Tussey Mountain Junior 4-H Rifle Club was founded by Ernest Harpster in 1971 and continues to serve State College and the surrounding area.  Mr. Harpster's enjoyment of various shooting activities and his desire to share his experiences and educate youth in the areas of marksmanship and sportsmanship has encouraged many young people to pursue shooting interests not only during their youth, but also throughout their lives. 

The leaders introduce and educate boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 19 to marksmanship and sportsmanship with regard to various shooting sports.  They strive to educate today's youth how to safely handle a variety of firearms, including BB guns, air rifle, smallbore rifle (both indoors and outdoors) and highpower rifles at ranges of up to 600 yards.  The instruction is done via active participation and classroom work.  This will assist the youth in becoming skilled marksmen and will enable them to compete at the highest skill level.  This training also provides participants with the basic skills that can lead to future opportunities such as, qualified for state teams, NCAA scholarships, Armed Forces shooting teams and Olympic competition.