
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Had a Great day at our Luncheon for the East Porter County Clay Crushers. Gave away 4 Molly's Custom Silver Belt Buckles as well as 2 shotguns from our raffle.
I want to Congratulate the following Individuals:
Lucia Hensley as 2023 Fall Ladies Trap Champion
Wyatt Robertson as 2023 Fall Men's Trap Champion (2x buckle winner)
Kian Cantrell as 2023 Fall Sporting Clay Champion (2x buckle winner)
Grace Krug as 2023 Fall Most Improved. Grace was up over 90 clays better than the previous season.
Congratulations to our Team Members !!!!
Then we gave away 2 shotguns in our Facebook Live drawing.
Congratulations to Nathan Wilson for winning our CZ 12 gauge semiautomatic shotgun and Jason Hancock for winning our single shot 12 Gauge Yildiz. The fun part was that both were in attendance. (I will add pics as soon as they take possession of their guns)
I want to thank each and every one of our Parents, students, sponsors, Donors, and Volunteers that put in a lot of hours and funds to make this happen. We couldn't be happier with where we have gone in just 1 year.
Below is the link of our Live Facebook Raffle Drawing.
https://www.facebook.com/100095579741913/videos/300723556214451/?mibextid=YxdKMJ
Don't forget - We have NELSONS Chicken dinner tickets for sale and pickup is December 2, at the intersection of 49 and Highway 8.
$13 in advance and $15 that day.
HELP SUPPORT THESE KIDS THAT WORK SO HARD TO NOT ONLY COPETE AND WIN BUT "GUN SAFETY" IS OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
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PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SECOND SECTION TO SEE DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE 2024 SEASON . ( Please note change of venue for registration - IT WILL BE AT KOUTS HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA)
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WANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM AS A SPORTING CLAY SHOOTER? - Our Board recently approved Sporting Clays to be a Traveling Team which is separate from our TRAP High School directed team. Reach out to: smokingclays@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining.
The Discipline Trap is still limited to East Porter County School Students Only.
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 12, while teaching responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and a Team Dynamic to prepare them for collegiate shooting scholarships and proper positive life long gun handling techniques.
SPONSORSHIP DRIVE FOR 2024
I would first like to thank you for taking the time to read this and take a look at our sponsorship form. If you are unfamiliar with us, let me give you a little History about who we are and how far we have come within a year.
Our Trap Team is a Shotgun Clay Target Team that represents East Porter County Schools but is a Private club ran by the Coach’s and our Board of Directors. Sporting Clays is a Travel Team that covers 4 states and operates under the Coach's and Board of Directors as well. This discipline is not limited to the students of East Porter County. We are a 501C3 non-profit Community Club. We have also created an endowment fund so we can start putting money away and only utilize a % of it annually. This is to build a base for our program so our Team can continue to operate in years to come. We have also received our gaming license through the State of Indiana to be able to run raffles, and events to raise money legally for our organization.
We are currently a member of 2 leagues. The USA High School Clay Target League and the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP). In 2024 we will primarily shoot with the SCTP team as they offer many great opportunities for scholarships and advancement after High School.
We take students from grades 6-12 in our program with hopes that many will carry on to Collage and beyond. It has been over 52 years that Porter County has allowed school students to shoot under their name. To say we are excited is an understatement to see this happen.
As many know, the cost for this sport is not cheap. It does however give us the opportunity to provide gun safety to students at a young age which we think is critical. This is a discipline that will carry them through their entire life and not just high school and college.
Clay Target shooting as a sport is the “SAFEST” sport out there with “0” zero accidents with over 17 million targets thrown. We require each shooter to go through a Complete Hunters Education Class and an online “SAFE” shooting class prior to joining our team.
We have a website and Facebook page that I would encourage you to look at and be a part of.
