NSSA - National Skeet Shooting Association

The National Skeet Shooting Association is the world's largest organization dedicated to the sport of Skeet Shooting.

New Instructor Exemption Policy and Class Pricing

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NSSA Chief Instructor Fred Tschantz announces some changes that have been implemented for the NSSA Certified Instructors program for 2026.

Medical/Exemption Policy
A new policy has been developed to allow for a modified medical exemption for NSSA Certified Instructors who are unable to shoot 500 registered targets in a year to remain on the website. The exemption applies for a one-year period only; therefore, if the required target count is not met over multiple years, a letter to the Chief Instructor requesting the exemption must be written for each applicable year. The new policy states:

“The NSSA Instructor Program allows relief from the annual 500 registered target requirement for NSSA Certified Instructors to remain on the NSSA website through a medical exemption process, valid for one year. To request the exemption, submit a letter to the Chief Instructor explaining your reasons for exemption and detailing how you promote the NSSA Instructor Program, general membership, registered events, or youth programs. The Chief Instructor makes the final decision regarding exemptions.”

Master Instructors are exempt and can remain listed as long as they participate in the sport in any capacity.

New NSSA Instructors Class Pricing
Effective January 1, the new pricing structure for NSSA Instructor classes is:
Level I/Associate Instructor – $ 250.00
Level II – $ 500.00
Level III – $ 1,000.00
Master – $ 2,000.00

 

Shooting for Rewards Program Being Phased Out

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Shooting for RewardsThe Shooting for Rewards program, which rewards members with points for shooting registered targets and offers a catalog of items the points can be spent on, is being phased out over the next two years. The program will end and the store will close on January 1, 2028. All unused points will expire on that date.

In the meantime, points can be earned and spent until the program ends. The five-year points expiration timeline remains in place.

Items will be removed from the store as inventory is exhausted. High-inventory items will be offered at discounted point pricing and will be announced as that happens. During the last three months of the program in 2027, everything remaining will go on sale with deep discounts.

You can find your points on your My Home Page. Go to the Members tab, and you’ll find My Home Page at the top of the dropdown menu. In addition to seeing the number of points you have available, there is a Spend Points button that takes you to the catalog.

 

This Month In Clay Target Nation

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The February issue of Clay Target Nation is packed full of tips and tactics that will help you find more success and have more fun on the sporting clays course or the skeet field this season.

In our Training Tips columns, John Shima advises shooters on how they can use discipline to develop confidence, while Bill Elliott encourages you to build a vision for 2026 and make it happen, keeping an eye on your goals.

 

We kick off the features with an in-depth piece that examines free recoil — what exactly it is and how we can minimize it. Paul Giambrone III has an article advising skeet shooters to stop expecting perfection, while Anthony Matarese Jr. takes a look at some of the reasons we miss targets and offers tips on cleaning up your game. Haylyn Hanks chimes in with tips on building a winning mindset, and Victoria Stellato has lots of advice for prepping for your first tournament. Don’t miss Dr. Richard Colo’s article on how to properly use your vision in skeet and sporting clays, and finally, sporting clays shooters will want to check out our preview of this year’s upcoming Regional shoots, including a unique new format for the Northeast Regional.

Advertisers in the February issue are:

Clay Target Nation is available monthly to all members in digital and/or print form. Not a member? You can receive the next issue when you join at http://nssa-nsca.org/join-nssa-nsca/.

Rule Book and By-laws Changes Now in Effect

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NSSA Directors have voted to pass one change to the NSSA Rule Book and four changes to the NSSA By-laws. These changes took effect January 1, 2026. For specific verbiage in the current versions, please refer to the noted sections in the NSSA Rule Book and By-laws. The changes are:

NSSA Rule Book

The NSSA Rule Book has been re-ordered to ensure that it is organized in a manner that is most helpful for shooters, referees, and shoot management. The update allows us to create pull-out sections to make a Shooter Handbook, Referee Handbook, and Shoot Management Handbook. Rules were copied verbatim from the old rule book and only updated in the following areas:

  • Updating outdated language (referencing faxes, snail mail, etc.)
  • Changes to the Weather Station language due to new technology (Section I-A-16, Pages 2-3)
  • Changes to the Protest section to create clarity (Section V-Q, Page 40 – 42)
  • Housekeeping – deleting duplicate words, spelling errors, etc.
NSSA By-laws

#1 – Notification of Elected Directors – Section 3.4 (f)
All Directors elected shall be notified in writing as soon as practical.
This deletes previous reference to notification of elected Directors by letter.

#2 – Counting of Officer Ballots – Section 4.1(b)(iv)
This section, which required ballots for any contested officer election to be sent to an accounting firm for counting, is being removed.
The accountant review and audit was applicable with handwritten and mail-in ballots, whereas today, electronic ballots provide an electronic audit trail, if needed.

#3 – Age Requirement – Section 3.1
This change imposes an age requirement for eligibility to run for Director:
Members in good standing who have reached the age of 18 by January 1 of the year they would take office, as determined by the Executive Committee, in its discretion, will be eligible for election to the Board.

#4 – Election Timeline – Multiple Sections
Several changes were made to the election timeline to streamline the process and more accurately reflect the time needed to complete each process.
Please click here to see affected sections..

For any questions related to the rule book and by-laws changes, contact Jessica Wolfe, jwolfe@nssa-nsca.com.

 

Deadline Approaching for NSSA Club Grants, Programs

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NSSA offers several grants for its member clubs, and the deadlines to apply for 2026 grants are approaching. Two of the grants have a deadline change and are now due earlier than in the past.

State Shoot Assistance Grant is offered to clubs hosting their state shoot, and funds can be used to help grow the shoot and attract more participants. The grant is $2,000, and the deadline has been changed to December 1, 2025. Download the application form.

Club Assistance Grant is offered to clubs for virtually any endeavor that benefits the game of skeet and helps grow shooting opportunities at the club. The deadline to apply has been changed to December 1, 2025. Download the criteria and application form.

NSSA Women’s Shooting Grant is a new grant program designed to increase the number of women shooting skeet and create new opportunities for them. Deadline to apply is December 1, 2025. Download the criteria and application form.

Ambassador Club Program is a new program that recognizes NSSA member clubs that participate in various NSSA activities. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2026. Download the criteria and application form.

In addition, grants are available to help clubs host youth camps and referee clinics. Applications can be submitted anytime for these.

Youth Camp Grants – Grants may be awarded for up to $1,000 at any time during the year. Download the application form

Referee Clinic Grants – NSSA’s goal is to provide as much assistance to as many camps as possible. Requests are reviewed based on need, number of participants, number of previous camps held, and amount of funds available. Download the application form.

All club grant forms can be found at MyNSSA.com in the Clubs section > Club Forms page, or follow this link.

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