2010 CMP Summer Camps Finish Strong

The CMP Summer Camps had significant growth in 2010 with increased staff and participation numbers. In all, 586 people attended the popular summer program, up from 515 in 2009 and 472 in 2008. Part of this growth was made possible by an increase in staff size from 10 counselors to 12, and the implementation of a more streamlined curriculum that debuted in 2010.
 

Counselors Ashley Rose and Brian Carstensen demonstrate the kneeling position for campers from Montgomery Bell Academy.

The primary function of the CMP Summer Camp Program is to provide instruction in Three-Position Air Rifle to high school students from across the country. The weeklong instruction took place at CMP’s Competition Centers in Anniston, Alabama and Port Clinton, Ohio. The program was also supplemented with shorter Outreach Clinics within the Continental U.S. This year Outreach Clinics were held in El Paso, Texas, Linn, Missouri and Phoenix, Arizona. The location of clinics varies each year, and many factors go into determining a clinic location. The location of 2011 Outreach Clinics will be released in January 2011 with the CMP Summer Rifle Camp Program.

With the new curriculum, the 2010 camps went high tech. The weeklong camps were held on CMP’s electronic ranges, but that was not the only high tech component of the camps. The classroom experience included 22 new video presentations and the use of classroom clickers, which allows students to buzz in answers to class questions using a remote control. The camp structure combined training sessions with classroom style instruction, all taking place on the range with quick transitions between topics. Groups were small with only four to five campers, and a collegiate athlete coached each group. This year the counselor staff was comprised of athletes from the University of Kentucky, West Virginia University, University of Mississippi, Murray State University, Jacksonville State University, University of Nevada-Reno and the University of Tennessee-Martin.
 

Campers cheer on the top two precision finalist in the weekly guts match, which is part of the camp's intensity training program. The person with the lowest score each round is eliminated from the game.

CMP Camps and Clinics Director Sommer Wood led the camp program. This was Wood’s seventh summer with the camps after starting as a counselor in 2004. Wood graduated from Clemson University, were she competed for the rifle team. She worked as the camps assistant director from 2005-2008 and took over as the Director from Dan Durben in 2009. To create the new video project, she joined forces with 2008 Olympian Sandy Fong to film and edit the work. The two solicited participation from nine current and former U.S. National Rifle Team Members to provide expert information for the CMP campers.

The summer camp team was completed with assistant directors Natasha Dinsmore and Keegan Singleton. Dinsmore is an alumnus of West Virginia University, and will start her first year as a graduate assistant with the Ol Miss rifle team this Fall. Singleton recently completed his athletic eligibility with the rifle team at the University of Memphis, where he will graduate next Spring. Both Dinsmore and Singleton have extensive experience with the CMP.
 

2010 CMP Summer Camp counselor Carmen Luke works with a camper in the kneeling position. Each camper is assigned to a counselor, who works with five to six person groups. This structure allows each camper to receive individual instruction through out the week.

The camp program is geared for serious high school athletes, who have at least a year of experience in air rifle competition. Throughout the camps and clinics, participants are pushed to try techniques used by the top U.S. shooters, and coaches are encouraged to sit-in on range and classroom sessions so that they can reinforce these techniques with their athletes when they return home. At the end of each full-length camp, an official match was held and scores were included in a CMP Cup Match. The top precision shooter for the summer was Adam Grumbling from Sharpsburg, Georgia, who shot a strong 593-44 qualification and added a 96.8 final to finish with a 689.8 aggregate score. The top sporter shooter for the 2010 camps was Addie Brooks from Brandon, Mississippi. Brooks shot a 555-21 qualification and a 91 final to finish with a 646 aggregate score. Junior Distinguished leg points were also awarded for the CMP Cup Match. The cut-off for points in precision was 666.3, and the cut-off for points in sporter was 607.5.

Complete results for the 2010 CMP Summer Camps can be found at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=5396. Photos can be found at http://cmp1.zenfolio.com/. Campers and coaches are also encouraged to join the camp’s Facebook page at CMP Summer Camps. Information for the 2011 CMP Camps and Clinics will be posted in early January 2011. If you have question regarding the program, please contact Sommer Wood at swood@odcmp.com.

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