I just wanted to let all the instructors know how much I appreciate your Saturday. I brought 4 kids and 2 adults to the event. Two of the teenagers had never shot before. The oldest boy Zach was extremely excited about the day of training. He came home and immediately told his parents he wanted to go to the full Appleseed. I have been told that he has done nothing but talk about getting to go shooting again. Hey guys you won 7 converts Saturday. O0
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It was a great day for Appleseed in SC. The range facilities were first rate and the people very friendly. The turnout was lower than expected, but with nearly half of the attendees under the age of 18 it was time very well spent. Very favorable Instructor/Shooter ratio made for a lot of quality instruction crammed into a little less than half of a regular weekend Appleseed Shoot.
The day started out with history, complete with a musket firing demonstration by Cannonman61, Talon, and Boltgun71. From there it was right to the firing line for Redcoats, Squares and after lunch a Classification AQT. Two full AQT's later it was time to call it a day. There was one Rifleman qualifier out of the group, posting two very impressive scores (a 239 and a 245 IIRC). There were three others who were knocking on the door with scores in excess of 190. With the additional time afforded by a full Appleseed, all three would surely have gotten there.
Most significant though, to echo the first two posts, was the impressive performance by the younger attendees. Their attention to the instruction, teachable attitudes, and perseverance through a number of loaner rifle issues was admirable. I'd be glad to see any or all on my firing line in the future. I personally am glad to see anyone seeking to improve their skill level and their appreciation of American Heritage, but it is particularly rewarding to see it in kids like these.