Rowan County 4-H is holding an information meeting about the Shooting Sports Club on Monday.

With winter in full swing, you may be thinking that it is time to put your firearms away until spring, but this is the time when 4-H is just getting started. In fact, 4-H is having an enrollment/information meeting about the 4-H shooting sports club on Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Office located at 2727 Old Concord Road.

At the enrollment meeting, you can meet 4-H shooting instructors, ask questions about the program and get signed up. There is a full schedule planned this year, including a Rowan 4-H tournament that will better prepare 4-H shooters for regional and state competitions.

Nationally, more than 300,000 youth participate in 4-H shooting sports in rifle, pistol, shotgun, archery, hunting and muzzle-loading disciplines.

All 4-H shooting sports programs are managed and instructed by certified instructors. These instructors go through a rigorous 4-H training session that not only teaches shooting techniques but how to relate and effectively instruct youth from ages 9-18.

The end goal of the shooting sports program is not necessarily to produce Olympic shooters (though having youth successfully compete at that level can and does happen) but to build life skills using shooting to facilitate those lessons.

Rowan County 4-H is always looking for adult volunteers to be certified and volunteer with the shooting sports program, and if you are interested in serving in this role, contact 4-H. The process for adults to volunteer as range instructors with the 4-H program is to fill out the volunteer application which is available in the 4-H office, submit and pass a background check, and attend a state level shooting sports instructor training.

The trainings are generally held twice annually at one of the three 4-H camping centers located around the state. Adults may assist with the 4-H shooting sports program in capacities other than range instructors by filling out the volunteer application and submitting and passing a background check. Volunteering with the 4-H shooting sports program is a rewarding experience and one where you can really impact the life of a youth here in Rowan County.

If you or your children are interested in plugging in to the 4-H shooting sports program, plan on attending the enrollment meeting Monday, Jan. 16. If you have any more questions about the 4-H shooting sports or 4-H in general, call Matthew McClellan at the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Office at 704-216-8970.