So – What have our Team mates accomplished in the first year:
We had a Team finish 3rd at the State Trap Finals – Victoria Detraz, Ethan Sandifer, Wyatt Robertson, Nickolas Huettner, Kian Cantrell
We had a Team finish 1st at the State Sporting Clays Finals – Kian Cantrell, Drew Garrett, Gavin White
We had a Team Finish 3rd at state in Sporting clays Finals – Wyatt Robertson, Ethan Sandifer, Lucia Hensley
We had 1 Male finish 1st at the State Finals as an Individual for Trap – Gavin White
We had a team finish 2nd at Mid State - Gavin White, Drew Garrett, and Blake Harvoth
We had 1 Female finish 1st at the State finals as an Individual for Trap – Lucia Hensley
We had 1 Male finish 2nd at the State finals as an Individual for Trap – Drew Garrett
We had 1 Female finish 3rd at the State finals as an Individual for Trap – Katrianna Manley
We had 1 Male finish 3rd at the State finals as an Individual for Trap – Reid Koch
We had 1 Male finish 2nd at State Championship for Sporting Clays – Kian Cantrell
We had 5 students shoot a perfect round of 25/25 (3 of them at State) – Ethan Sandifer, Kian Cantrell, Nicholas Huettner, Wyatt Robertson, Gavin White
We had 8 qualify for Nationals out of 30,000 kids (Top 5.8%) – Wyatt Robertson, Ethan Sandifer, Nicholas Huettner, Kian Cantrell, Victoria Detraz, Dylan Birky, Gavin White, and Andrew Dykstra
We had 1 student that shot a 49/50 so far. (That was at Nationals) – Ethan Sandifer
We had 1 male shoot our best ever induvial score of 94 out of 100 in Sporting Clays – Kian Cantrell
2022 Fall – Victoria Detraz woman’s champion – Wyatt Robertson Male Champion – Hailey O’Rourke Most Improved
2023 Spring – Victoria Detraz woman’s Champion – Ethan Sandifer Male Champion – Katrianna Manley as Most Improved – and Kian Cantrell Sporting Clays Champion
2023 Fall – Lucia Hensley woman’s champion – Wyatt Robertson Male Champion – Kian Cantrell Sporting Clays Champion - Grace Krug as Most Improved (up over 90 clays from her previous season)
I don’t know about you, but we could NOT be happier with the way our team has started from nothing and has progressed into very mature and competitive young adults. I have also added a Team picture so you can see our awesome kids
So, what do you say…. Is there a way that you can help us out to continue the legacy that we have created.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or talk to the parents or students about their experience and opportunities that this club has provided them.
Thank you so much for your consideration. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO SEE WHAT SPONOSRSHIP OPPROTUNITES ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU. i WILL GLADLY EMAIL THEM TO YOU.
Tony Shivley – Head Coach
Email - smokingclays@yahoo.com
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Information from Nationals:
Very Proud of our team and the Individuals.
Well, we didn’t make the finals in the “TEAM” competition, but we were only 24 clays away. Our team did a GREAT job for being here for the first time. Nerves were jumping and anxiety was high to start but they settled in quickly for a good showing.
Congratulations to Ethan Sandifer for shooting his best 43 straight, missing 1 and finishing with a 49/50. Next to show us a 25 straight was Kian Cantrell coming in strong. Look forward to “INDIVIDUAL” competition tomorrow. Let’s get em clay crushers.
Our Individuals did great today. Maybe not what they wanted, but we all learned some things which is the most valuable.
Final standings
Wyatt - 92/100
Nicholas - 83/100
Ethan - 81/100
Kian - 79/100
There were a Total of 1718 individual Shooters.
It basically took a score of 96/100 to qualify for the finals on Sunday.
There are just over 34,000 shooters in the league and only the top 5 % get invited…. And these four were here to represent us. It makes me extremely proud of each of them and the entire rest of the team. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to be here…
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Don’t set your gun down for the winter and expect to pick it up and hit 25 straight. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE !
You all know what to do, and what it takes to do it. You have proved that you have the skill, the knowledge, and the process to hit clays. That’s the easy part. Now you have got to learn to compete, and learning to compete is not counting. Its being able to know your score and put it behind you and go back to the process. Learning to compete is learning to maintain focus and rhythm when you’re shooting well or when you’re not. That is where repetition plays a huge part, because if you correctly mount every time, that’s one less thing to think about and you know you are in the right position.
Attached is a link to a shot cam video by World Champion David Radulovich. David is a great guy and teaches all over the country. The entire purpose of the video is “same gun mount every time”. You don’t NEED the Shotkam to perform this video. Take a choke you don’t use often and put a laser light in the middle of it. You can wrap the laser in tape or anything until it fits snug in the choke. You can do the same exact drill going from one to another by moving your position and keeping the mount the same. Also practice starting with your gun lower and bringing it up “on the same line” that you were on until its mounted. You can follow a ceiling line in your basement or another object but maintaining the mount.
