GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS

NVYESS: Nevada Youth Education in Shooting Sports

ATA: Amateur Trapshooting Association

NYSSA: Nevada Youth Shooting Sports Association

SSYSS: Silver State Youth Shooting Sports

NVYESS Team: All athletes, head coaches, Assistant Coaches and Adult Volunteers registered under the same Head Coach at a “Home” Gun Club or shooting facility.

NVYESS Squad: A squad consisting of (5) Athletes for Trap (except College Trap teams) and (5) Athletes for Skeet, Sporting Clays.

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HEAD COACH

An adult serving as the primary point of contact and the individual responsible for communication between NVYESS State and everyone involved with the Team.

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OFFICIAL RULES

NVYESS Disciplines and Sanctioning Bodies

Teams may participate in Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clay events and must abide by the basic rules of that governing body in addition to the rules set forth herein. [Ex: Trap (Amateur Trapshooting Association), Skeet (National Skeet Shooting Association), Sporting Clays (National Sporting Clays Association.)]

Note: Rulebooks for each discipline are available directly from the disciplines governing body as mentioned above.

Youth Eligibility

Youth in public, private or home schooled from elementary grades through college (college, trade school and alumni may participate until age 24). Clay target disciplines include Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays.

Safety is incorporated into all NVYESS activities. There is a “NO TOLERANCE” policy regarding the use of illegal substances, alcohol and tobacco.

All participants must maintain a grade point average that would ordinarily permit them to play sports in school. This is generally a 2.0 average.

All athletes must have the physical, mental and emotional maturity to participate in a team sport.

Conduct

All individuals involved with NVYESS: Athletes, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Volunteers, Parents and family members must be of good moral character and must conduct themselves as positive “roll models” at all times.   All individuals must conduct themselves in a manner that does not interrupt the harmony of the organization, club or shoot.

PLEASE NOTE: Each individual club may also impose additional rules of conduct and/or safety specific to their organization and shooting facility.

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NVYESS DIVISIONS AND CATEGORIES

Elementary Division: 5th grade and under

Intermediate Entry: All 6th graders and those in 7th and 8th grade

Varsity: All 9th graders and those in 10th, 11th and 12th

Definition of a Team: All athletes who are members of NVYESS and who shoot out of the same “home club” and registered under the same Head Coach.

Definition of a Squad: (5) members of the same team for Trap (5) members of the same team for Skeet and Sporting Clays.

Note: There is NO LIMIT to the number of individuals that can be registered on a Team: thus, no limit to the number of Squads per Team.

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NYSSA DIVISIONS AND CATEGORIES

Rookie: 5th grade and under

Intermediate Entry: 1st year shooter in the 6th-8th grade

Intermediate Advanced: 2nd year shooter in 6th -8th grade

Junior Varsity: 1st year shooter in 9th-12th grade

Varsity: 2nd year shooter in 9th-12th grade  

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“CHERRY PICKING”

While every Coach/Parent/Athlete wants to “WIN” our philosophy is that we must do what is right and best for our Athletes.   We must set a good example. Therefore, a “Win AT All Costs” philosophy is not endorsed by NVYESS.

 Putting together a group of “hot shots” or “all-stars to compete at state or local competitions at the costs of “less skilled” athletes in your group is prohibited. (Ex: You have 7 Varsity shooters. 4 of them have averages of 94 x 100. Three of them have averages of 80 x 100. Johnny who is an Intermediate shooter with an average of 94 x 100 would be an asset to your Varsity Team, so you “Cherry Pick”. I.e. “Bump up” Johnny to Varsity. This leaves your remaining Varsity shooters without a team.)

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“BUMPING UP” ONLY IN NYSSA

Moving an athlete to a higher division (Bumping Up) is allowed under the following conditions.

A coach may request that an athlete be moved up to a higher division to complete a squad of 5, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ATHLETES IN THAT DIVISION AND WITHOUT MOVING AN ATHLETE UP THERE WOULD BE NO SQUAD.

Under no circumstances can an athlete be moved to a lower division.   A parent and the NVYESS board must be advised when an athlete is moved from a division dictated by his grade level.

Also the athlete must be made aware that once he is moved up, he cannot shoot at the lower level again.

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SHOOT YEAR

For shooter classification purposes, the shoot year runs from August to August. Example: An athlete starting school August 25, 2013 and starting 7th grade would normally be classified as an Intermediate Entry Level until he/she begins school in August of 2014. We start our year in January and it runs through June.

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MEMBER REQUIREMENTS

1. Members must pay a $20 registration fee per athlete to NVYESS.  

2. All Member Clubs must have a HEAD COACH, who is 21 years of age or order and who has obtained one of the following certifications

            A. NRA/ATA Trap Coach Certification

            B. NRA Shotgun Instructor Certification

            C. 4-H Shooting Sports Shotgun Certification

The Head Coach serves at the contact between Parents/Athletes and NVYESS. The primary responsibility of Head Coach is to MAINTAIN THE SAFETY of all participants. Head Coaches MUST emphasizes the safe handling and use of firearms in every facet of the program and must be willing to conduct the Required Practices as stipulated below:

The Head Coach must be at least 21 years of age and should be present at all events (practices, matches, etc). If the Head Coach cannot be present at an event, he/she must designate an “acting” Head Coach who has one of the certifications as listed above and is registered with NVYESS.

