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The AKC Mentor Program consists of two major parts. First are the educational programs that are available to Youth that attend the Regional and National Youth Championship events as well as online. These programs will not only be educational but fun in nature. We plan to bring in the legends of the sport to help create these programs. These experienced individuals from all areas of the sport, breeders, handlers, and officials from the registry and the clubs, will be enlisted to teach in their areas of expertise. What better place to learn the basics than from those that have been so successful in our sport? These educational programs will include topics such as “how to successfully breed coonhounds,” “how to train coonhounds to be winners,” and “how to market your success as a breeder, trainer, or handler.” Not only will we learn about all aspects of this great sport but also we will be learning from the experts.
Another aspect of the AKC Mentor Program will include the individual program directed toward small groups of Juniors under the tutorage of a mentor or group of mentors experienced in the sport. There are many individuals in the sport that are willing to help the younger generation of hunters, but may not be able to find younger hunters to help. The Coonhound Events Management Team will help to set up the groups, based on geographic location or perhaps establish groups online. Since Juniors are required to register with their Junior Handler number, we will be able to establish the groups according to geographic area, level of experience, areas of interest, etc. This program will enable Juniors to learn first hand from their mentors. All such programs will be coordinated with the parents of the Juniors and will consist of group situations. In some cases their mentors may support individual Junior Handlers financially or with hounds or equipment. This kind of support will be coordinated by the Coonhound Events Management Team and is not a requirement of the Mentor Program.
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