Consistency is KEY !
Four things:
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)
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH !
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ISO Tunes joined us as a sponsor of our team this winter. We couldn't be happier to have them aboard. They recently conducted an interview with me to find out more about the team and how it came together. Please check on the blog on their page by clicking the link below.
https://isotunes.com/blogs/news/from-passion-to-action-one-customer-whos-making-a-difference
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Signups for Team waiting list:
YOU MUST BE AN EAST PORTER COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENT TO JOIN THE TRAP TEAM. PLEASE EMAIL ME ABOUT YOPUR
We do have a large waiting list from others that were not able to make the team due to capacity. Here are the 2 courses that must be completed prior to being on the wait list.
Students need Hunters Education to be on the team waiting list : (The link is as follows)
https://www.hunter-ed.com/indiana
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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 12, while teaching responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and a Team Dynamic to prepare them for collegiate shooting scholarships and proper positive life long gun handling techniques.
We couldn't be more excited about the opportunities this will bring our kids.
Please use the contact us box at the end of our website for more information regarding donations.
Thank you all for your continued support.
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ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY PER TEAM BYLAWS AND LEAGUE POLICY AND PROCEDURES:
Any student enrolled in an East Porter County School at the time of the student athlete registration deadline date is eligible to participate in TRAP - "if he/she: • Is in grades six through twelve, and has completed an approved firearm safety certification program, AND Has Completed and passed IDNR Hunters Education Program AND • Meets all school athletics and/or activities eligibility requirements, AND • Complies with the League’s and Teams Policies & Procedures (written or verbally communicated) , AND • If the team has the capacity to accommodate the student AND if the student has not previously violated any rules above or created a safety violation.” - Students that meet all requirements may be held on waiting list.
By filling out and signing below, you AGREE to all the terms and conditions laid out here and in the Teams policies / bylaws, and the Leagues Policies and Procedures. You also understand that the East Porter County Clay Crushers is a private community club and operates independently but under the jurisdiction of East Porter County Schools
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BOARD MEMBERS FOR OUR CLUB:
President / Asst. Coach – Mike Kreiger
Vice President / Head Coach – Tony Shivley
Secretary – Stephanie Robertson
Treasurer – Peter Wood
At Large Board member – Mark Wolfe
At Large Board member - David Harvoth
At Large Board member - Jeff Detraz
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SPORTING CLAYS Vs. Trap
We have Sporting Clays on our EPCCC Lineup:
For those that are not familiar with the different Clay shooting disciplines I will explain it briefly as they sometimes all get called the same but are totally different.
TRAP - MUST BE AN EAST PORTER COUNTY STUDENT
Trap: The shooter stands 16 yards behind a fixed Trap house and the machine inside oscillates side to side throwing the clay mainly in front of you out to 50 yards at a fixed height. These are 1 shell single shots at a time.
Skeet: The Shooter rotates between 8 different locations on the field and clays are thrown side to side from a fixed “low” house on the right side, and a fixed “high” house on the left side. They shoot multiple shots including doubles. These are loaded 2 shells at a time (We will not be shooting Skeet at this time)
Sporting Clays: - DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN EAST PORTER COUNTY STUDENT The Shooters go through a course normally with 10 stations and shoots 10 targets at each station. (It will be 5 stations of 10 targets for our league) These are typically shot as “report pairs” or “true pairs” with two shells loaded each time. A report pair is when you fire your first shell at the first target thrown, and at that same time you fire, the second target is thrown for you to then shoot at with your second shot. A true pair is when both targets are thrown at the same time, and you use both of your shells to take 2 shots to shoot 1 at each target.
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Sporting Clay Shooters - Watch this Video
Here is an excellent ShotKam Video to show you the "lead" that it takes on different targets. notice the dropping clay and how far underneath you need to be to hit the clay
https://fb.watch/kC3MRRttHh/?mibextid=YCRy0i
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Sporting Clays Explanation from League
A practice or competition event will consist of shooting a total of 100 targets from different stations on a sporting clays field. Each station round will consist of six to 10 targets per station.
