RIFLERY

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. Air riflery is a state championship co-ed event open to GHSA schools of all classifications.
   
   1. Each school desiring to participate in riflery must file its intent by March 1, of the preceding school year by filing the form found on the GHSA web site (www.ghsa.net).
   2. Following notification of entry, each school will be assigned to an Area for competition that will be overseen by an Area chairperson. Teams will be notified of Area assignments when the total number of teams entering is determined.
   3. Contestants in riflery must be certified as being eligible through the GHSA Office. All rifle team athletes must have a sports physical on file at the school.
   4. Beginning and ending dates for practice and competition can be found at the front of this publication.
   5. GHSA Riflery team members may be used by JROTC programs in JROTC program competitive events. Athletes used by both GHSA Riflery programs and JROTC program competitive events must be currently enrolled in JROTC and be entered as a JROTC unit and not as a school team. They may not enter competitions or tournaments unless there is a JROTC competition category.
   6. All rifle coaches must complete the GHSA online rules clinic for riflery or the school will be fined. Dates for the clinic may be found on the GHSA website. 
2. Competitions will be Open Class, which permits use of Precision or Sporter Class equipment using Precision air rifle rules. The latest edition of the “NATIONAL STANDARD THREE-POSITION AIR RIFLE RULES” (published by the National Three-Position Air Rifle Council, Camp Perry, P. O. Box 576, Port Clinton, OH 43452 - also available on website: http://thecmp.org/air/national-standard-three-position-air-rifle-rules/) will govern all GHSA matches except the following:
   
   1. The regular season, Sectional, and Semifinal course of fire will be the team event 4x3x10. Matches should be shoulder to shoulder.Teams may compete in up to two (2) regular season postal matches if extenuating circumstances prevent a should to shoulder match. The Area chair must be notified and approve the postal match before it is shot. Area chairs will notify the Associate Director. Team members will be distributed equally between relays if more than one relay is used. Teams may petition for additional postal matches if the underlying or additional extenuating circumstance continue. The Area chairperson must be notified and report the request to the Associate Director who will determine if the additional request will be granted.
   2. Except at the State Championship, Sectional, Semifinal and tie-breaker competitions, the coach may assist team members (without disturbing other athletes), during preparation, changeover and sighting periods, but may not physically assist the athletes in loading, cocking or adjusting the sights. After each of these periods, the coach must be behind the firing point.
   3. The "two scorers" referred to in National Standard Rule 8.5 will consist of a scorer from each team if outside scorers with no interest in the outcome are not used.
   4. The amount of protest period time (Rule 8.2) should be established by each Rifle Area prior to start of season or agreed upon by both coaches prior to the beginning of the match.
   5. The following safety regulations are mandatory for ALL competitions, training and practices: An adult, approved by the school, must be present at all times that students have access to rifles. Clear Barrel Indicators (CBIs) will be in all rifles when not firing. They will be inserted in the rifle when taken out of storage or cases. The CBI must visibly extend beyond both ends of the barrel when installed. The CBIs may be removed only during preparation and sighting, record firing, changeover (after athlete is in a firing position), and sighting times. They will be reinserted after each position stage and the rifle must be grounded. CBIs must be inserted anytime someone goes forward of the firing line or removes their rifle from the firing line. CBIs may be removed after the Range Officer gives the “You may discharge air downrange” command, then must be inserted after discharging air and left inserted until air rifles are placed in gun cases.
   6. Approved scoring methods are manual or electronic as listed in the National Three Position Air Rifle Rules. The host school determines which to use.
3. Each Area shall draw up schedules for each team in the Area.
   
