Nebraska
Eastern Cornhusker Trapshooting Conference started in 1989 has more than 1,500 shooters in three divisions over a six week season. Mid Nebraska Trapshooting Conference has about 400 kids. Program is 50 singles targets and 50 hdcp targets based on 16 scores. Team (squad) and individual awards.

This year was the 46th annual Cornhusker shoot, with more than 2,500 participants over 3 days. Junior high program is 100 singles targets, high school is 75 singles on Friday and 75 hdcp on Saturday. Yardage based on 16 scores (program was reduced to 75 targets to fit everyone in). Growth has averaged 7% a year for the last decade.

Not a recognized high school sport by the NSAA, Cornhusker is sponsored by Nebraska Game and Parks. Most of the schools recognize it as a club sport and students can earn a letter. Some do not recognize the sport and about 400 are 4-H affiliated shooters.

 

Minn-yes

 

Missouri does recognize Trapshooting as a high school sport.

State High School Shoot was April 30.
Just over 1000 participants. Club teams, school teams, FFA teams and 4H teams.

Junior high divisions as well.

AIM and SCTP are doing well also.

 

Not that I am aware.

RB

 

No high school programs in Colorado that I know of. We have some AIM teams and a "Colorado Youth Trapshooters Tour", but nothing connected with any high schools.

 

Oregon is in the Stone Age, when it comes to having trap as a sport in high schools. 4-H, FFA, other kids groups, better, but not great.

 

Minnesota has 10,089 kids shooting trap this spring. I don't have the numbers for the amount also shooting on the spring skeet league, but I'm sure it's well over 1000.

Doug Braker

Head Coach...WHA Wolves Trapshooting

 

This is the first year for South Dakota. There are 7 schools participating with a total of 211 kids. We have been able to do clinics for 2 of the teams thus far and they are having a great time. I have heard that there is a lot of interest from other schools to join in next year.

Bud Bartholow

 

California has a big one, and it's not limited to High School students. My son shot in it for a year, and I stay interested, as a lot of kids in our area participate. It's still growing; I believe there are around 800 kids this year.

Home

 

Thanks for the input. Keep it coming.

 

Ohio, no High School recognized programs but SCTP and AIM seem to be doing well. Schools couldn't seem to care less about the shooting programs... I was told that I couldn't wear my SCTP nationals shirt due to their being a gun on it.

 

Oregon is in the inaugural year of their high school program with three teams - Echo, Hermiston, and Oregon City participating this year. We had lots of interest initially, but lost quite a few schools due to district insurance issues. I believe it will be much larger next year as more gun clubs and schools will follow with the template established by these three districts. We are one of the 17-states in the USA High School Clay Target League and will start competition week-4 tomorrow. The Oregon High School State Championships will be held at Hillsboro Gun Club on June 25th. Will be a small showing this year, but we expect to see rapid growth in the next few years similar to other states experiences with this program.

I am coaching the Hermiston team and we have 21 students enrolled on our team. They have done very well and there is already talk of more students joining next year. I encourage all gun clubs and student shooters to check out the website - orclaytarget.com for information and instructions for forming a team next year. The parent program, USA High School Clay Target League is very well established with over 10,000 students shooting trap in Minnesota. Imagine the growth in this sport if we can get all the states to join this league and participate! State, Regional, and National Championships could become a reality and would be huge tournaments! This growth would certainly improve the health and viability of the local gun clubs and make trapshooting great once again. Check it out!

John Adams
Hermiston Gun Club

 

NJ...nope. Not one.

I am a high school teacher. I have a bunch of kids who would be interested and would most likely make great shooters. I work at a very large school with over 2200 students in 9th through 12th grade. I have a great trap club that is 30 minutes down the road from the school.

I gave some serious thought to trying to get the ball rolling but the biggest hurdle I see is cost. Many students know I shoot, but outside of a few hunters I don't know of any kids who come from homes with guns or trapshooters. Many of our students come from low income homes. I really think even if I did manage to get guns donated-a feat I think I could pull off-the bird and ammo fees would really restrict the pool of kids I would get.

It really is a shame as we send many athletes to D1 schools every year. Countless others to D2 and D3 schools. We are state champions in some sport every 2-3 years and have countless titles. We could be considered an athletic powerhouse and I've found that with the graduates and co-workers that I introduce to trap and skeet, the more athletic they are the quicker they pick up the game.

 

Midway USA has some endowment money that is available. It won't do it all but will help. You can do fundraisers to help.

