Burchell fares well in national contest

Thursday, August 21, 2008
Submitted Photo Members of the muzzleloading team are, from left, Ben Morris of Macon, Mo.; Shaun Athey of Granby, Mo.; Ethan Burchell of Richards, Mo.; Walter Branson of Warrenton, Mo., team coach; and Shelby Dunseith of Bevier, Mo.

COLUMBIA, Mo. --The University of Missouri Extension 4-H shooting team took second place overall at the 2008 4-H Shooting Sports National Invitational in Grand Island, Neb., June 23-26. Thirty-four Missouri youth competed against more than 400 young people from 28 other states in the national contest.

Local MU Extension 4-H member Ethan Burchell of Richards, Mo., competed on the muzzleloading team, which placed third overall. The team also placed second in the 50-yard bullseye and third in silhouette and 25-yard novelty. Individually, Burchell placed 10th in the 50-yard bullseye and individually 14th out of 40 participants MU Extension 4-H'ers also placed second in the shotgun, smallbore rifle and hunting skills competitions. They placed fourth in recurve archery and fifth in the compound archery and air pistol contests.

"There are many ways to measure success of a program. The results of competition is just one," said Gerry Snapp, University of Missouri Extension 4-H youth specialist. "The best measure of success is the personal development of the young people participating in that program. Youth in the MU Extension 4-H shooting program develop life skills, such as goal-setting, self-discipline, responsibility and decision-making. They have an opportunity to increase skill levels in pursuit of excellence, build self-esteem, experience the mentorship of caring adults and enjoy relationships developed with their peers."

For more information on MU Extension 4-H shooting sports, visit http://4h.missouri.edu/go/projects/shootingsports.

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