NSRA Performance Clubs
NSRA Performance Club is a prestigious accreditation bestowed on Affiliated Clubs who have met the strict criteria that places them as one of the elite competitive clubs in the country, providing enhanced facilities and access to great coaches for club members. Performance Clubs create an environment that allow athletes to compete and excel, they have good pathway links and communication skills.
Join us!
We welcome and encourage any NSRA Affiliated Clubs to apply and work towards this elite accreditation.
You can apply for NSRA Performance Club status and enjoy some of the bonuses experienced by our current members including; an enhanced profile, a better position for funding applications, membership growth and better services and communication links for your athletes to other opportunities, like the Talent Pathway.
Clubs that have applied have found that completing the process has helped provide direction and given them the ability to look outside of the club to seek new opportunities; from new alliances with other clubs and organisations to increased membership.
If you are interested, please contact the NSRA on performanceclubs@nsra.co.uk and read on to gain more insight into the initiative and the process.
Apply to join our NSRA Performance Clubs today and enjoy the many benefits that NSRA Performance Club status can bring!
Our Performance Clubs
Bury St Edmunds Small-bore Rifle Club
East Grinstead Target Shooting Club
Pinhoe Target Shooting Club
Rugeley Rifle Club
Target Techniques
How It All Began
The NSRA represents around 900 clubs across the UK which cover a diverse range of disciplines. The clubs all have their own character with members and committee members put in an inordinate amount of work to maintain them.
Across these clubs some are mainly focused on recreational shooting, while others have a more competitive focus.
We wanted to recognise clubs that have a passion for competition and are looking to support both the current and next generation of shooters, from grassroots to hopeful Olympians. These clubs offer key things athletes need to succeed at any level.
If you are a club that is aiming to enrol, nurture and prepare high quality competitive shooters – many of whom may aspire to represent their county, region or country in high level competition, then join the elite ranks of our current NSRA Performance Clubs and apply today!
We’ll cover the main questions and what you need to apply below.
What do you need to become NSRA Performance Club accredited?
As an overview, NSRA Performance Clubs have an ethos of competition and shooter development. They will have:
good facilities appropriate to ISSF Disciplines
a reasonable level of equipment available for use
competitive opportunities
qualified instructors and coaches
connections to other organisations involved in the Performance Pathway (see below graphic).
You gain:
Status and recognition
Increase in overall performance level of the club
Accreditation helps to support grant applications etc
More appropriate membership enquiries/more members
Interest of contacts/networks of external organisations (e.g. Regional Squads, British Shooting etc.)
Performance Clubs: an innovation to deliver part of the solution
NSRA Clubs are at the forefront of grassroots target shooting, giving many people their first experiences of aiming at a target or entering a competition. NSRA Performance Clubs are the perfect springboard to the wider competitive scene, opening the doors to many external organisations that can help athletes achieve their goals.
From Counties looking to develop a quality County Team, to Regional Squads, through to those looking to form a Home Countries team and even British Shooting with their various Performance Pathways, these external organisations are keen to establish a clear pathway from induction into the sport to performance level shooting.
As an active part of the competitive pipeline, NSRA Performance Clubs play a key role in developing and preparing athletes for Performance Pathways; from first steps onto the range to supporting an athlete’s onward competitive journey. They can assist in achieving athletes’ goals and aspirations by playing a key part in providing access to new opportunities to both shooters and Coaches, through their relationships with external organisations.
Criteria for NSRA Performance Clubs
Performance Clubs are benchmarked to a common standard covering:
Disciplines
Facilities
Systems and Management
Coaching Provision
Communication Links with External Organisations
Let’s go into each of these standards in detail:
Disciplines
While it is not necessary to offer all disciplines, it is essential to offer at least one of the ISSF event disciplines listed below.
10m Air Rifle (standing)
.22 (Prone)
.22 (3 positions)
Pistol (Air)
Pistol (Other) Clubs not in mainland Britain may offer ISSF Pistol disciplines
Facilities
A good standard of general facilities is needed, and there is a minimum amount of required opening hours.
Systems and Management (Organisation and Governance)
This section deals with how your club is run and its core features. It should have:
A Constitution in line with the NSRA's “model Club constitution“ format. This needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to take into account changes in legislation and policies. Copies of the constitution should be added to the JustGo Portal by the Club Secretary. The Model Constitution and Rules can be downloaded from here https://www.nsra.co.uk/club-rules-and-guidance
Policies & Procedures - It is important that a club keeps itself up to date in respect of its policies and procedures both for the wellbeing of its members, but also for financial and legal security. It should have policies and procedures on:
Firearms safety on club premises (NSRA Rules of Shooting)
Vulnerable adults and children (Safeguarding Courses from UK Coaching or via Local Sport Partnerships (NSPCC)
Equality and Diversity
Disability
Risk Assessments
Home Office approved - Has current Home Office approval (if appropriate to disciplines covered)
NSRA affiliated - Affiliation to the NSRA provides the club with benefits such as insurance, access to coaching schemes, legal assistance in respect of firearms legislation, representation with the national government
County affiliated - Clubs are required to affiliate to the respective County association as part of the club affiliation process. County Associations provide support for clubs both in the provision of competitions but also as a direct link into the governance of the NSRA via the Shooting Council
Club Development Plan - A Club Development Plan allows you to think about your club, where it performs well, and where there are opportunities to improve. If you are applying for funding you will need to produce one to show the club has thought how it wants to develop. It needs to be reviewed on an annual basis, as priorities may change.
It does not have to be complex, but you should review where your club is now and use the plan to identify where you want to be. Contact the coordinator if you require any assistance in this performanceclubs@nsra.co.uk
You can access more information on a basic Club Development Plan here and a Coaching Development Plan here
Coaching Provisions
Clubs should be looking to both develop current coaches and encourage others to begin their coaching journey. You can view a potential coaching development plan here
Communications Links with External Organisation
Each County will have it’s own Teams, along with Regional and Home Countries. You will need to have contacts and links with regional squads/British Shooting Talent Network (if available in region) or equivalent structures enables you to feed athletes into the system allowing them to develop to the highest level. Please email the Performance Club Co-ordinator for contact details for your regional squad.
NSRA Performance Clubs need to have:
Here’s a basic overview of some of the external organisations you would look to building relationships with:
Regional and Home Nation Squads
Across the UK there are Regional Squads. These provide opportunities for further development and representation in Inter Regional level.
Home Nation Squads provide opportunities for representation at the Commonwealth Championships and other shoots.
British Shooting Athlete Programmes
At the National Level, British Shooting have established various Pathways and Academies to take shooters to the higher levels of International Competition. They are interested in working with organisations like NSRA Performance Clubs who can provide athletes that have the potential to perform well on the international stage.
NSRA Performance Club Application
To apply for NSRA Performance Club accreditation, or for any further queries, please contact Andy via email on performanceclubs@nsra.co.uk for more details and the application form.
Even if you don’t yet meet the criteria, we can help you to put together an action plan that will assist your club to reach NSRA Performance Club status.
The application process is simple:
Fill in the application form
Assemble a portfolio of evidence to match the criteria
Send in the application form and evidence via email to: performanceclubs@nsra.co.uk
All Performance Clubs are required to email a brief yearly update on activity at the club and a 3-yearly report on activity, to renew their Performance Club status.