Scholastic Shooting Goes Olympic Style

[NSSF]

Nearly 100 From Scholastic Clay Target Program Compete at Olympic Training Facility

U.S. OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER, Colorado Springs, Colo.―Nearly 100 young shotgunners with Olympic aspirations traveled to Colorado Springs this past weekend to compete in the National Shooting Sports Foundation's first Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) International Shotgun Championships.

The competition -- one the U.S. Olympic shotgun team coach says he is very pleased to see -- included team matches in the international versions of trap and skeet shooting, which are shot in the Olympics and at other world events.

Winners included teams from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan and Missouri, as well as individual shooters from some of those states and Oklahoma and Tennessee. See complete results below.

"Some of SCTP's best came out this weekend and took part in something that few their age have experienced -- competing at an Olympic facility in the international shotgun sports," said Zach Snow of NSSF. "By partnering with USA Shooting, SCTP is opening new pathways for young Americans to enter into the Olympic versions of trap and skeet."

The competition was a first for SCTP, which has been introducing thousands of youths to trap, skeet and sporting clays for six years. This year, more than 8,300 youths from 41 states competed in various SCTP state, regional and national competitions, including over 1,000 young female shooters.

Lloyd Woodhouse, U.S. Olympic and national shotgun team coach, said SCTP's growth and its participants' increasing involvement in the international shotgun games are encouraging.

"Some years ago, I started a junior Olympic shotgun team because we didn't have a resource for young people who wanted to pursue the Olympic dream. And now, my heavens, the Scholastic Clay Target Program has 8,000 people participating this year. As the national coach, I just can't think of anything that pleases me more," Woodhouse said.

NSSF and USA Shooting also hold an annual U.S. Junior Olympic Development Camp for a select group of young SCTP talents. Many past camp attendees competed this weekend, some of which claimed individual and team awards.

SCTP was developed by NSSF to offer young men and women in grades 12 and under an opportunity to compete as a team in trap, skeet and sporting clays. The ultimate goal is instilling in young participants a commitment to safe firearm handling, teamwork and leadership.

For more information, visit www.nssf.org/sctp.

Results

SCTP International Shotgun Championships
(held Oct. 7-8, U.S. Olympic Shooting Park, Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Trap

Individual Standings

Senior Division (Grades 9-12)
First Place - Shane Slocumb, Hartsfield, Ga. (113 out of 125)
Second Place - Daniel Shineovich, Pueblo, Colo. (110 out of 125, won second-place shoot-off)
Third Place - Ethan Heiden, Clinton, Mich. (110 out of 125)

Junior Division (Grades 6-8)
First Place - Garrett Walters, Burr Oak, Mich. (106 out of 125)
Second Place - Jake Warner, Peyton, Colo. (103 out of 125)
Third Place - Tyler Orr, Dyersburg, Tenn. (86 out of 125)

Team Standings

First Place - Arnold Junior Shooters (Missouri), 306 out of 375 targets. Josh Cresswell, Bonne Terre; Nick Edwards, Fenton; and Kevin Bockerstett, St. Charles.
Second Place - Bridge Creek Clay Busters (Georgia), 298 out of 375. Shane Slocumb, Hartsfield; Josh Webb, Hartsfield; and Michael Henry, Hartsfield.
Third Place - Colorado Bunker Busters (Colorado), 283 out of 375. Shane Herman, Peyton; Ryan Milazzo, Peyton; and Cory Jones, Colorado Springs.

Skeet

Individual Standings

First Place - Jon Michael McGrath, Tulsa, Okla. (128 out of 150)
Second Place - Ethan Hall, Quitman, La. (121 out of 150)
Third Place - Josh Kleczynski, Lowell, Mich. (116 out of 150)

Team Standings

First Place - Louisiana Clay Wings (Louisiana), 326 out of 450. Caitlin Connor, Winn Parish; Ethan Hall, Quitman; and Joseph Dulaney, Sikes.
Second Place - Michigan 4-H Michigander Skeeters (Michigan), 315 out of 450. Josh Kleczynski, Lowell; Chris Haver, Clinton; and Rachael Heiden, Clinton.
Third Place - Red Mountain Heela Monsters (Arizona), 236 out of 450. Correy Schultz, Gilbert; Hunter Williams, Gilbert; and Kyle Wandelear, Queen Creek.

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