NSSA - National Skeet Shooting Association

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

Final Shots: Betty Jean “B.J.” Yates

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BJ YatesAn NSSA icon, Betty Jean “B.J.” Yates, passed away on September 4 in Tullahoma, Tennessee. B.J. was well-known among shooters at the World Skeet Championships, having refereed at World Shoots for many years. Having refereed for at least 40 years, B.J. was an inductee in the NSSA Referee Wall of Fame and was an NSSA Referee of the Year. She was a longtime NSSA Director from Tennessee and a former Tennessee State Champion.

B.J.’s friend Steve Knight, along with Barbara Griffith, contributed some memories of B.J.:

NSSA and TSSA lost one of their greatest ambassadors to the shooting sports when Betty J. Yates (better known to all skeet shooters as B.J.) passed away. B.J. was my longtime friend and shooting partner for the last 30 years. B.J. was Chief Referee in the state of Tennessee for the past 10-plus years, and as such, was in charge of many state and local shoots in Tennessee. B.J. also traveled to Grayslake, Illinois and St. Joe, Missouri, to referee several shoots. She also served as president of the Tennessee Sheet Shooting Association on more than one occasion.

B.J. was a fan of everything outdoors, from shooting skeet to bird hunting, to fishing. We spent a lot of time fishing for crappie and bass, and she especially loved fishing for crappie. She also introduced me to the sport of sheet shooting in the late 1980s, and we continued to shoot together over the next 20 years. We traveled to many of the major shoots being held around our area and beyond.

During this time we refereed the World Skeet Championships many times, and B.J. was always in the Shoot-Off Stadium for the first box or boxes of the shoot-off events. Many skeet shooters passed by her eyes on their way to gun and World Championships. B.J. made many friends during her life she will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing her.

B.J. was a straight shooter – what you saw is what you got! At the end of a shoot, all B.J. wanted was to sit on the club porch and enjoy a cold brew and a good cigar!

Just a few facts on B.J. and what she accomplished during her too-short time with us here in this Life. She was born November 14, 1937, and died September 14, 2019, at the age of 81 years, just a few short days short of her 82nd birthday. She was a teacher of mathematics at Coffee County High School, a tool and die maker at Whirlpool Corporation, a referee at the state and national level, a Tennessee State Champion skeet shooter, Tennessee Chief Referee, a member of the National Referee Wall of Fame, and NSSA Referee of the Year — a pretty nice resume for this amazing woman! Rest in peace, my friend!”

A memorial service will be announced at a later time. NSSA members and staff extend their condolences to B.J.’s family and many friends, and she will be missed.

BOD Ratifies Change in Definition of a Rookie

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The NSSA Board of Directors has ratified a change in the definition of a Rookie for All-American purposes, as recommended by the Rules and Classification Committee. Voting on the rule change ballot closed on August 26. The new definition is:

    Rookie for All-American honors is defined as an individual who shoots NSSA standards as required for concurrent categories, was not a “classified shooter” [see definition in V-A-7a] in any gauge with receipt of their current-year classification card or in any prior shooting year, nor has ever held an “initial classification” or “regular classification” under previous classification systems in any gauge or doubles. A shooter is only eligible to compete for Rookie All-American Honors for one shooting year during their lifetime. Such a shooter may shoot their initial registered targets of a shoot year and, if they do not become a “classified shooter” in any gauge or doubles by December 31 of that year, will be eligible for Rookie All-American honors and may enter single-shoot rookie concurrent events the following shoot year. In the spirit of this concurrent event, a shooter is eligible to compete in shoots as a rookie and be eligible for Rookie All-American honors only once in a lifetime based on this maximum two consecutive shoot years.

Click here to see how your director voted.
 

Officers Address Membership on Endowments

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The Officers of the National Skeet Shooting Association wish to address and update the NSSA-NSCA membership on a matter under discussion:

      To our membership,

      Members, sponsors and others have, from time to time, given gifts to the NSSA-NSCA. Sometimes the donor has specified their intent for these donations, such as ‘Youth Shooting.’

