SHELBY COUNTY SCHOLASTIC CLAY TARGET ASSOCIATION
 INVITATIONAL SHOOT
January 27, 2007

 

Seventy-one young athletes competed Saturday, January 27 at the Shelby County Scholastic Clay Target Association Invitational Shoot held at the Memphis Sport Shooting Association range and sponsored by Sportsman’s Warehouse and Classic Arms.  According to Kevin Carter, Houston High School coach and organizer of the event, students from Arlington, Bolton, Collierville, Cordova, Germantown, Houston, Briarcrest, and Christian Brothers High Schools participated.  The competition was a first for the association, which represents local public and private school trap shooting teams.  It was formed last year to help promote trap shooting among high schoolers in Shelby County. 

The top three male shooters were 1st-Taylor Garrison-95 (Arlington), 2nd-Matt Eley-92 (Arlington), 3rd-Robert Winstead-89 (Briarcrest).  The top female shooters were 1st-Kris Nowag-76 (Houston), 2nd-Mary Katherine Hill-65 (Briarcrest), 3rd-Morgan Brewer-53 (Briarcrest).

Shooting sports have seen phenomenal growth over the past several years with 8,300 youth participating in 2006. This growth is attributed to the efforts of the Scholastic Clay Target Program, volunteers, state wildlife agencies, firearms industry sponsors and a growing reputation as one of the safest scholastic sports in the country.  Their ultimate goal is instilling in young participants a commitment to safe firearm handling, teamwork and leadership.  Before being registered on a team, each student must successfully complete the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s hunter education class which teaches shooting fundamentals and firearm safety.   According to Kermit Simons, Association President, “Range safety is continually stressed at all association meetings, in all association coach’s training and all team practices.  Safety is paramount and anyone who has observed our students shoot is impressed with our range safety practices and the discipline the shooters display.” Local coaches agree the discipline required by shooting sports builds students’ confidence and improves their focus and concentration, which carries over to the classroom.  Bill Cox of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission and Ron Lollar of the Shelby County School Board were instrumental in bringing the trap program to local schools.

The Shelby County Scholastic Clay Target Association will make a donation in the name of the Memphis Sport Shooting Association to St. Jude for the amount of $200.