Fifteen teams comprised of 90 young shooters from all over Kansas took part in the 2009 KSRA-sponsored Kansas State B-B Gun Championship held in Alma on March 14. Shooters fired, in relay fashion, 10 shots in each of four positions, prone, standing, sitting and kneeling at targets 5 meters away. In addition, each shooter had to take a 50-question test on safety, gun knowledge and the NRA 5-meter BB Gun rule book. As a result, each shooter had the potential to earn
500 points possible. Team members’ scores are then added together and the top three scoring teams earn the eligibility to represent Kansas in the International B-B Gun Championship Match to be held this summer in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

In this years’ match the overall team title went to Riley/Pottawatomie Co. Purple who fired a team total of 2261/2500. Second place was earned by Wyandotte Co. Gold with 2261 and third went to the Flint Hills Jr. Shooters #1 team with 2209. In addition to the five members of the competing teams, most teams have two alternate shooters who also fire the match as individuals competing against other alternates. Alternates, like regular team members, get to gain valuable experience and earn medals.

B-B gun programs are held in large and small towns all over the United States and Canada. It is designed for young people ages 8 to 14 years and is sponsored by Daisy Outdoor Products. As part of these local programs, young people learn safe gun handling skills, marksmanship and general knowledge of firearms. Local programs are sponsored and run by organizations ranging from the Jaycees to 4-H and other civic-minded groups. At high level competitions, such as the ones held here in Kansas and in Kentucky, shooters are offered the opportunity to compete against other young shooters. Many young shooters who have participated in B-B gun have progressed on to smallbore rifle, air rifle and high power rifle as the skills they learn in  B-B gun translate very well into more advanced shooting disciplines.
Many have earned college shooting scholarships and even spots on the US Olympic team as a result of the start they received in B-B Gun.

James Eberwein, who conducts the KSRA B-B Gun Championship, is also the KSRA Airgun Committee Chairman. He may be reached at (785) 765-3669.

Individual Match Winners

Open Team Shooters

Prone Ben Waalkes – Derby 98
Standing Kaitlyn Campbell – Norton 94
Sitting Aslin Reynolds – Wyandotte Co. 95
Kneeling Jacob Dietrich – Riley/ PT Co. 96
Individual Champion Kaitlyn Campbell – Norton 375/400

Top Alternates

Prone Lane Archer – Norton 97
Standing Lydia Paterson – Wyandotte Co. 94
Sitting Lane Archer – Norton 96
Kneeling Lane Archer – Norton 97
Alternate Champion Lane Archer-Norton 379/400

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