Many of you have heard of the great success of the Arizona Junior High
Power Rifle Team, having taken 2nd place at Camp Perry, Ohio earlier
this year.
For photos see:
http://www.members.cox.net/azjrhp/azjrhp.htm --and--
http://tinyurl.com/4oan5
Many of the members of this shooting team (girls and boys) come from the
Wickenburg High School Rifle Team Yes, you heard right: a high school
high power rifle team. This over-achieving groups of young guns is
coached by Rex Powers, a mild-mannered spirit who tells me he will be
glad to answer your questions at rpowers@[nospam]wickenburg.k12.az.us
Why would you want to e-mail him? Because he needs your help. No, he
didn't come to me begging for assistance. I found out about the team and
decided it was time for some grassroots activism.
Of course, there was a problem that we've only now begun to fix. The team's donated equipment was (mostly still is) in such a state of
disrepair including four rifles with completely shot-out barrels (these kids shoot a LOT), that of the 32 individuals who wanted to become a part of the team, two-thirds had to be turned away. Out of seven rifles, only one shoots
to competitive accuracy. The rules allow three shooters to a rifle (one
shooting, one scoring, one on target duty), so that's what they are
forced to do for both competition and practice.
One kind gentleman has already agreed to replace three of the shot-out
Rock River Arms barrels (they are back-ordred). We are looking for donations for the fourth replacement. As well, we are looking to purchase at least one Rock River Arms National Match A2 rifle -- and hopefully a few more. All items will be purchased by a local FFL and given to the team at dealer cost. You
can see the rifle here: http://www.rockriverarms.com at the RRA Custom
Rifles button. We'll try to get them in kit form at reduced cost because
Coach Powers likes his students to learn through work. They also have to
assemble their own ammunition on single-stage presses.
Phase I
"But what can I do, Rick? My family is on a tight budget." Yes, as is
mine. But the State of Arizona has made this activism as painless as can
be. It is possible (and easy) to take advantage of A.R.S. 43-1089 which
allows a tax credit of $200 for individuals and $250 for married
couples, filing jointly, for fees or donations paid to a public school
in support of extracurricular activities.
Wickenburg High School's rifle team is one such extracurricular
activity. This tax credit is so coveted that if you do a google search
on the term you will find dozens of schools with information about it on
their web pages, such as Prescott for just one of several examples:
http://www.prescott.k12.az.us/az_tax_credit.htm And you don't have to
live in the district to which you are donating.
If you send a check to the school in the coming THREE weeks (up to December 31), you'll get all of it back when you get your Arizona income tax
refund next spring. Think of it: you support youth sport, you support
your Right to Keep and Bear Arms, you make the anti-gunners apoplectic,
and you get your money back in a few months. Is this cool or what?
You may not be able to afford the maximum $200/$250. But $25 is better
than nothing. Another option is to spread your donation over the next
several weeks. As long as it all get to the school on or before December
31, your money comes back to you in early 2005.
Please make checks payable to:
"Wickenburg High School Rifle Team"
In the note section write: "Attn: Coach Rex Powers"
Address the envelope as follows:
Wickenburg High School Rifle Team
c/o Coach Rex Powers
1090 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg, Arizona 85390
Phase II
I spoke to Coach Powers in the early days of last month and we began to brainstorm. I asked him who he competed against at South Mountain on Saturday, was it another high school team? No. Just a bunch of non-aligned high power kids. Schools that still have teams have air rifle teams, not high power teams.
I wondered out loud how fun it would be if his team had a cross-town high
school rivalry, say with Mesa Mountain View, or whatever. Naturally he
said he would love it. He told me that he would have to find a school with a
school board that was open to the idea, and had a potential coach
nearby. So I suggested that this search could be a project for him after
he gets these new rifles set up. But since he competes with dozens of
non associated kids, perhaps one of the things he should do is to find a
trio of shooters who go to the same school. Get buy-in from the Board,
get a coach. Viola...(nearly) instant team. A little help from Friends
of the NRA, Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association, Cactus League,
whoever, and it could be a reality.
Well, heck. If two teams in Maricopa County, why not four? Yes, that
might take some time to assemble all this, and our resources would be
spread thin, but with a very small capital outlay, three rifles could
equate to another nine-member team.
Suddenly, we don't just have the Wickenburg High Rifle Team, we have the
Maricopa County High School High Power Rifle Championships. Could a
state tournament be far away?
It starts with just one other team. We know there will be barriers (such as conflicting interests and finding dedicated coaches). But if you don't try, you can't succeed.
It's up to you. We can't do this alone. Rex won't beg, but I will:
please don't let these kids down.
