Project Appleseed

This poll is to determine how many, and where -  Trail Life troops are signing up for Appleseed events. For instance, at the Waco TX range, every third weekend of November, for the past eight years, Trail Life troops have filled the line (the past several years with 40 youth). The event is held as a Regional Trail Life event, with 4 to 8 troops represented. This year, six troops attended, and six of the 11 instructors were from Trail Life troops!

Please reply with your location and any other comments about hosting Trail Life events.

https://www.traillifeusa.com

We have been hosting 30+ Trail Life kids in Canton, GA for the past 3 years. Had 40 the year before that in Ellijay when we camped out. Trying that again this year so we will see.

Also been working with a group in Macon of 20 or so and just got another one down there that's supposed to sell out at 24.

Love these groups!!! Such an awesome opportunity to directly impact the future.

Waco has the advantage of having a metric ton of loaner rifles lol I haven't worked at getting the local (El Paso) groups in because I wouldn't have nearly enough rifles. I don't wanna get them all worked up, then have to tell them we can only handle so many.

Quote from: Mrs. Smith on November 30, 2023, 10:41:47 PMWaco has the advantage of having a metric ton of loaner rifles lol I haven't worked at getting the local (El Paso) groups in because I wouldn't have nearly enough rifles. I don't wanna get them all worked up, then have to tell them we can only handle so many.

This last event we only issued out 9 loaners, (for 37 youth under 18). Over the years we have been consistent in not advertising the availability of loaner rifles, and strongly encouraging parents to purchase rifles for their sons.

BTW, the loaner Marlin 785's were donated to the range (primarily for youth Appleseed shooters) by Waco Tactical Fitness, an nonprofit organization started by Appleseed instructors, and dedicated to youth shooting sports and marksmanship.  https://www.wtfbiathlon.com/

I knew they were donated. WTF have been supporters of Appleseed a long time. 

Those rifles were so affordable. It's a shame Ruger chose to discontinue them.

Our first event with 40 shooters we were blessed to have ScubaSteve and Planeman drive I don't know how many hours from Florida with a carload of loaners. So I'd say to lean on your neighbors as needed and also use the NRA grants. Lastly, you can always run relays with 2-3 flights and have the boys share rifles. Not ideal but it works.

Florida has been trying to break into this market for a while. It is starting to pay off. We just had an event for 30 kids with 20+ loaner rifles on the line.  We are also starting to work with the American Heritage girls. We have a large shoot with them coming up in Jan.

You asked about comments for having a Trail Life event.
Step 1 plan to toss out much of your plan.
The kids will dictate what you can get done no matter how hard you try to stay on track. Don't be afraid to improvise for their benefit. One small shoot, day one was all done in prone. Never got up off the ground. Day two we started working on positions. One of my kids shoots was only a one day. Trail Life does not like to shoot on Sunday. I taught positions but never taught transitions. Those kids just could not move with a rifle, so I did not let them.   Just be flexible.

And in my experience when scheduling this plan ahead before you schedule. How many loaners can you gather? How many instructors can you get?  Plan your range capacity around that. 10 Rifles can easily be 20 kids with relays, but do you have enough instructors for that. 2 Instructors at a kid's shoot is a no go. Plan to lose at least one or two instructors to "That Kid" that must be watched any time he touches a rifle.

I know loaners and kids shoots in general can be a pain in the butt but if the kid does not own a rifle doesn't, he and his family need to come to an Appleseed?

Here are some things we've learned over the years of Trail Life shoots:

• Only older youth (in TL it's the "Navigators & Adventurers", 10 to 17 year old) on the line, by age, left to right.
• Start all 10 & 11 year olds prone on bags, until bag is removed by a Red hat.
• Assign instructors to designated Trailmen, deviding up the line. They coach the same boys both days, and/or another instructor but the same boys.
• Have roving instructor/s to catch those multiple hands that will go up.
• If there are wives, sisters, younger brothers, friends... it is not a Trail Life event (not sanctioned, or covered by TL insurance).

I've been to a few TL shoots in GA.  We're close to getting a date for one in Kingsport, TN next year. 

The age, height, and maturity of the kids can be an issue.  I'd add height to the sign-up so you can better prepare. Having loaners with smaller stocks would be awesome along with some with iron sights - some kids just can't seem to get how to look through a scope and it sets things up for a very frustrating shoot that slows things way down.  Getting to a TL meeting beforehand to go over basic things about rifles and safety could really help out. Make sure each one is checked for eye dominance.  They don't always pay as much attention to some of the instruction and this seems to get missed until we notice they're trying to hold a rifle from the wrong side or back of the rifle and trying to get their heads nearly detached/upside down (they're flexible) to look down the sights.  As an instructor, I'd much rather rotate shooters between us instead of staying with the same one all day or both days.  If you get a kid that needs a lot of support, it's exhausting.  Also, sometimes another person saying the same thing will finally click with a shooter (no matter the age).  Big balloons are awesome motivators.  Some of the shoots had a cut off age for transitional stages - no one under 12 could transition. 

Quote from: Gugisman on December 01, 2023, 11:39:14 AMIf there are wives, sisters, younger brothers, friends... it is not a Trail Life event (not sanctioned, or covered by TL insurance).

Does it matter if TL has insurance on the event?

Quote from: upacreek on December 01, 2023, 02:59:10 PMsome kids just can't seem to get how to look through a scope and it sets things up for a very frustrating shoot that slows things way down.  Getting to a TL meeting beforehand to go over basic things about rifles and safety could really help out. Make sure each one is checked for eye dominance.  They don't always pay as much attention to some of the instruction and this seems to get missed until we notice they're trying to hold a rifle from the wrong side or back of the rifle and trying to get their heads nearly detached/upside down (they're flexible) to look down the sights.

We should perhaps start offering 1/2 day events for new shooters and such a weekend or two before the 1 day or 2 day event. That would cover a lot of the things you mentioned.

I was fortunate enough to have a southern MN troop trek to northern MN and be part of a public event.  From there, the troop adults provided me contacts and I'm working with the State leaders to see if we can run a Trail Life / Heritage Girls event.  Let's not forget the female youth in our outreach.

Hopefully 2024 has the state holding a combined troop event along with one or more Libertyseed events.

We had a sold out event in Waco in last month. We got more kids coming out Dec 16-17. That shoot is sold out with about 1/2 of them Trail Life. Forget which troop number it is.