The National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee has had the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships as well as the National 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Training on our minds since the outbreak of COVID-19. Having given much thought and consideration to existing circumstances, the National Committee has made the decision to cancel the 2020 National Championships and to offer some form of Teen Ambassador Training in an online format. Those teams used the following the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control as well as the guiding principles issued by the National 4-H Program Leaders Working Group as rationale for the decision.
Considerations include:
· The health and safety of our 4-H youth, families and volunteers is of highest priority.
· Offering high quality positive youth development programming that is accessible is of utmost importance.
· Information received from a survey of state 4-H shooting sports coordinators indicated that at least 10 states have travel restrictions through the entire summer.
· Many of the 200 plus volunteers who typically assist with the Championships fall into the high risk category of severe implications from COVID-19.
· Due to existing circumstances, many states are unable to conduct their state qualifying events prior to the time we had scheduled the 2020 National Championships.
· Current Stay at Home guidelines are affecting families financially.
· If we were to hold the event, the quality of the experience would be diminished due to severely limited participation.
In regard to The National 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Institute, many youth typically travel by air and to do this would put them at great risk. Additionally, the host campus site will likely remain closed throughout the summer. That said, there will be no face to face Teen Ambassador Training in 2020. Planning is in process to offer some form on online teen ambassador leadership training with plans to be announced to state coordinators by May 1.