Our 2024 Sponsors are vital to our success
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thank you to each and every one
2024, 2025, 2026 Elite Presenting Sponsor
WHO WANTS TO JOIN A WINNING TEAM - READ BELOW TO SEE HOW
Cutting-Edge Equipment
We have some of the best equipment available to help our athletes train at their best. Gun sighting tools, Garmin Trap, Shot Tracker, and ShotKam Devices Available
Proven Results
Our track record speaks for itself. We've had countless athletes achieve a champions status with our program only being in existence for 2 years.
If you make the commitment to put in the time to practice, you can be the next.
Who Can Join and How
The East Porter County Clay Crushers is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity - ID #88-1376237
Our Mission is: To provide Safety Training and Education to Students grades 6 through C-4, while teaching responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and a Team Dynamic to prepare them for proper positive life long gun handling techniques and life long lessons to support our 2nd amendment rights.
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Sporting Clays - Is open to ANY STUDENT Grades 6-12 , then collegiate.
If you scroll down to 2025 schedule and fees you will see our 2025 "Tentative" schedule listed with team costs: Team Vest, Jersey, Gear Backpack, Safety Chamber plug, and barrel rest are all including in the fees along with registrations
and competition fees. Gun, Ammo, Hearing protection, eye protection and practice fees (not listed) are not included. All Team gear is expected to last 3 years.
AGAIN - ANYONE WHO MEETS THIS CRITERIA AND IS SERIOUS ABOUT COMPETETION CAN JOIN THE SPORTING CLAYS TEAM.
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Trap - Trap is only open to East Porter County School Students attending those schools in grades 6-12.
If you scroll down to 2025 schedule and fees you will see our 2025 "Tentative" schedule listed with team costs: Team Vest, Jersey, Gear Backpack, Safety Chamber plug, and barrel rest are all including in the fees along with registrations
and competition fees. Gun, Ammo, Hearing protection, eye protection and practice fees (not listed) are not included. All Team Gear is expected to last 3 Years.
2024 EPCCC Team Champions
2024 Female Trap Team Champion - Lucia Hensley
2024 Male Trap Team Champion - Wyatt Robertson
2024 Sporting Clays Team Champion - Kian Cantrell
2024 Trap Team Most Improved - Ried Koch
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State and National 2024 Results
OUR TRAP TEAM FOLLOWED OUR SPORTING CLAYS TEAM RIGHT TO THE TOP THIS PAST WEEKEND AT STATE TOURNAMENT:
HERE IS HOW WE FINISHED THE WEEKEND IN STATE:
2024 State Jr. Varsity Sporting Clay Team
Champions
2024 State Jr. Varsity Sporting Clay Individual runner up Kian Cantrell
2024 State Jr. Varsity Sporting Clay Individual 3rd place Ethan Sandifer
2024 State Jr. Varsity Trap Team Champions
2024 State Jr. Varsity Trap Team runner up
2024 State Jr. Varsity Trap Team 3rd place
2024 State Intermediate Trap Team Champions
2024 State Intermediate Trap Team runner up
2024 State Jr. Varsity Trap Individual Male Champion Wyatt Robertson - 4th highest of ALL Competitors including Collegiate.
2024 State Jr. Varsity Trap Individual Male 3rd place Ethan Sandifer
25 straight awards today to Wyatt Robertson and Patrick Wood.
To say these shooters Rocked State is an understatement . Now to get the 19 shooters ready for Nationals in 3 weeks.
I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE:
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HERE IS HOW WE FINISHED THE 12 DAYS AT NATIONALS:
I am extremely proud of our 19 team members and parents that took the time to come and participate in Nationals over the 12 days in Marengo Ohio.
Each participant did a great job and its just like anything else. Some had GREAT days and Some had Bad days. Each one of them gave it their all regardless.
Nicholas Huettner lead the team with a 188/200 in Trap and a 140/200 in Sporting Clays.
Lucia Hensley was High overall Female with a 175/200 in Trap.
We had 3 students shoot 25/25 - Kian Cantrell, Andrew Dykstra, and Lucia Hensley while we had 2 more students shoot (2) 25/25 during the week. Those were Ethan Sandifer and Nicholas Huettner.
Congratulations to everyone.
The other thing I will mention is that College day there was awesome as well. There were many colleges speaking about their programs and scholarships. The 1 thing that seemed to be consistent is that you really need to be a 2 discipline shooter to better your odds for a scholarship. Keep that in Mind as we are looking to grow our Sporting Clays team. (Reminder.... You do NOT have to be an East Porter County School Student to shoot sporting clays)
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARENTS FOR MAKING THE COMMITMENT TO BE PART OF OUR TEAM
2025 schedules / fees - sporting clays is open to ages 6 -12 grade in Northwest indiana - Trap is only open to grades 6-12 at east porter co. schools
Tips and Tricks to Improve your game
Inconsistency
One thing that drives me crazy on any clays course is the inconsistency of my shooting. I never know how I am going to shoot until I begin shooting. I practice as much as I can afford, but I can’t seem to break the cycle or whatever you would call it.