 

Stocker1042; Are than any Pheasants Forever Chapters or other wildlife groups in the area. Here in Central MN our Stearns County Pheasants Forever chapter set up a raffle, we buy the prizes and whatever is sold by the students is kept by them. The prizes are our donation. We have 6 teams selling tickets this year. Our Chapter has an endowment account with Midway. Many of the teams are started by folks who know little to nothing about trap but just want to see kids outside do something constructive. I think every team that started in our area received enough in donations to help the teams get started. You may be surprised at the support in the community once it got started. The students shoot 18 rounds in the Spring League (9 weeks 2 rds per week) plus the State event. That puts the shooting part at only a little over $20 per week per students $200 for the season. Well within what are charged students as activity fees for other events. We don't find the money to be an issue. It has gotten so big here in MN there are only a few schools left without teams. As I mentioned in Charlie's other post we are actually building NEW trap ranges here in MN, the State has a grant program to help fiance the ranges, most have added traps and some have rebuilt clubhouses. It is absolutely amazing. Go to USA HSCTL and see what they can do to help.
Oh and did I mention that the kids and parents are having a blast (coaches too)
Go to www.mnclaytarget.com and have a look at what could happen in your state. It's out there go get it.
Joe O

 

Stocker,

Charlie hit the nail on the head.
Midway Foundation is a great place to start.
The gun club could probably help out with targets, also check with White Flyer as they sometimes can or will help out.
Local gunshops are a good place to check for donations for raffles which are great fundraisers. And a place to post informational flyers.
Friends of the NRA is another one to check with.
We also get some help from area chapters of Safari Club, Wild Turkey Federation, Quail Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, local Taxidermy shops.
Check with some of the members of the club. Some may be able to help financially or with time. I don't know many trapshooters that can keep from helping young shooters!

Print up some flyers for an "Informational Meeting" for starting a youth team and post them at area businesses and the gun club and see what responses you get.
You may be surprised!

Check with the SCTP program. They can help with info and start-up issues. They also have ammunition deals through various wholesalers that are cheaper than you can get anywhere off the shelf.

Good Luck!
Keep us posted on your endeavor!

 

Here in Illinois the AIM program is alive and flourishing! But there's another organization geared toward the high schools, Illinois State High School Clay Target League. Currently there's 3 high schools involved with 53 students participating. I'm very privileged to be working with one of the schools, Prairie Central High School here in central Illinois. We have 18 students that were totally green to trap shooting and in the past 6 weeks have come a long way! It's an 8 week program where they shoot 50 singles per week, culminating at the state championship on June 4th. This is the first school affiliated shooting team in this area and the future is bright for more teams to follow!

 

Orange Crusher, Hello! Is the High school program that is being started in Oregon, part of the USAYES/Mike Borg organization? I am just curious, as I help with a couple small teams at Our club. One is FFA, and one is 4-H. It seems like in Oregon, there are almost too many choices, none of which has had very good luck getting a toe-hold in the liberal school system in Western Oregon. There was the PITA's Yes program, USAYES, SCTP, and now this new organization. I Hope that one of these groups ends up being the dominant sanctioning body for high school shooting, as I feel that it would be much more unifying in getting clay sports accepted as a school sport here. All bets are off with the Portland school district.

 

I appreciate the encouragement. There are many other issues such as insurance, staffing, etc. that I would have to deal with. This falls under something I would do later in life when I am not as busy. It would consume a ton of time on my end.

 

I appreciate the encouragement. There are many other issues such as insurance, staffing, etc. that I would have to deal with. This falls under something I would do later in life when I am not as busy. It would consume a ton of time on my end.

I'm not 100% sure on the number but I believe Minnesota had over 5,000 participant's in
last years SCTP State Championships. Our ATA State Shoot probably had only 650 shooters
or so.

 

Minnesota has 10,089 kids shooting trap this spring. I don't have the numbers for the amount also shooting on the spring skeet league, but I'm sure it's well over 1000.

Doug Braker

Head Coach...WHA Wolves Trapshooting

Yeah they are expecting between 6, 000-8, 000 at the championship in june.

 

Minnetonka Mn high school has a large program but still cuts kids from their teams because they cannot get get any more fields. Kinda sad, but sports are tough in any high school.

 

Does ATA interact with any state on these programs, in an official way?

 

As far as I know the Minnesota shooting is not ATA affiliated. However, I am going to encourage my kids to shoot ATA. Competition brings out the best in you. We just had a team Sporting Clays event today, kids had a blast. Trying to keep it totally FUN.

Sad that I don't have those young eyes and reflexes anymore.

 

Wisconsin has schools that participate in a few different youth programs.