Making a Difference: The Whipper Snipers-Yuma

This junior shooting club is showing off their skills on the range with expert like precision.

The coed non profit organization, facilitated by the High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma, is building confidence and responsibility through marksmanship training. “Members of the club wanted to pass on to the next generation, marksmanship skills that they acquired as kids themselves, or in the military and that’s what we’ve been doing, teaching them marksmanship skills” says Founder Jerry Booker. Its early…but rain or shine the ‘Whipper Snipers’ come out and prepare their gear, set up their targets and go over the Four Rules of Safety, a non negotiable step before practice. Bookers explains, ” Don’t shot anything you don’t intend to shoot, keep your fingers off the trigger until ready to shot, keep firearm on safe until ready to shoot, and the one I really think is very important, treat every fire arm as if it is loaded. Competing in marksmanship from 200 to up to 600 yards away and using military rifles and equipment, Mr. Booker helps students record their progress, and track their results in a variety of techniques. “We start off with standing off hand, one round at a time. Then we teach them sitting rapid fire and then we teach them prone rapid fire, then 600 yards prone slow fire” Booker says. But its more than just target results,that are Making a Difference. ” It feels really good to be apart of something where you can come out, and have 5 or 6 friends that …they like what you like”, says David. “We go out and do other thing, its kind of like a family. We come here, we shoot, but after we go get something to eat lunch, well go fishing, we’ll go do other stuff. So it’s a new way to make friends” says Byrce. Dedicated young men and women getting the same training their parents did, becoming responsible, dedicated young marksmen and upstanding citizens of Yuma County. Booker says, “usually they come to us, they don’t know anything about shooting..so we build on that. Eventually you see a big change in them, they get that confidence, and good self esteem…and that’s important.”