FROM THE PRESIDENT
April and May bring us some more exceptional sporting months at JCTS! We are looking forward to our Corporate Challenge Sporting Clay Classic April 13 and 14. This event is an exciting tradition for Jacksonville's shooting community. The Corporate Challenge Dinner Party and Reverse Draw will be Thursday, April 13, at 6:00pm. Participants in the Reverse Draw have the opportunity to win one of three impressive guns, details provided below. Get your tickets before we sell out - only 150 tickets for sale. On Friday morning, April 14, 30 teams will engage in a fierce, but civil, battle for bragging rights and respect! The Corporate Challenge is limited to 30 teams, so please contact Mark Travis 904-614-1556 or me 904-631-0577 if you would like to participate.
The following weekend, April 20 - 23, JCTS will host the 2017 Florida State Skeet Championship. This is a fantastic weekend of events that brings together shooters from all over the state for fellowship, storytelling, and competition. There are events for shooters of all levels in the weekend. Some of the fun events that take place include Friday night "Tailgate Party" sponsored by all participating FL clubs, a Saturday night state-wide awards ceremony and dinner, the annual .410 team competition for a premier Randall knife, and other team events. We encourage you to consider joining us for this fun weekend. Details of the tournament can be found at the Florida Skeet Association website.
With the completion of the second Sporting Clays course and several other capital improvements, it is JCTS's mission to provide a world-class multi-disciplinary shotgun sports facility for our members and guests. Currently, seven Founder Sponsorships of the South Sporting Clays course remain available. You can become a Founding Sponsor with a $7,500 contribution to the JCTS sporting clay facilities. Founding Sponsors receive these benefits: Founder’s name on the course plaque; one 10-year membership to skeet; 10 years discounted sporting clays use; and 275 half-priced sporting clays rounds (110 targets per round). As a Founder, you will join a select group of local business men and women who have invested in the future of clay target shooting sports in Northeast Florida. Your investment will allow JCTS to provide a premier shooting facility for present and future generations of clay target enthusiasts. If you have an interest in being a Founder, please contact me or a member of our board.
We look forward to seeing you at the club!
Z Mincek
President
904.631.0577
Upcoming Events
Every Wednesday Night at 6:00pm
"GRILL YOUR OWN" Entree Night
Thursday, April 13 6:00pm
Jacksonville Corporate Challenge Dinner & Reverse Draw Party
Friday, April 14 9:00am
Corporate Challange Sporting Clays Shoot
Thursday, April 20 11:00am
UNF Celebrity Sporting Clays Charity Shoot
Friday - Sunday, April 21 - 23
Florida State Skeet Shoot
Thursday, April 27
Crime Stoppers Sporting Clays Charity Shoot
Friday, April 28 3:00pm
Ladies Day Shoot-n-Network
May 12 - 14
NSSA General Kenneth Pletcher Skeet Open
May 15 - 19
NSSA Armed Service Skeet Championship
Friday, May 26, 3:00pm
Ladies Day Shoot-n-Network
Friday-Saturday, June 2 - 4
John Shima Clinics
Saturday, June 17 9:00am
NSCA-Registered Fired Up! Sporting Clay Shoot
Friday, June 30 3:00pm
Ladies Day Shoot-n-Network
August 11 - 13
NSSA Zone 4 Skeet Shoot
View The Complete Calendar
INTRODUCING JAX BELLES WITH SHELLS
WOMEN'S SHOOT-n-NETWORK
JCTS Women have established a Shoot-n-Network group that meets once a month to enjoy shooting sports and networking. The group meets the last Friday of each month from 3:00 - 5:30pm, (with adjustments to that schedule during the holidays). They are currently enjoying growing attendance by a diverse group of women who have a wide variety of shooting experience. The women have focused on skeet shooting the past two months with the assistance of several instructors from the club. Following each shooting session, the women break for refreshments and networking.
Also, every Saturday in April from 9:00 - 11:00am there will be two one-hour women’s clinics conducted by NSSA-Certified Instructor, Early Piety. Each clinic will accommodate four women with a cost of $10/participant. Ladies will provide their own guns and ammunition.
All women shooters are invited to join the Friday and Saturday Women's events. To get on the mailing list, or RSVP your attendance, please contact:
Michele McManamon 904.424.4484 or Michele.McManamon@sandler.com
Early Piety 904.993.7419
JCTS Pro Shop 904.757.4584
See the JCTS calendar to confirm event dates and times.
Skeet News
JCTS welcomes all competitors and skeet enthusiasts to the 2017 Florida State Skeet Championship, April 20 - 23! This shoot is a lot of fun as we welcome our friends from around the state. The weekend includes a Friday night Tailgate Party sponsored by the participating FL clubs, and a Saturday night dinner and award banquet. Additionally, the Florida State Shoot has a unique event -The Special 410 Knife Competition. This event consists of four person teams shooting fifty targets per shooter. The teams are drawn by class. Each team will have a Class AA, A, B, and C or D shooter. By total score the winning team will be awarded a specially engraved Randal custom knife for each shooter. This would be the perfect shoot to start or get back to competitive shooting. State Shoot Program Get signed up now. Sign Up Form.