AMMUNITION RECOMMENDATION
Ammunition specifications must meet the use requirements of the shooting range.
Typical ammunition used for trap shooting:
Gauge Shot Shot Size
12 1 oz. or 1-1/8 oz. #7.5 or #8
20 7/8 oz. #8
SPORTING CLAYS COURSE
A sporting clays course can be laid out in a number of ways but requires a vast landscape and variety of presentations. The configuration of sporting clay courses vary greatly between shooting ranges. Similar to hunting live birds, sporting clays is intended to challenge each athlete with clay targets being thrown at multiple angles from multiple locations. Typically, four to six student athletes compete at each station together rotating through all shot scenarios before moving on to the next station. Different fields within a course are typically located many yards away from one another and are accessible via walking along meandering paths.
TARGETS AT EACH STATION
Shooting procedures for sporting clays are very similar to skeet shooting. All squad members take turns at the same station and then move together after all squad members have shot the assigned targets at each station. Squad members need to stand at least at least five feet behind the shooter and always behind the shooter’s muzzle.
Each station has a set of instructions notifying each athlete where the targets are coming from and how many will be thrown at a time. Sporting clays targets may be thrown left to right, right to left, away, incoming, vertically, from a tower or elevated platform and in a rabbit (along the ground) presentation. Sporting clays targets can be thrown individually or as a true or report pair. A true pair is defined as two targets being thrown at the same time from multiple throwers at a single station. Report pairs are defined as two targets being thrown in sequence with the second target being thrown as soon as the athlete completes the shot of the first target. No shooter will move to the next station until the last target in a round is completed.
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USA Clay Target League Scoring System (claytargetscoring.com) – Scoring link ( we are 1A conference 4) This is where you can go look at our conference and scoring
Here is a Pre-Shot video worth watching - prepare a better you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJJg8M-6nps
Sign up here to receive this publication that offers GREAT tips:
https://nssa-nsca.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=945042a29d3e42e8df4d97880&id=f1928da699
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The Clay Crushers is a "CLUB" of the East Porter County School Corporation. It is NOT part of the athletic department, nor do they need physicals to participate. In order to participate you MUST be an East Porter County Schools student.
We have a full roster of 40 athletes from Kouts, Morgan, and Washington Township schools between 6th grade and 12th grade.
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Clay Crusher Hats are available for purchase for $20 at Kouts Ace Hardware AND Visors for $25
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
CLICK HERE FOR LODGING INFORMATION!
The League invites all student athletes to participate in the State Tournament!
Discipline Trap
14926 E 113th St
Fortville, IN 46040
9:00AM
(Opening Ceremony 15 minutes Prior)
TBD
TBD
In order of importance, the three priorities of the League are safety, fun and marksmanship.
All participants and spectators are required to adhere to all State Tournament rules and requirements included in the Policies & Procedures guidebook. Any participant or attendee who does not adhere to these rules will be disqualified and/or asked to leave the State Tournament.
The State Tournament committee reserves the right to make alterations in, or amendments to these rules at any time without notice.
Event participation fees are non-refundable.
All registration is coordinated by the team through claytargetgo.com. Athletes/Parents should contact their coach for registration information.
Coaches: Please find tournament registration instructions in the TMS Dashboard.
Student athletes shoot their assigned number of targets to compete in BOTH individual and team events. Student athlete classifications are determined by the athlete’s year-end average weekly score after Week 5.Classifications include:
Team events for each classification (Novice, Junior Varsity and Varsity) require a minimum of five athletes in the same classification.
Competition targets are included with the participation fee for in-person events. Targets are NOT included with the virtual tournament participation fee.
All athletes will shoot 100 targets. All athletes are responsible for providing their own ammunition, which must adhere to gun club policies. Please contact the host club for questions regarding ammunition.
Voice-released targets will be used on all fields where applicable.
All athletes will participate in the “High Gun” (highest number of targets hit) competitions in their corresponding classification. If a tiebreaker is required for any places, the longest reverse run of hit targets by the athletes will be used. The longest reverse run score will start from the last target and count backwards until a missed target is reached to determine the tiebreaker score. If there is a tie after the longest run is totaled, then a tie for that place is declared.
