The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is proud to announce the promotion of John Leach as the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Director. Leach previously served as the SASP’s Programs Manager for three years, working closely to assist the previous National Director with high-level duties, making him the perfect candidate for promotion into this role.
As part of the SSSF’s initiative of youth development, Leach was the second former athlete to join our SSSF staff and the first to move into a leadership team position within the foundation. As a former SCTP and SASP athlete, Leach was one of the original SPP athletes when SSSF added pistol sports, his squad winning the first SPP Senior Division Centerfire National Championship.
Prior to joining the foundation, Leach was an Operations Manager, running multiple companies. Volunteering in the very program he once was an athlete in, Leach coached at the youth level with the Ozaukee Scholastic Shooting Sports team in Wisconsin and then started the first SCTP and SASP teams at Concordia University of Wisconsin as their Head Coach. Under his leadership, Concordia won two SASP Collegiate National Championships.
John will take over as SASP National Director on January 1, 2026. Former SASP National Director Rick Leach will assume the sole responsibility as the Foundation’s President and Executive Director.
Reflecting on this announcement, John commented, “As a former athlete who grew up in both of SSSF’s youth development programs, I have received a lot from my participation in shooting sports. It is humbling that the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s Board has the confidence in me to select me for this position.”
Board Chairman Ed Fitzgerald stated:
“In business it typically takes 20 years for a generation to be established and to replace the eldest generation, taking on the performance of tasks in an ever evolving and more complex business environment. As SSSF continues its upward trends in creating experiences in youth development by involving competitive shooting sports as the core program deliverable, the SSSF Board of Directors is pleased to promote John Leach to become the fourth National Director of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program. Following in the footsteps of Scott Moore, Tammy Mowry, and then Rick Leach, John has shown an accelerated career acumen that makes him the logical leader of the Program that he grew up with and competed in. We look forward to the generational leap the program will take under John’s leadership.”
Leach further commented: “It is an honor to get to continue working with all of our great athletes, coaches, adult volunteers, and parents while continuing to grow SASP, SCTP and youth shooting sports. I’m excited to pass on and instill the values I was taught as an athlete in both of SSSF’s programs. I look forward to seeing more former athletes join me with SSSF as we look towards the future of growing youth shooting sports.”
About the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. The SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.
Provide and enhance personal growth and development opportunities for student athlete members; become the premier authority in all things pertaining to firearm-related pursuits for youth; pass on to future generations the legacy of lifelong, safe, responsible enjoyment of the shooting sports. This includes serving as the primary feeder/pipeline for organized, sanctioned shooting organizations and teams, like USA SHOOTING, TEAM USA, and the NGBs (NSSA, NSCA, ATA).
