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NSCA Registered shooters,
If you haven’t seen this yet, please take the time to read and comment here.
The following is a letter published in the March 2025 Issue of “Clay Target Nation” from NSCA Chairman Mark Baltazar covering quite a bit of territory effecting the organisation and its governance of our sport.
He is requesting that the National delegates proactively collect suggestions and opinions regarding its content.
As usual, please consider sharing with me, any of the 5 WI delegates or discussing here.
(From Mark Baltazar)
Who does the NSCA serve, the recreational shooter or the competitive shooter?
That was the question that kicked of the 2025 Executive Council Meeting at the National Shooting Complex in January.
We quickly concluded that the organisation needs to serve both the recreational and competitive shooter.
The NSCA, like the NSSA, is about all aspects of clay shooting.
This conclusion informed our discussions over the long weekend. We had five days of new business to get through in three days.
Here are some of the results and actions coming out of the meeting.
Look for many of these things to come online over 2025 and beyond.
COMPETITIVE SPORTING CLAYS
Probably the most anticipated and discussed change on the table this year was Mandatory Down Classing. Currently, anyone who is down classed at the end of the year can refuse the down class by emailing headquarters. About 8-10% refuse down class every year.
The discussion of the EC was as divided about this as the full membership. It was very informative hearing both sides in a productive forum. Many of the EC had talked to their constituents and represented them well.
The group for down classing believes, that by refusing the down class, it dilutes the class and doesn’t provide the class a pure representation of the shooters in that class.
The group supporting the refusal believe they have earned the ranks, see it as an achievement they don’t want taken away. They know they are not competitive, will most likely not win, but are happy to stay in that class, have fun and shoot some clays. Many in this group feel very strongly and have told the folks at headquarters they will leave the organization if down classing become mandatory.
The discussion could have gone on for all three days and, for sure, will continue on social media forums, at shoots, and probably at future National Meetings.
The EC concluded in support of all shooters that, for now, there will be no mandatory down class and members can continue to refuse the down class the way it is currently done.
With that, the EC formed a subcommittee to look at a Recreational Membership. This category would support members who don’t want to pursue full blown competition, who just want to shoot for fun and perhaps join a shooting league would now have the option to become a recreational member. Very early discussions about this and it will take quite a bit of time to develop if we decide to pursue this option.
Master and AA Class Punch Requirements
Last year, the EC changed the punch requirements for D-A. This year punch requirements for Master and AA will be sent to all of you, the National Delegates, to vote on changing.
The proposal is:
Beginning January 1, 2026:
AA – Master 25 punches (currently 20)
A – AA 20 punches (currently 14)All other classes remain the same.
Shooter will have 2 full years to achieve these numbers before down class consideration.
When this comes into effect in 2026, shooters in these two classes will need to achieve these numbers to move up into class.
Nationals Main Event Payouts
Payouts for the Main Event at the 2025 Nationals will have $47,800 added to class and concurrent purses with no change to the entry fee. $5,500 will be added per class paying 10 deep and $1,500 to each concurrent paying 5 deep. The Lady concurrent will have the same higher payouts for champ, runner-up, and third and will add payouts to fourth and fifth place.
US Open Voting Procedure
EC members who participate in the US Open bidding have been excluded from voting which had reduced the number of total votes. Beginning this year if an EC member is bidding and therefore excluded, that vote can now be cast by the region’s next highest vote recipient from the most recent EC election that is in attendance. If none are in attendance, the EC members may designate a National Delegate from the regions who’s in attendance.
Also, beginning with the 2027 bids, the host region of the current year may not submit a bid for the following year. In short, the US Open will not be held in the same region two years in a row.
RECREATIONAL SPORTING CLAYS
Recreational shooters are the pipeline for new competitive shooting.
According to the NSSF, over three million people participate in sporting clays every year. Many of these people become NSCA tournament competitors. Therefore, it’s critical that the NSCA attracts and supports the recreational shooter.
This can be done through two channels. The first channel is through the primary point of contact, clay clubs. Providing programs and other support to attract new shooters to these clubs mutually benefits both the club and the NSCA.
The other channel is the general public. Driving awareness and education about clays shooting and specifically, sporting clays, to people who participate in adjacent activities like hunting, fishing, firearms, etc.
We are exploring and executing several projects across both channels. Most are in early stages and will be developed this year and roll out at the end of this year and into 2026.
They include:
Offering anyone who is interested, a one year free membership to the NSCA. We will make this available to the programs we are developing including the recent program rolled out with the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
A pilot program to refresh and revitalize the First Shots program which introduces sporting clays to the general public in partnership with local clubs across the country.
Looking at the possibility of commercials on hunting and fishing television shows and ads in like magazines.
Email and Direct Outreach to over 1,000,000 bird hunters in the US.
Guest appearances on adjacent podcasts such as hunting and fishing.
An affiliate program for free membership to members of the NRA and NSSF.
An evergreen magazine introducing people to the game of sporting clays to be made available to clay clubs across the country.
A “store locator” function on the NSCA website that allows you to enter your zip code and find clubs within a 25-to-100-mile radius.
Increase produced video of the regional championships and the US Open on social media channels.
Outreach to non competing members of the NSCA to understand why they aren’t shooting and create incentives from them to get back into the game.
A mentorship Program where competitive shooters can volunteer to add a first or second time competitor to their squad at tournaments to help ensure they have a good experience.
The EC also increased the number of clubs receiving the $2000 State Shoot Grant Program from twelve clubs to up to twenty a year. If your state has a State shoot encourage the club to apply for this grant!
That was a big agenda. Now it’s just getting it done. How do we do that?
Well, if any of this interests you and you would like to get involved, reach out to me or to Nichole Bowers nbowers@nssa-nsca.com at NSCA headquarters and she will get you to the right people.
As a National Delegate, we encourage you to talk to your constituents in your region. Get their feedback and share it with the EC. You will soon receive a survey asking how you can increase your involvement. Some NDs have already stepped forward with ideas and programs we have quickly instituted.
Your ideas can now be heard and possibly put into action. If you want changes in the organization, now’s the time to step up. Your EC members will be reaching out to each of you over the year to hear from you and share programs where we need your support.
Your Executive Council is
Mark Baltazar, Chairman, Dr. Sammy McFaddin, First Vice-Chairman John Calandro, Second Vice-Chairman Brett Seibert, Secretary, Chris Higgins, Parliamentarian, Tim Miles, Past Chairman, Mike Anderson, Neil Chadwick, Desirae Edmunds, Kevin Smith, Steve Greene, Dan Lavergne, Anthony Matarese, Gary Prince, Bert Stelly, John Townsend.We are going to increase our communication to you. You will receive quarterly updates from the chairman on progress of the projects as well as any news that comes out of our quarterly meetings.
Thanks for your support, comments, encouragement, and participation in making the NSCA an organisation that we are proud to be a part of and thanks to the Executive Council members for their work, dedication, ideas, and actions in making the game and our organisation better now and in the future.
Mark Baltazar
NSCA Chairman
914.645.0880
NSCAChairman@nssa-nsca.com
1) Baltazar, M. (2025, March 3). Clay Target Nation CTN March page 16. Clay Target Nation CTN March Page 16. https://www.claytargetnation-digital.com/ctn-march/page-16
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