A minimum of five athletes from the same team in the designated classification will compete. There is no maximum amount of team members in a classification. The top five student athlete scores from a team will be used to determine the overall team score for their designated classification. No squadding is required. If a tiebreaker is required for any places, the team member with the highest round score from each team will be used to break the tie. Subsequent score comparisons will be used if the top score is tied.
Scoresheets must be submitted to scoring officials immediately after a round is complete. Lost scoresheets will result in a zero (0) for the entire squad.
Due to high participation levels, practice rounds may or may not be available, based on the host club’s staffing and field availability. Please contact the host club for practice times and availability.
In the event of inclement weather before or during the Tournament, the League will make safety the first priority. When lightning is observed or thunder is heard, the event must be suspended. The occurrence of lightning or thunder is not subject to interpretation or discussion. Lightning is lightning; thunder is thunder.
Everyone will be asked to take shelter either inside of a building, shelter or vehicle. If, after lightning is seen, and it does not reoccur for 30 minutes, the event committee will review weather reports and the committee will decide if/or when the competition will resume.
If severe weather is forecast, and time permits, all participants will shoot a lesser number of targets as determined by the event committee. If time permits, all participants will shoot more targets until the prescribed number of targets has been shot. If weather does not permit completion of the shooting, the team with the highest score of the round(s) every shooter was able to complete, will be deemed the winner of that competition.
If a competition cannot be held due to severe/inclement weather, the competition will be cancelled.
USA Clay Target League reserves the right to cancel an event or reduce the number of competition targets due to inclement weather or any other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. The following refunds pertain to in-person season-ending 100-target events as outlined in the policies and procedures.
• 50-Target Session 1 and/or Session 2 cancellation: $10 refund per Session per athlete
• Change to 75-target single Session event: $5 refund per athlete
• No refunds are allowed after a Session begins
An athlete or team that chooses not to participate in an event will not receive a refund for any reason.
Registrants will be refunded based on the payment selection the team made at the time of registration. All refunds for team events will be processed through the team’s head coach. Refunds will be issued within 21 days after the completion of the event.
There are no refunds for virtual tournaments, as there is a 10-day window to complete the event.
Coaches should bring emergency contact information for all their athletes for reference if needed
Coaches are required to check-in at the registration tables located in the clubhouse. Coaches will receive athlete event t-shirts for their entire team.
Athletes need to check-in with their coaches near their assigned field(s) before their assigned times. Athletes DO NOT need to check-in with event staff.
As there are many similar shotguns at events. To avoid lost or misplaced shotguns, the League strongly suggests that student athletes affix a label that includes the name, school team, and contact information to their shotgun.
Specific time and field assignments for teams are posted on the website and throughout the shooting facility during the event. Athletes will only be able to shoot during their team’s scheduled time on their team’s designated field(s). It is possible that final remaining members of team may be combined with another partial team to create a full squad of participants to maximize time allotment. Teams should arrive at least one hour before their scheduled time to allow check-in, squadding, and setup.
Teams will shoot in two separate sessions. After the starting time for each day, all starting and completion times are estimated. It is important to be prepared to shoot immediately after the previous team completes their round. No athlete registrations or substitutions are allowed at the event.
Coaches are provided a scoring sheets and two sets (Session 1 and Session 2) of pre-printed student athlete name labels at check-in. Coaches must:
The League’s first priority is Safety.
Each team will provide a Range Safety Officer for the event. Team RSOs are responsible for ensuring that athletes and teams safely follow all policies and procedures. In addition, Team RSOs will ensure that athletes and teams shoot at their scheduled time and field in a timely manner.
The host club will have Master Range Safety Officers (RSOs) at the event to oversee athlete and spectator safety. Everyone is expected to comply to all instructions of all RSOs.
In the event of a safety issue, Teams RSOs are to take action to correct any safety concerns and notify a Master RSO. Master RSOs have final say in all safety matters.
Teams are responsible to bring a scorer for the event. Scorers must follow the scoring directions found at the top of each scoresheet. Failure to adhere to scoring instructions may result in score adjustments by event staff. Event staff scoring decisions are final.
Scores are recorded on the pre-squadded scoring sheet and tallied in the clubhouse. Scores will be posted on monitors if available and on the Clay Target Leaderboard available to most digital mobile devices.
Scores are recounted by event officials to ensure accuracy. Mismarked or illegible scoring sheets are considered a ‘lost target’ by event staff.