We all have our great days and our not-so-great days. With that said, inconsistency in performance is often tied to inconsistency in process.
Misses typically fall into one of three categories: technical misses, planning misses and mental misses.
A technical miss occurs when a target is beyond your technical ability to break. The solution here is simply to master this target presentation in practice so that it is within your technical ability at the next tournament.
Then there is the planning miss. You had the wrong plan as you stepped into the shooting stand, sometimes caused by a failure to recognize what the target is doing at the break point.
Then there is the mental miss, which is always tied to process, otherwise known as your pre-shot routine. If, after you finish a tournament, you can look back and say that your planning was flawless and all targets were within your technical ability to break, that only leaves your pre-shot routine as the cause of your inconsistency.
The three elements of a good pre-shot routine are: visualization, deep breathing and a visual cue.
As you step into the shooting stand, visualize what it will look like, and imagine what it will feel like, to execute the shot pair. As you run through your visualization, load the gun and inhale/exhale at least twice. Close your gun and, as you assume a good ready position and move your shotgun to the hold point, remind yourself to focus on the specific focal points on each target. For example, “dome and 4 o’clock.” “PULL!”
Running through this pre-shot routine on each and every pair will ensure a few things:
1) your conscious mind will be filled with constructive thoughts just prior to execution,
2) your body will be well oxygenated, with a lower heart rate, and 3) you will have reminded yourself of your most important job after calling for the targets: FOCUS.
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Great Video to see about mounting your gun: https://youtu.be/GQf5HtvBgNs
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HELPING SEE THE TARGETS:
Have had some questions about Glasses and recommendations
1) Grey Lenses - Simply take the glare off, offer no help to seeing the clay
2) Purple Lenses - Make the orange clay stand out on sunny days while making the background and greens fade
3) Orange/Red/Vermillion Lenses - all work well in helping see the clay on lower light days
4) Yellow Lenses - Create a nice contrast with the clay in low light and cloudy days
If you would buy three for all brightness - Purple, Red, Yellow
If you buy two - Purple and Yellow
If you buy 1 - Purple
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Check out these Videos
https://www.letsgoshooting.org/resources/articles/shotgun/getting-started-with-trap-shooting/
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How Bad Is It ...
...not to follow a routine?
In any form of competitive shotgun shooting, scores are largely the result of the routine that a shooter establishes and maintains. Shooters who don’t adhere to a routine will see misses pile up while they’re left wondering why. Routines promote a shooter’s ability to visualize the target, and they provide a safeguard in that they prevent a shooter from speeding up under pressure or slowing down when conditions aren’t so intense. Routines make shooting feel almost effortless and lead to consistent results. By replacing thinking with repetitiveness, shooters will boost their consistency.
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Consistency is Crucial
Expectations should be about the time that you put in and being honest with yourself. Being honest with yourself is what it's all about. When you're at the line, it's just you and the target. These are some questions you can ask yourself: “Are you good enough to win? Have you put in your time? Are you able to get in the stand and not think? Are you confident enough in your routine to where if it doesn't work, you change it?” As far as correction routine, we can't tell you how many times one of us stands behind somebody and they shoot four birds in a row and do the exact same thing and expect something different to happen. Confidence is key. Keep your head up and your chest out. Stay in the present. And again, all of this comes from just doing your routine over and over. When you load the gun the same and you call "pull" at the same time, the brain knows exactly when it's supposed to act. In the beginning, it's all about variables. It's all about breakpoint, it's all about hold point, focal point. And as you get more advanced, it's about eliminating the variables. Because once you've done them enough, you don't have to pay them so much attention.
You got this...but... YOU have to want it and put in the time.
Spring Season is around the corner - How much have you practiced?
This article by OSP Shooting School - Thank you Gil Ash
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BREAK POINT - Practicing with Prediction
Not enough people practice with prediction. It’s one of the most wasted parts of practice. In competition, people also don't use the post-shot routine enough. When they break the first pair, they feel relieved and they want to hurry up and get out of the stand before they forget what they never planned to see. They get in there and end up speeding up and throwing their shells after missing the fourth pair. They sped up and they outrun their angels. So, routine is very important. But making a good strong visual prediction of exactly where and how you want to shot to come together is critical. We have talked about how the working memory sees the pair. The long-term memory prepares the circuit and hands it off to the working memory and the working memory has to take the shot. The working memory can be aware of and orchestrate seven things at one time. And based on your piddling nature, it likes to piddle with things as they're happening. Your practice has to be so deliberate with exactly where and how you want that shot to come together. Even though you shoot it and the working memory piddles with the shot and you hit it, you have to not give him credit for doing it. You have to treat him like a general would treat a private: "Dammit, I want it done this way, and I want it done right there. And don't you get involved in it." The stronger you are with the prediction and the commitment to execute the prediction to see if the prediction was correct, the quicker the private knows not to get involved in what the general told him to do. The working memory likes to piddle with things. It likes to see if it can adjust something while it's happening. And you've got to rob it of that ability to interrupt and piddle. The only way you do that, even if he gets involved, is to say “No, that's not what I want. I want it done this way.” You've got to train it to shut up and do what you want to do and where you want it done for you to be successful. The working memory wants to get involved in this, but it can't do it. It cannot perform what you're trying to perform. It's impossible. But it has to be used to it to actually take the shot.