Thank you,
Rick DeStephens
Glendale, Arizona
rdestep@[nospam]cox.net
Power Rifle Team, having taken 2nd place at Camp Perry, Ohio earlier
this year.
For photos see:
http://www.members.cox.net/azjrhp/azjrhp.htm --and--
http://tinyurl.com/4oan5
Many of the members of this shooting team (girls and boys) come from the
Wickenburg High School Rifle Team Yes, you heard right: a high school
high power rifle team. This over-achieving groups of young guns is
coached by Rex Powers, a mild-mannered spirit who tells me he will be
glad to answer your questions at rpowers@[nospam]wickenburg.k12.az.us
Why would you want to e-mail him? Because he needs your help. No, he
didn't come to me begging for assistance. I found out about the team and
decided it was time for some grassroots activism.
Of course, there was a problem that we've only now begun to fix. The team's donated equipment was (mostly still is) in such a state of
disrepair including four rifles with completely shot-out barrels (these kids shoot a LOT), that of the 32 individuals who wanted to become a part of the team, two-thirds had to be turned away. Out of seven rifles, only one shoots
to competitive accuracy. The rules allow three shooters to a rifle (one
shooting, one scoring, one on target duty), so that's what they are
forced to do for both competition and practice.
One kind gentleman has already agreed to replace three of the shot-out
Rock River Arms barrels (they are back-ordred). We are looking for donations for the fourth replacement. As well, we are looking to purchase at least one Rock River Arms National Match A2 rifle -- and hopefully a few more. All items will be purchased by a local FFL and given to the team at dealer cost. You
can see the rifle here: http://www.rockriverarms.com at the RRA Custom
Rifles button. We'll try to get them in kit form at reduced cost because
Coach Powers likes his students to learn through work. They also have to
assemble their own ammunition on single-stage presses.
Phase I
"But what can I do, Rick? My family is on a tight budget." Yes, as is
mine. But the State of Arizona has made this activism as painless as can
be. It is possible (and easy) to take advantage of A.R.S. 43-1089 which
allows a tax credit of $200 for individuals and $250 for married
couples, filing jointly, for fees or donations paid to a public school
in support of extracurricular activities.
Wickenburg High School's rifle team is one such extracurricular
activity. This tax credit is so coveted that if you do a google search
on the term you will find dozens of schools with information about it on
their web pages, such as Prescott for just one of several examples:
http://www.prescott.k12.az.us/az_tax_credit.htm And you don't have to
live in the district to which you are donating.
If you send a check to the school in the coming THREE weeks (up to December 31), you'll get all of it back when you get your Arizona income tax
refund next spring. Think of it: you support youth sport, you support
your Right to Keep and Bear Arms, you make the anti-gunners apoplectic,
and you get your money back in a few months. Is this cool or what?
You may not be able to afford the maximum $200/$250. But $25 is better
than nothing. Another option is to spread your donation over the next
several weeks. As long as it all get to the school on or before December
31, your money comes back to you in early 2005.
Please make checks payable to:
"Wickenburg High School Rifle Team"
In the note section write: "Attn: Coach Rex Powers"
Address the envelope as follows:
Wickenburg High School Rifle Team
c/o Coach Rex Powers
1090 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg, Arizona 85390
Phase II
I spoke to Coach Powers in the early days of last month and we began to brainstorm. I asked him who he competed against at South Mountain on Saturday, was it another high school team? No. Just a bunch of non-aligned high power kids. Schools that still have teams have air rifle teams, not high power teams.
I wondered out loud how fun it would be if his team had a cross-town high
school rivalry, say with Mesa Mountain View, or whatever. Naturally he
said he would love it. He told me that he would have to find a school with a
school board that was open to the idea, and had a potential coach
nearby. So I suggested that this search could be a project for him after
he gets these new rifles set up. But since he competes with dozens of
non associated kids, perhaps one of the things he should do is to find a
trio of shooters who go to the same school. Get buy-in from the Board,
get a coach. Viola...(nearly) instant team. A little help from Friends
of the NRA, Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association, Cactus League,
whoever, and it could be a reality.
Well, heck. If two teams in Maricopa County, why not four? Yes, that
might take some time to assemble all this, and our resources would be
spread thin, but with a very small capital outlay, three rifles could
equate to another nine-member team.
Suddenly, we don't just have the Wickenburg High Rifle Team, we have the
Maricopa County High School High Power Rifle Championships. Could a
state tournament be far away?
It starts with just one other team. We know there will be barriers (such as conflicting interests and finding dedicated coaches). But if you don't try, you can't succeed.
It's up to you. We can't do this alone. Rex won't beg, but I will:
please don't let these kids down.
Thank you,
Rick DeStephens
Glendale, Arizona
rdestep@[nospam]cox.net
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