Smith & Wesson Opens New Training Academy in Tennessee
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: SWBI) has opened a state-of-the-art training center in Tennessee. This new Smith & Wesson Academy replaces the former Smith & Wesson Academy and Shooting Sports Center which operated in Massachusetts between 1969 to 2017.
The newly established Academy will provide training in firearm proficiency, self-defense, and firearm safety. Situated on the 236-acre headquarters campus in Maryville, Tennessee, this state-of-the-art facility features pistol and carbine ranges, a multi-purpose flex range, a 300-yard rifle range, and a two-story immersive shoot house for simunition training.
The Academy also has classrooms, a fitness center, and offices that will house world-class training instructors. Starting this weekend, a registration portal will be available on the Smith & Wesson Academy website for a variety of training courses focused on pistol, carbine, and rifle platforms. These courses will range from introductory skills and safety to advanced techniques.
Outdoor Wire/Shooting Wire EIC Jim Shepherd attended the opening ceremonies at the new Smith & Wesson Academy. Jim noted: “One thing made obvious during the ceremonies was that Maryville, Tennessee definitely isn’t Springfield, Massachusetts. Having taken part in numerous media and training events in the former Shooting Sports Center in Springfield until its closure in 2017, the depth and breadth of the new facilities was testimony to the expansiveness of the Tennessee campus. This new facility not only includes enclosed ranges with acreage, but classrooms, a fitness center, and offices to house what the company says will be ‘world-class experts leading the training programs’.”
The Smith & Wesson Academy team will be led by renowned instructor Mark “Coch” Cochiolo. Mark is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer with over three decades of service in Naval Special Warfare. Mark completed four SEAL deployments to the Western Pacific and served eight years with the Navy’s premier counterterrorism unit. Following his retirement from active duty, Mark transitioned to instruction, training the next generations of Navy SEALs. As a contract instructor, he developed curriculum and trained more than 4,000 SEAL candidates in marksmanship and tactical weapons handling. Mark is recognized for his precision, discipline, and leadership in the special operations community.
Mark Cochiolo stated: “I have worked with a variety of firearm platforms, and I am grateful for the opportunity to leverage that experience in developing effective curriculum at the Academy, helping as many individuals become proficient with their firearms as possible. Smith & Wesson produces dependable, quality firearms – at the Academy, we’ll teach you how to use them”.
To learn more about the new Smith & Wesson Academy, visit Academy.smith-wesson.com.
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