Team OSP - Gil, Vicki and Brian Ash
Coach T's - A, B, C's - These are Life Lessons with EVERYTHING you do:
A) Attitude is Everything - It doesn't matter what you are doing, start with and maintain a good attitude
B) "Before" you do anything - Think of your outcome, and plan what you are going to do in order to make that happen
C) Do it with "Confidence" Always be proud of what you are doing and do it the best every time.
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Then we have Key Shooting Lessons:
These are 4 things to help you maintain consistent shooting:
Consistency is KEY ! (These 4 are the "B" listed above for shooting)
- Feet positioned right – stay planted, don’t move them – Lean into shot comfortably.
- Face on the stock all the way through your shot.
- Face within 2 to 3 fingers of trigger finger
- Elbow up.
Use all four of these while doing this drill. You can do this anywhere with an “UNLOADED GUN” (Remember, always have gun pointed in safe direction. )
2025 NATIONAL Tournament Information
HERE IS SOME PRLIMINARY INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR 2025.
July 12-19 th for American Disciplines
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NATIONALS TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
SCTP NATIONALS INFORMATION FOR SPORTING CLAYS:
They will likely shoot the 12-13 - 2025
SCTP NATIONALS FOR TRAP:
They will likely shoot the 12-15 - 2025
SCTP NATIONALS ARE HELD AT:
CARDINAL SHOOTING CENTER
616 OH-61
MARENGO OHIO 43334
THEY HAVE CAMPING AVAILABLE THERE: FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. CALL NOW TO TRY AND RESERVE A SPOT.
419-253-0800
GOOGLE HOTELS IN THE AREA IF YOU NEED A HOTEL.
REMEBER - YOU CAN ALWAYS CANCEL THEM BUT THIS IS THE BIGGEST NATIONALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTERS IN THE COUNTRY.
This event is possible because of the dedication of coaches, assistants, schools, parents, student athletes and spectators that make it a competitive, enjoyable and safe experience.
The event committee reserves the right to make alterations in, or amendments to these rules at any time without notice. The event committee consists of the League representative, gun club manager, and club-designated RSO.
Equipment needed
Needed Equipment List to Compete
Mandatory Items: (Estimated Costs)
*(1) Safety Shooting Glasses - $5.00 to $500
*(2) Ear Protection - $1.00 to $1500
*(3) Shotgun - 410, 20, 12 gauge over/under, semi automatic, pump -$ All over the board
*(4) Shooting Vest to hold shells - (Team Supplied) - $0
(5) 75 - 125 shotgun shells per week ( 7/8 or 1 oz. - 1190-1250 fps - 7.5 or 8 )
(That is the recommended shell to help with recoil) - $10-$15 box of 25
(6) Chamber Empty device for semiautomatics, and pumps (Team supplied - Paid for by Pirahna Services / Sure Grip Gun Racks) - $0
*(7) Team Shooting shirt - (Team Supplied) -$0
(8) Magnetic muzzle pad - (Team Supplied )- $0
(9) Range Bag for all of their gear to keep it together - (Team Supplied) - $0
Suggested Other Items: ( Estimated Costs)
(2) Gun slip (sock) or gun case (soft or hard) - $35 to $500
(3) Choke tube wrench and choke tube grease - $10 - $50
"We would recommend Improved cylinder, Modified or improved Modified chokes"
(4) Team Trap Hat - $20 ( Available at Kouts Ace Hardware )
*When purchasing ANY of these items remember - FIT IS EVERYTHING
You cannot shoot well when you mind is on your glasses not fitting your face, the gun being to heavy, etc. You must be comfortable with everything you are wearing to be safe and to concentrate on your target.
I SENT AN EMAIL TO ALL REGISTERED 6TH GRADE TO 12 GRADE STUDENTS GIVING THEM ALL NEEDED INFORMATION - REFER TO THAT EMAIL WITH QUESTIONS
PLEASE LOOK IN JUNK OR SPAM IF YOU DONT HAVE MINE OR THE LEAGUE EMAIL.
Volunteering
Scorekeepers Needed
We are still looking for volunteers who would like to assist us at our weekly shoots during the fall season. It is less than a 4 hour a week commitment for 9 weeks during our scheduled shoots. The positions needed are for score keepers. We need one scorekeeper on each of the 4 trap fields during competition.
To volunteer for school student activities you need to have a background check. If you can volunteer for a scorekeeper, please select contact us information at the bottom of the website and I will send you a form to fill out but you can go ahead and click the link below to register and turn yours in for approval.
The cost of this varies on the amount of information they must search but is very reasonable and a donation to a great youth activity.
The background check is in 2 parts, the DCS portion you will receive 2 emails (check your junk/spam folder), these emails will come 24 to 48 hours after you submit the first part.
(* background check fees are much cheaper if you haven’t lived in a ton or different counties and states.
Thank you very much.
Here is the link to go to the background check for the schools. – https://secure.safevisitorsolutions.com/Safe/Volunteer/000283/noncert
