I have been directly involved in youth shooting programs for the last 10 years. For the last 6 years I have been the head coach of Mason Dixon Junior Rifle Club and for the last 2 years I have been the head coach of the Club Rifle Team at WVU. As a coach, I have had the opportunity to help progress 9 athletes from the junior club into NCAA programs across the nation. Last year I completed the NRA Level 3 Rifle Coaching certification.

Coached MDJRC, as a team and as individuals, to the following national championship accolades: Team: 2024 CMP Club Team Smallbore National Champions, 2024 CMP Club Team Air Rifle National Champions Individuals: 2024 CMP Smallbore National Junior Champion, 2024 CMP National 3PAR U17 Silver, 2024 USA Shooting National Junior Air Rifle Silver, 2024 USA Shooting U18 Air Rifle Champion and Silver, 2024 USA Shooting National U18 Smallbore Champion and Silver, 2023 American Legion 3PAR National Champion, 2023 CMP Smallbore U18 National Champion, 2023 CMP Air Rifle U18 Silver

I was lucky enough to find the perfect spouse. Bethany is a middle school teacher and has been instrumental in helping me learn how to effectively communicate with youth to get them more engaged in the process of learning. Together we have two children. Jacob is a Freshman on the WVU Rifle Team, and Jessie is an outstanding Softball player for East Fairmont High School Varsity team. My hobbies include watching my children participate in the sports they love and teaching/mentoring youth to achieve success in their shooting goals. Recently I have started golfing again, so if not on a rifle range, I am typically on a golf course.

I would like to expand the direction of shooting education within West Virginia to include further commitment into the sporter and precision disciplines in air rifle and smallbore. I would love to see air pistol and smallbore pistol education programs to entice additional marksmanship opportunities for our state’s youth.

I have good connections with our local junior clubs across the state, WVU’s coaching staff, the local and state level 4H leadership, and the local BSA council. I am a Sons of the American Legion member and have significant contacts within that organization as well as the American. I would like to expand the collaboration of all these organizations across the state to further develop and enhance youth opportunities in these marksmanship disciplines. Longer term goals would be to expand deeper into the areas of West Virginia. Currently, there are three or four geographical hot spots for air rifle and smallbore participation for youth. Luckily these areas are spread over the state in such a fashion as to make expansion possible by growing the current clubs individually through guidance of the CMP State Director position. As they grow, knowledge and education will expand to surrounding locations and ultimately, we can build a strong web of marksman in the state. I have had the opportunity to help coach nine athletes to the NCAA level. More importantly though, I have coached and had a direct impact/influence on over a hundred youth that have been able to learn the basics of firearm safety and enjoy the thrills of this sport and will grow to be supporters and enthusiasts of these shooting disciplines. I am looking forward to the challenge of completing the goals I have set for this position as it will lead to the promotion of firearm sporting events within our state, and we will see growth of our youth programs expand exponentially.