The only time a round score may be disputed is on the field immediately after a scorer has announced a lost target. All scores are final upon completion of the post.
Patches will be awarded to those student athletes that achieve 25, 50, 75, or 100 straight at the event. Event practice rounds are not eligible.
An award ceremony will be held at the completion of the competition. Awards for season competition will be handed out along with awards for event competition.
If teams and/or student athletes cannot attend the event award ceremony, please pickup the award prior to departure or arrange a pickup of the award from event award officials.
The following awards will be awarded for event competition:
Any and all spectators are welcomed to attend the event. Team setups including tents and chairs are allowed BEHIND the field sidewalk.
If permitted by the host club, vehicles are temporary allowed to drive to the spectator and assigned field area prior to competition to unload gear. The area in front of the spectator sidewalk must remain clear at all times for event officials and maintenance vehicles. There is no cost for spectators and parking is free.
Food and non-alchoholic beverages can be brought to the event or purchased on event grounds and consumed in spectator or camping areas. Grills are only allowed to be used in designated parking or camping areas so the smoke is not disruptive to spectators and participants.
Friendly, obedient and socialized pets are permitted at the event. Pet owners who bring their pet is at their own risk and agree to accept full responsibility for any physical damage or personal injury caused by the owner’s pet or to the pet while on event property. Pets brought to the event must be current on all vaccines and must be able to provide proof of a current rabies vaccination upon request. Flexi-leads are not permitted. At all times, pets must be kept on a 6′ or shorter leash while on event property. As a responsible pet owner, please clean up after your pet.
For safety reasons, the owner of any pet showing aggression or disruptive behavior may be asked at any time to remove the animal from the event.
Please refrain from the use of tobacco on event property during event hours.
Alcohol consumption is not allowed by any athlete, coach, parent, or spectator at any time during the event or awards ceremony.
All participating athletes will receive an official event t-shirt as part of their paid registration fee. A limited supply of t-shirts will be available for purchase at the event or online (pickup at the event).
Ample on-site free parking is available to all participants.
Working credentials for League events are issued by the USA High School Clay Target League (USAHSCTL) to media/organizations for the sole purpose of providing sporting event access to an individual who has a legitimate working function on behalf of said media/organization, subject to the following conditions:
Working credentials are not transferrable, and may be revoked at any time at the sole discretion of the USAHSCTL, and will automatically terminate if any term hereof is breached. Organizations should contact the League at info@usaclaytarget.com to arrange credentials for League events.
The USA High School Clay Target League and its state affiliates (henceforth referred as the ‘League’) prohibits third-party solicitation without express written permission at our events nationwide.
Non-Approved Solicitation:
To provide a distraction-free competitive environment for our athletes, team, coaches, and spectators, the League prohibits solicitation and petitioning by any non-registered entity, representative, or individual at League events, regardless of the cause being represented, to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Approved Solicitation:
The League values its relationship with all of its sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors.
The League takes steps to maintain a quality exhibition area with ease of access to booths and displays for all guests. Out of fairness to all, and to provide a distraction-free competitive environment for athletes and spectators, sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors are not allowed to solicit customers, spectators, or competitors outside the confines of their registered booths/areas.
All organizations that wish to solicit – regardless of cause, product, or service – must be pre-approved by the League. Existing approved sponsors, vendors, or exhibitors may not provide non-registered organizations, or their representatives thereof, space and/or access to event services without the express written permission of the League.
Enforcement:
To ensure a distraction-free competitive experience at our event, the League takes the following steps:
Drone use is not allowed on event property without prior written approval from event officials. Approved use of a drone must fully comply with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and guidelines as well as any other applicable laws.
Check the department of transportation’s website for current construction projects that may affect your travel.
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.
Oakwood Gun Club
Oakwood Gun Club
Various Locations
Various Locations
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) Shell Bag or Shooting Vest to hold shells on your body - $20 to $250
(5) 75 - 125 shotgun shells per week ( 7/8 or 1 oz. - 1190-1300 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 and Vest - $0
(8) Magnetic muzzle pad - (Team Supplied )- $0
(9) Range Bag for all of their gear to keep it together - $10 - $100
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.
