Clyde Wasson coaches safety before fun1 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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Clyde Wasson, left, coaches Cody and Greg Kirkham at a shooting range near Camp Verde.
Photo courtesy of Clyde Wasson

The sport of Cowboy Action Shooting is fun, as hundreds of competitors worldwide will attest, but before any excitement can be enjoyed, the emphasis must be on safety first.

So says shooting instructor Clyde Wasson of Camp Verde, who counts the world champion Kirkham family — Jessica, Cody and father Greg — among his roster of more than 30 students.

“The very first thing about Cowboy Action Shooting, or any shooting, should be safety,” Wasson said. “Cowboy Action Shooting has a tremendously positive record for gun safety.

“If you’re not safe you’re not going to have any fun.”

Wasson said he has been a competitor in Cowboy Action Shooting for more than 10 years. He and his wife attended more than 90 Cowboy Action Shooting matches each year for the first three years he competed, traveling from match to match in the comfort of their motor home.

Wasson started coaching after his seventh year of competition, when he decided he might be able to help other shooters hone their skills.

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“I realized my own personal accomplishments were that I was placing very well in matches,” Wasson said, “and that I have some knowledge and information that would be beneficial to other shooters that also wanted to be competitive.”

For the full story, please see the Friday, Aug. 9 issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.