   1. Each Area schedule must be filed with the GHSA Office.
   2. The home or host schools should fax or e-mail team and individual scores to the area chairperson by the beginning of the next day (noon or earlier) after completion of the match.
   3. Four competitors’ scores comprise a team’s score. Five may be used in post-season GHSA competition with the top four (4) scores counting as the team score. Areas may organize regular-season competitions as they elect in regard to the number of team members involved as long as only the top four (4) scores count as the school’s team score. The four (4) competitors whose scores shall make up the 'counting scores' should be selected prior to the start of the match. Five athletes may also be chosen with the top four scores counting towards total score. 
   4. If a team has less than four competitors, it must forfeit the match (receiving a loss and the other team receiving a win). If both schools agree to compete with the forfeiture in place, the team scores do not count, but the individual scores from both teams will count as GHSA official individual scores and there will be no additional penalty besides the forfeiture. Forfeitures must be communicated with the opposing team before the scheduled match start. Forfeitures without extenuating circumstances will result in fines, with the fines increasing for each forfeiture without extenuating circumstances. The GHSA will decide if extenuating circumstances warrant no fine. Decisions may be appealed to the Executive Director.
   5. Standings will be determined by won-loss results. A team may compete against only one other team in a given regular season match. Ties will be broken using National Standard Rule 8.6. If tie breaking rules are exhausted and the match is still tied, the match will be scored as a tie and each team credited with one-half win and one-half loss. In cases of identical won-loss records, the results of their season competition against each other will determine standings. If still tied then a shoot-off match will be held.
   6. Before the start of the regular season, each Area will establish structure for determining Area winners and Sectional seedings. The Area will also appoint an appeals committee to handle protests and appeals in area competitions. NOTE: Decisions by the Area Appeals Committee may be appealed to the Associate Director for Riflery when it is believed that Area procedures have been violated. Desisions of the Associate Director may be appealed to the Executive Director.
   7. Area competition must be completed by February 11, 2027. Final Area standings must be reported to the Associate Director no later than noon on February 12, 2027.

RESULTS REPORTING:

1. Area chairpersons should enter weekly results in regular season and Sectionals into MIS by noon Monday of the following week.
2. Results of Semifinals and tie-breakers (if required to determine the two invitational Championship teams) must be entered into MIS by the day following the competition.

SECTIONAL COMPETITION:

1. The first top six teams in each Area will advance to the Sectionals to be fired on February 25, 2027, or earlier if agreed upon by both Area chairpersons involved. The higher-seeded team will host.The Area chairperson of the top three seeded teams in his/her area will coordinate the matches and enter the results into MIS the not later than noon February 26, 2027. Sectional and Semifinal brackets can be found in Appendix B.

SEMIFINAL COMPETITION:

1. The thirty (30) teams winning the Sectional competition will advance to the State Semifinal competitions to be fired on March 4, 2027 or earlier if agreed upon by both Area chairpersons involved. The higher-seeded team will host. The Area chairpersons will coordinate the matches. All chairpersons will report enter the results into MIS no later than noon March 5, 2027.
2. Area chairpersons will submit a list of individual qualifiers at this time. Qualifying scores include individual athletes during the regular season, sectionals, or semifinals. An athlete does not have to be a counting member of a team provided the qualifying score (292) was shot during a qualifying regular season match.
3. Only athletes who are part of the five-member team during sectionals and semifinals may qualify as an individual. 
4. TEAMS AND ALL QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS MUST BE REPORTED FOR THEM TO COMPETE IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. 

STATE COMPETITION:

1. The fifteen (15) teams winning the Semifinal competitions and the two (2) teams with the highest losing scores in the Semifinals qualify to compete at the State Championship. Any ties to determine the two additional teams to advance to the championship (identical high losing scores) will be broken with another match to be fired on March 10, 2027 or earlier if agreed upon by Area chairpersons involved. The higher-seeded team will host. If teams have the same seeding, a coin toss will determine the host site. Area chairpersons must report results of these tie-breaking matches to the State Coordinator and to the GHSA office not later than noon March 11, 2027.
2. Competing team members at the Championship also compete for the individual competition. All other GHSA competitors firing 292 or better in a regular season GHSA Area match or in the Sectionals, Semifinals or tie-breaker also qualify for the state individual competition if their team does not qualify. Schools with more than five competitors with the 292 or better qualification may use five of these competitors as a team plus their additional qualifiers may compete for the individual championship. Finals procedures will be used in determining the state individual standings, but will have no effect on team standings.
3. The State Riflery Championship will be held on March 20, 2027. The GHSA Associate Director for Riflery is Kent Morrow - 678-471-9359; email: kent.morrow@ghsa.net.