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
The club was started to give students at the East Porter County Schools Corporation an opportunity to Learn proper handling and gun safety, while letting them be a part of their school that they have not had in over 50 years. Stats prove that 39% of the students that shoot do not compete in other sports.
Shooting sports have the least injuries of ANY high school sport there is. Safety is the first thing that is taught and continues the entire time. Each group of 10 students has a Range Safety Officer along with a coach, with them any time they are competing or practicing at the facility.
1) Gun safety 2) Gun Handling 3) Learning the discipline of Trap 4) Having fun 5) Competing
Is the order in which we operate
WE WILL SHOOT ON SUNDAYS AT 12:30 PM WITH A RAINDAY OF WEDNESDAY AT 3:00 PM
OAKWOOD GUN CLUB - 11388 NORTH STATE ROAD 49, WHEATFIELD IN 46392
WHO CAN COMPETE
The league rules state that any student from grades 6-12 can compete in the league. This however is dependent upon this criteria:
1) Student is in good standing at school with grades, curriculum and other functions of the school
2) There is room for the student on the team ( this is based on maximum 40 students due to facility and coaching staff - Students who competed in the previous season have the first opportunity to compete in the next season)
3) They have completed both Hunters Education and the League Safe program
4) Have no previous safety violation with the team - This Team is a "TRUE ZERO TOLERANCE TEAM" - There is no room for safety to be violated - If safety is violated by neglect or horseplay of any type, the student will be removed from the team and may not rejoin.
This team is strictly for East Porter County School Students. Due to Insurance there are NO exceptions!
SPONSORS
NEW 2023 GOLD SPONSOR - ISOTUNES
-----------------------
We want to thank our SPONSORS AND INDIVIDUALS who helped make this possible
OAKWOOD GUN CLUB ( OUR HOME COURSE )
WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES - GOLD
P&C TRUCKING - GOLD
BARNHART CRANE - GOLD
OZINGA - GOLD
ISO Tunes - GOLD
SUMMIT SCRAP - SILVER PLUS
WESTSIDE TRACTOR - BRONZE
GE MARSHALL EXCAVATING - BRONZE
FIRST SOURCE BANK - BRONZE
Comp - N - Choke
MOLLYS CUSTOM SILVERSMITH
MAZIUR BUCKET MANUFACTURING
PIRAHNA SERVICES / SURE GRIP GUN RACKS
Porter County Conservation Club
LMS Photography - Leslie Schueman
Signworks of Valparaiso
Engravables
DAN KERNS
KOUTS ACE HARDWARE
WEGNER STEEL
SANDERS HARDWARE
RON BROWN
MATT BARNARD
JUDY RATHJEN
JOSH KANDEL
John & Art Putnum
Students need the Safe Course and Hunters Education by March 1st 2023 in order to be on the team: (The links are as follows)
https://www.hunter-ed.com/indiana
Great Video to see about mounting your gun:
True Team® Scoring - Indiana State High School Clay Target League (inclaytarget.com) – Explains the scoring system in detail
USA-High-School-2022-Policies-Procedures.pdf (usaclaytarget.com) - PAGE 14 -15 – show the scoring
USA Clay Target League Scoring System (claytargetscoring.com) – Scoring link ( we are 1A conference 4) This is where you can go look at our conference and scoring
I am including some links to help give you locations to go look at things. Many of them have product ads and gun manufactures information that is aimed at young adults and students. You may not be able to find everything you are looking for but I hope this helps. Also, not all links pertain to our league. The league that governs what we do through the school is : http://inclaytarget.com/ - That is the most important link.
The Amateur Trapshooting League https://shootata.com is another league which has a lot of great information as well. You can certainly join this if you choose to but you certainly don't have to. Here is the rulebook for them if you are interested https://shootata.com/portals/0/pdf/Rulebook.pdf
There is also the AIM ATA - This is the youth organization of the ATA listed directly above. The website for them is: https://aim4ata.com/ - They also have an operations handbook that has many manufactures information directed at students and young adults. The handbook link is: https://aim4ata.com/Portals/1/PDF/AIMHandbook.pdf
I know this is a ton of information and gets confusing at times. Please remember that the HTTP://INCLAYTARGET.COM is ours. The rest of the information is to help you find things you are looking for. Gun fit, Gun Manufactures, and products to outfit and protect your student
Have a question about our the club, Send us a message, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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