      Because we have determined that there is substantial interest among our members and friends in supporting the work of the Association, we are exploring the potential benefits of soliciting gifts and donations to the Association in a more formal and ongoing way.

      The officers have had numerous discussions with respect to forming an endowment program to assist in this task. Since the NSSA-NSCA is organized as a 501(c)(3), there can be significant tax benefits to the donor.

      We have targeted the fall of 2020 to have completely reviewed this topic and will be able to make a recommendation to the Executive Committee at that time.

      We will continue to keep you informed of our progress in this important initiative.

      Thank you,
      Officers of the NSSA

 
 

Sign Up for the Ladies Tour of Fredericksburg

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If you’re a lady accompanying a shooter to the World Shoot and would like to get away for the day, we have a one-day excursion you’ll enjoy. This year’s Ladies Tour takes our non-shooting ladies for a day of touring, shopping, and wine-tasting in some of the Texas Hill Country’s most popular spots, including the historic city of Fredericksburg. Participants will enjoy wine tasting at one of the Texas Hill Country’s finest wineries, a tour of the Texas White House and LBJ Ranch, and a visit to the nation’s largest working wildflower farm.

The bus leaves the National Shooting Complex at 8:30 a.m. on October 2. Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased by September 26. To sign up, contact Nicki Martin, nmartin@nssa-nsca.com, 210-688-3371, ext. 242.

The itinerary is as follows:

  • Board motor coach – pastries, juice, and mimosas served at 8:30 a.m.
  • Travel to LBJ Ranch, tour and shop
  • Visit the Wildflower Center
  • Lunch and shopping in Fredericksburg
  • 1851 Vineyards tour and tasting
  • Return to National Shooting Complex at 4:30 p.m.

More information can be found on the 2019 Ladies Tour Flyer.

August Is National Shooting Sports Month

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National Shooting Sports Month® in August provides the perfect opportunity for experienced target shooters and newcomers alike to head to a shooting range in your area and experience what millions of Americans have long appreciated — that a day at the range is a day of fun!

This 31-day celebration of the shooting sports, developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) in 2017, reminds people that everyone can enjoy these safe, fun and social activities. It’s also the perfect time for an experienced shooter to mentor a newcomer in a sport that can provide a lifetime of enjoyment at every skill level.

National Shooting Sports Month has been growing steadily since its inception three years ago. This year’s celebration includes more than 2,000 events at ranges and retailers across the country — a new record! — and all-new Gearbox Giveaway drawings for some stellar prize packs. Experienced shooters will also discover how they can give the shooting sports a boost when they mentor someone new as part of NSSF’s nationwide +ONESM Movement.

“When you take someone to the shooting range, whether a newcomer or an experienced shooter, youth or adult, you’re going to have a good time,” said Zach Snow, NSSF Director, Retail & Range Business Development. “Whether it’s breaking clay targets, knocking down steel plates or shooting long distance, the shooting sports are exciting, safe and social. A day at the range is a day making memories.”

The information hub for National Shooting Sports Month and its numerous Gearbox Giveaways is LetsGoShooting.org. There you can learn information about dozens of target-shooting sports involving rifle, shotgun and handgun either in a recreational or competitive format. You’ll also find the shooting ranges and firearms retailers near you, learn about National Shooting Sports Month events in your state, enter the Gearbox Giveaways, print targets, watch instructional videos and learn how to safely handle and store firearms.

For those taking the +ONE Pledge and mentoring someone new, NSSF’s Range Safety and Etiquette video is a great way to kick off that first visit to a range for both. “Extend that invitation,” encouraged Snow. “You’ll be glad you did.”

Snow suggests the use of the hashtag #LetsGoShooting on social media, saying, “Sharing your experience reminds others of what they’re missing and encourages them to spend a day at the range,” said Snow. “It’s going to be a great month, and we want to know how everyone is celebrating.”

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