Following a busy April, JCTS is honored to host the 57th annual Armed Services Skeet Championship, May 15 - 19, preceded by the warm-up event, the General Kenneth Pletcher Open, May 12 - 14. Please join us in welcoming our servicemen and women to these exciting tournaments!
Visit the NSSA/NSCA website for more updates, news, and events.
Earn Bonus Points for State, Zone, World Shoots.
The Kreighoff Masters Skeet Tournament is around the corner - May 2 - 5.
The Zone 4 Skeet Shoot will be held August 11 - 13 at JCTS as well as locations in four other states.
We look forward to seeing you at the club!
Bud Steil
Skeet Chairman
gsteil61@gmail.com
Collegiate News
Student-athletes on the Jacksonville University Shooting Team have been burning the candles at both ends. We hope they are safely back in town from the 49th ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championship! Our JU Dolphins Shooting Team met a fiercely competitive group of over 800 student athletes from 84 schools at the NSSA National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, TX this past week - and they produced some impressive results! The JU American Skeet squad of Ron Palazzetti, Sean Hensley, Hunter Tracy, Joseph DeYoung, and Nick D'Asto took FIRST PLACE in Division 2 American Skeet competition; while the JU 5 Stand squad of Kelby Seanor, Sean Hensley, Parker Woodring, Benji Felder, and Joe Byron took SECOND PLACE in the Division 2 Five Stand competition! The JU Sporting Clay squad of Nick D'Asto, Brett Ollila, Ron Palazzetti, Parker Woodring, and Kelby Seanor took FOURTH PLACE in the Sporting Clay competition; and the JU International Skeet squad of Sean Hensley, Hunter Tracy, and Nick D'Asto took SIXTH PLACE in Division 2 Skeet competition! As an example of the competitiveness of this tournament, the Division 2 teams often produced scores comparable to or above Division 1 teams.
We applaud these student-athletes for all their team and individual accomplishments. We wish them the best for the remainder of this semester, and we hope to see all of you at JCTS soon!
David T. Dobson, M.B.A.
JU Faculty & Varsity Shooting Team Founder, Head Coach/Director
Spotlight on our Sporting Clay Founders
JCTS would like to recognize the Victor Jubran family and their business, Wild West Guns & Gold, for their sponsorship of the new sporting clays courses, and for its vendor relationship with JCTS and its members. Victor Jubran came by his outdoor spirit naturally. As a boy, Victor found great enjoyment from his exploration of Northeast Florida terrain and waters, and became an avid fisherman and hunter. In 1991, Victor exercised his entrepreneurial muscles to launch Wild West Guns & Gold, turning his favorite hobbies into a successful business. Victor has been pleased to see hunting and outdoor sports continue to grow in the area. He said he has enjoyed watching successive generations of youth discover their passions for shotgun sports and hunting.
In addition to running WWGG, Victor and his wife, Alicia, enjoy outdoor sports with their three children. Victor and Alicia have a lot to be proud of. The Jubran children are great students, as well as some of the fastest high school runners in the state. The generosity and support of the Jubran family and Wild West Guns & Gold has enabled JCTS to provide two world-class sporting clay courses for all to enjoy!
Spotlight on our JCTS Members
JCTS is proud to count Chris Kauffmann as one of its retired military members. Chris served our country in various command and staff positions in the Marine Corps for 28 years, rising to the rank of Colonel. Following a successful military career, Chris turned his sights to one of Jacksonville's economic engines - the Jacksonville Port Authority. Over the past 15 years, Chris has held several management positions for JaxPort, and took on the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2009. In these years, Chris shepherded JaxPort through the Great Recession, as well as tremendous growth and modernization, while overseeing the movement of over 8 million tons of cargo annually.
For relaxation and sport, Chris picked up clay target shooting about 10 years ago. He enjoys all disciplines of clay target shooting and has been a valuable volunteer at JCTS events.
Chris and his wife, Kathy, have a son and daughter, and a granddaughter who is almost two years old. They enjoy travel to and with their children and granddaughter as often as possible.
Thank you, Chris, for your support of JCTS!
GUNSMITH NEWS
Hello to everyone at JCTS! Thank you for your continued support as we gear up into April. We are hard at work providing your gunsmithing needs, ear protection services, and other expansions soon to come. We now carry Safari Charlie Gun Cleaner and Lubricant, and we will continue to carry the QMaxx line. For anyone needing chokes and other accessories for shooting, we are looking for your feedback on your favorite brands. Please feel free to include your input during your visits. We look forward to seeing you at the club!
Kelsey Doleo
Gunsmiths, Inc.
Membership Report
Since 1936, JCTS has built a tradition of clay target recreation for generations of Northeast Florida sports men, women, and youth. As a premier shooting sports club, JCTS offers six different clay target disciplines for shotgun enthusiasts on 270 acres of upland pine brush terrain. The club is open to members and guests four days of the week, and is available for rental for group and organizational events. In addition to recreational shooting, the club has many social, competitive, corporate, and nonprofit events on the calendar. Check the calendar, website, and newsletter to find activities that appeal to you. JCTS welcomes volunteers to assist in the operation of these events. Please contact the Pro Shop if you would like to volunteer your time and talents. We look forward to seeing you at the club!
JCTS Open to Members and Guests
Wednesday 12:00 - 8:30pm
Friday 12:00 - 6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 9:00am - 6:00pm
George Prattos
Membership Chairman