Scholastic Clay Target Program
The Scholastic Clay Target Program provides school-age participants in grades 12 and under with the opportunity to showcase their competitive shooting skills and earn state and national recognition. The program is designed to instill in participants safe firearms handling, commitment, responsibility, leadership and teamwork.
Dewitt Fish and Game Club fielded two squads of skeet shooters this year and under the expert guidance of their coach, Ed P., they went on too win two second place trophies. This is a HUGE improvement over last year, since we didn't even make the board last year.
We hosted the the New York State SCTP Skeet Championship for the first time and I have heard so many positive remarks about the shoot, that I hope we can host it again. This is the third year for the Skeet program, state wide and Dewitt's second year participating in the program. There were several skeet shooters/coaches that had never been to our club and are coming back for the Silver $ Shoot.
SCTP is sponsored and supported by the National Shooting and Sports Foundation. Since it's inception 7 years ago, the program has grown from a few hundred student athletes to well over 10,000 participants. We expect that number to increase by half for the year 2008, nationally. SCTP also participates in all the shooting disciplines. Pompey Rod and Gun Club, our sister club, has a large trap program and will send 5 squads to the SCTP State Championship, at the ATA Homegrounds (Bridgeport Rod and Gun Club), Sunday July 6th. This particular event will host more that 200 student athletes. The student athletes will go onto participate at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta Illinois in August.
These student ahtletes came out the club every week for about 10 weeks and practiced, kept up their grades and volunteered around the club. Our club manager, Carol Flood gave them direction for what we needed and the kids stepped up to the responsibility of giving back to the club and are grateful for the opportunity that our club gave them to shoot and compete.
When you see these shining faces around our club give them your congratulations and don't forget Ed P., without his dedication, we could never make this program successful.