Support the Simpson College Shooting Sports Club

I served as a public school teacher for 19 years and then as a school administrator for 16 years in Iowa's education system. In all too many cases I observed students being left out of extracurricular sport activities because they were deemed to be not big enough, coordinated enough, or weren't athletic enough to be considered for athletic competition. The shooting sports programs are a great way for these students to participate and compete on an individual bases as well as be a part of a group that comes together as a team and as a team support and encourage one another. In addition, I would encourage those individuals that are going to make this decision to look at the safety record of the shooting sports and compare it to the safety and injury record of all the other sports that students are now able to participate in. I know you will find that the shooting sports record of injuries compares very favorably (and actually is better) than more traditional sport activities. I encourage those that are making this decision to give all those students who wish to participate in the shooting sports an equal and fair opportunity to participate and engage in a sport that is fun, safe, teaches self discipline, and is a sport that can be enjoyed their entire life. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully, Michael Bunde

Shooting Sports have been a part of American heritage since the birth of our country. It's great to see Simpson College support this growing sport!

Shooting sports are some of the fastest growing and the safest there is.

This is a good opportunity to educate the public on the benefits and value of shooting sports, safety, and firearm ownership.

Also a Simpson alum.

Four out of five high schools in the Cedar Rapids metro area field trap shooting teams and it is growing state wide.. As the head coach for Xavier High School I know a number of my team members are considering Simpson because they can continue their chosen sport in college.

Thank you Simpson College for offering this sport to your students- it is a great recruiting tool for your possible students.

Shooting sports is one of the fastest growing sports in Iowa and the United States. It does attract students to your college & will continue :-Only if you support it by hiring a coach! Please do so!

I fully support the shooting sports program at Simpson College.

The shooting sports are a great activity that a person can pursue their whole adult life. They are much safer than most any other college sport. Am pretty sure anyone involved is doing so on their own accord.

as a coach but to a teacher.Shooting sports are a wonderful addition to your college. I really hope you keep it. will do wonders for you school. Maybe you should look for a coach that will just coach but not have to teach. they are out there.

Why would you get rid of the safest sport at the college level? Keep this program!

Do not stop the support of your shooting team - it would be a big mistake.

Please keep shooting sports at Simpson!!!!

Please continue to support the future of shooting sports....

There were 3500 kids at the Iowa State Tournament this past year on Cedar Falls. And there are that many every year and it is a healthy mix of both genders. This sport is a much bigger deal than anybody realizes, and teaches responsible shooting and gun ownership. Don't judge until you know the facts. It's easy to get you undies in a bunch about a gun related issue. This is not one of them.

You want to see a young person mature get them involved in the shooting sports. Shooting techs control, focus, responsibility. There are no bench warmers in the shooting sports, everybody gets to play.

Sounds like they need to educate themselves!!

2 of my kids have been part of this program at the high school level. And as a high school trap shooting coach, I have seen kids, that maybe couldn't be involved with other activities and sports, due to physical limitations, excel at this sport and watch their confidence and demeanor soar. I have even seen kids in wheel chairs compete. And this is a sport that once a student walks across the platform and receives his or her diploma, they can pursue it to an olympic level, or they can just be as fortunate as myself, and have a 22 year old daughter come home to her 60 year old dad and say, "Dad let's go shoot". What more could a parent want for a child.

Any questions or concerns by the people against this type of sport would be removed completely if they would take the time to actually going to an event to see for them selves the manner in which the participant conduct them selves. I am not a hunter and my son got involved in shooting sports at the age of 13. He is now 21 and in the years we participated in the sport on both a local and national level conduct and safety was always the first concern. Please do not make a knee jerk reaction with out investigating for yourselves the true benefits this would bring to your school.