Drizzt
Member
Revolver Club offers 'safest sport' to kids
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
By JOHN APPLETON
[email protected]
HOLYOKE - Norm Desilets is proud of the safety record of the Holyoke Revolver Club and knows how important it is.
"Since 1914 there have been no injuries," he said. "We are in a sport which is the safest sport in the country."
Desilets is on the board of directors of the club and he is also director of the Rock Valley Junior Rifle Team, which was started by the club three years ago.
There are 25 members of the team. There are both boys and girls and they range in age from 10 to 20.
"They come from all over, from Southwick, Granby, Chicopee, Westfield and some from Holyoke," Desilets said.
They practice at the Holyoke Revolver Club's indoor and outdoor ranges at its 431 West Cherry St. clubhouse.
"We started this to give these kids something to do and to get them off the streets. We teach them safety and the proper handling of firearms, specifically rifles," Desilets said.
The team competes against rivals from throughout the country, but at a distance.
Each team goes to a rifle range and fires, using Olympic shooting competition rules. Match officials score the shooting and then ship the results to a designated location, where they are read, and one team is declared the winner.
"We have been doing real well in competition," Desilets said.
With proceeds from a $9,500 grant from the National Rifle Association, the club bought 10 Russian-made, .22-caliber Ishmash target rifles that the youths use.
Coaches for the team have to go through a course on proper techniques, and all the instructors are certified by the National Rifle Association.
"It is a real good time for the kids, but we run a pretty strict organization, for obvious reasons," Desilets said.
"Some of the kids' parents have mentioned to me that since joining the team, their kids have developed better respect for other people," he said. "Some have also improved their grades in school. If you goof off in school, you are out."
The team gets together at the club for practices every Thursday night, all year long.
Future plans for the club include a new firing range, which will also be paid for with NRA grant money, and the development of an archery range.
http://www.masslive.com/holyokeplus/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1129103256209390.xml&coll=1
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
By JOHN APPLETON
[email protected]
HOLYOKE - Norm Desilets is proud of the safety record of the Holyoke Revolver Club and knows how important it is.
"Since 1914 there have been no injuries," he said. "We are in a sport which is the safest sport in the country."
Desilets is on the board of directors of the club and he is also director of the Rock Valley Junior Rifle Team, which was started by the club three years ago.
There are 25 members of the team. There are both boys and girls and they range in age from 10 to 20.
"They come from all over, from Southwick, Granby, Chicopee, Westfield and some from Holyoke," Desilets said.
They practice at the Holyoke Revolver Club's indoor and outdoor ranges at its 431 West Cherry St. clubhouse.
"We started this to give these kids something to do and to get them off the streets. We teach them safety and the proper handling of firearms, specifically rifles," Desilets said.
The team competes against rivals from throughout the country, but at a distance.
Each team goes to a rifle range and fires, using Olympic shooting competition rules. Match officials score the shooting and then ship the results to a designated location, where they are read, and one team is declared the winner.
"We have been doing real well in competition," Desilets said.
With proceeds from a $9,500 grant from the National Rifle Association, the club bought 10 Russian-made, .22-caliber Ishmash target rifles that the youths use.
Coaches for the team have to go through a course on proper techniques, and all the instructors are certified by the National Rifle Association.
"It is a real good time for the kids, but we run a pretty strict organization, for obvious reasons," Desilets said.
"Some of the kids' parents have mentioned to me that since joining the team, their kids have developed better respect for other people," he said. "Some have also improved their grades in school. If you goof off in school, you are out."
The team gets together at the club for practices every Thursday night, all year long.
Future plans for the club include a new firing range, which will also be paid for with NRA grant money, and the development of an archery range.
http://www.masslive.com/holyokeplus/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1129103256209390.xml&coll=1
