance. The speed range had five targets to be struck in a minute or less.

Already, approximately 3,500 4-H’ers across the state are learning self-discipline and safety skills in Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports. With about 100 4-H’ers in the slingshot program, organizers hope that even more young people between 8 and 18 years old will get involved because of its low cost, user friendliness, and relaxed environment.

Reid Nevins, 4-H education specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and coordinator of the state’s 4-H Shooting Sports program, developed the 4-H Slingshot program with Jim McAdory, Extension agent in Winston County. Others who have been instrumental in launching the program include Extension Agents Vicki Ganann of Leake County, Rayne Arnold of Scott County, and Tina Phillipson of Smith County, as well as 4-H Volunteer Leaders Jeff and Karen Pugh of Newton County and Scott and Danyelle Yeatman of Webster County.

Young people who participate in 4-H Slingshot learn the same safety and sportsmanship principles as those who participate in other 4-H Shooting Sports disciplines, Nevins emphasizes.

Thanks to other states’ expressions of interest, Nevins is working with administrators to make 4-H Slingshot available nationally.