Note: All Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Active Volunteers must submit to a background check. An Assistant Coach/Adult Volunteer is any adult working with one or more NVYESS Athlete where they have direct control of the Athlete.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A HEAD COACH, ASSISTANT COACH OR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER PUT THEMSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE THEY ARE ALONE WITH ANY ATHLETE, WHETHER TRANSPORTING, INSTRUCTING, ETC.

The exception to this rule is where the Coach/Assistant Coach/Adult Volunteer is a family member of the athlete.

All athletes must have been given a safety Class by a certified Coach and have demonstrated safe gun handling and must attended at least 6 separate practice sessions prior to participating in any NVYESS competition.

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REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

Coaches /Adult Volunteers.

Complete registration form and background investigation form and mail with the fees to the NVYESS Secretary.

Upon approval notification by NVYESS Secretary, please complete the NVYESS athlete registration form and send with the fee to the NVYESS Secretary.

All new clubs and athletes must be registered no later than 2 months prior to the NVYESS State Shoot, held in May of each year.

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SAFETY

1. At all NVYESS practices, competitions, etc; team members must be under the supervision of the team head coach or designated assistant coach.

2. All participants, coaches, adult volunteers and athletes must wear eye and ear protections

3. The use of toe pads is forbidden. It is a violation to rest the muzzle on the foot. Violation of this rule may be grounds for disqualification.

4. Shooting in flip-flops or opened-toes shoes/sandals is prohibited. Violation of this rule may be grounds for disqualification

5. While on a shooting post or station, the muzzle must never cross any part of the shooters anatomy or any other person’s anatomy. Violation of this rule may be grounds for disqualification.

6. Any unsafe act may be grounds for disqualification.

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EQUIPMENT

1. No “hammer” guns are allowed due to safety reasons.

2. All shotguns 12 gauge or smaller may be used as long as it is in a safe and serviceable condition. If in doubt seek the services of a qualified gunsmith.

3. While reloads are allowed for practices and competitions, provided they comply with the discipline’s NGB rule for payload weight and velocity, IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT NEW AMMUNITION BE USED. NVYESS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING AMMUNITION.

 Any NVYESS Club furnishing reloads to their members does so at their own risk and must provide a statement signed by all Parents in that Club that they are aware that reloads are being used and that they acknowledge that NVYESS assumes no responsibility for accidents involving reloads .

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DRESS AND CONDUCT

Appropriate Dress:

Dress code applies to everyone, (Coach/Assistant Coach/Volunteer/Athlete). Promoting a positive image is mandatory.

Top: Shirts must have sleeves (short or long). Items of clothing that expose any part of the torso are prohibited. (Included but not limited to cutoff t-shirts, halter tops, tank tops, etc.)

Bottoms: Shorts must be no higher than 6 inches above knee. Short shorts and low riding shorts or pants revealing undergarments or buttocks are prohibited.

Clothing adornments: Any clothing or associated items carried or warn with pictures, caricatures, designs, messages, writings or other embellishments with direct or indirect references to alcohol, tobacco, sex or sexual connotations, drugs or profanities are prohibited.

Conduct: Acts of abusive or profane language, gestures, and acts of unsportsmanlike conduct, consumption of alcohol or non prescribed drugs will not be tolerated and are grounds for disqualification, suspension and expulsion from the program.

Head Phones/Ear Buds: No head phones or music playing during practices or competitions.

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GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Any Coach/Assistant Coach/Adult volunteer/athlete or Parent may file a grievance using the following procedure:

Note: Any grievance must be addressed to the Head Coach with a copy to sent to the NVYESS Secretary. If the grievance can be settled to mutual satisfaction at the local level no action will be taken by NVYESS and the person filing the grievance must notify the NVYESS Secretary that no further action is necessary.

1. Grievance must be in writing stating

            a. When the incident occurred

            b. Names of the people involved

            c. Specific Nature of the grievance

            d. Witness statements (including name and phone number of witness)

2. Grievance must be filed within 10 days of occurrence. Copy to Head Coach and NVYESS Secretary.

3. Grievances acted upon at the local level must be settled with 10 days from receipt of written grievance.  

4. Grievances acted upon at the NVYESS level must be settled within 30 days from receipt of grievance.

5. Upon completion of the grievance procedure, NVYESS will provide the Head Coach and person filing the grievance a written decision within 10 days of the decision.

All important information will be sent by e-mail or on phone connect. Make sure we have your current e-mail and phone numbers on file.