High School Trap Team Starts Tomorrow

[PapaG]

Our third season begins tomorrow night. First year, seven kids. Second year, nine. This year we have eighteen enrolled. All have done their online training, all completed in person Illinois Hunter Safety Course.
One of our kids made All American last year with a 97% singles, 95% handicap. My granddaughter was second high average, ladies.
Shells bought. Club ready. Five certified coaches including my older son and I.
Fun times coming.

 

[Armored farmer]

Good for you @PapaG
I had to give it up after my youngest graduated.
It's a bad time of year for me to help. We're just too busy now. I made it work for three years.

 

[PapaG]

First high school trap league practice is in the books. 18 kids, up from eight last year. Five who had never fired at a target and one who had never fired a shotgun. Guns, all the way from a really ratty Mossberg with repaired wrist and tire sidewall buttpad, through the usual Expresses, a Nova, a Tri Star auto, up to a previously unfired Remington 870 Competition (the "gas" gun), a beautiful minty Y model 12, and a custom fit Citori, (one of our kids who made All American last year) and a 725 Trap. One 25 straight, a couple 24s, and one of the new kids broke a 7 and another who was really uncertain, broke 4 and was thrilled.
My grandkid Sophia hit 40/50 and my other one, Emily, on her first ever outing even broke a few.
Every one left with big grins and happy parents. Two of last year's participant’s dads have joined our club.
I'm looking forward to next week. Pages of notes on things to help improve.
Some of these kids shoot better guns than their coaches (who have a combined history of about 300 years trap shooting). Well, way back when I was a teacher a lot of the students had better cars, too, but I've never been too big on status.

 

[N555]

Gun grabbers hate this. I love it.

 

[PapaG]

Gun grabbers hate this. I love it.

One of the school board members stalled us otherwise this would be year five instead of three.

 

[entropy]

I'm not officially coaching anymore, but my winter league team is mostly coaches, so I still get to cheer the kids on and offer suggestions and such.
The kids have their own winter league, which just ended, they are starting practice for school team shooting now, Trap Skeet, and Sporting.
There's a lot of kids that shoot better than I do, and I'm no slouch. I just wish there would have been HS Trap when I was in HS, or Baldwin would have had a team when my sons were in HS.

 

[mokin]

This is exciting. I was talking to the 4H coach at the local club today. He said the place has finally dried out enough that he feels good about getting our program started. It's fun to see the all the shooters out there.

 

[rabid wombat]

One of the school board members stalled us otherwise this would be year five instead of three.

First - good on you and the kids!

Second - let a lot of voting people know about the ‘one’ school board member….

 

[PapaG]

SMH! My granddaughter Emmy struggled last night at practice. She is athletic, has good drive and coordination. She scored so low she almost didnt.
As I studied and watched her form, the light came on. Duh. One of the first things we were taught at NRA instructors' school was to ascertain eye dominance. Her cousin, Sophia, struggled in the beginning years back and is now one of our team leaders, after switching to lefty.
Emmy is severely left eye dominant. We start fresh, her, her uncle and i, this Sat. First, stationary targets with left eye blocked. Then, try left. Then straightaway with whichever she is most comfortable.
Phia turned in another 40 last night for third overall. Emmy can too.

 

[PapaG]

Took two of my 1100s out this morning to figure out what would be better for Emmy. 12 with add on pad is too long. 20 with synthetic is right but pattern a little thin. Tomorrow morning, pull stocks, graft synthetic on 12, put original on 20. She shoots the 12, I save 20 for, don’t tell my trap buddies, skeet.

 

[entropy]

I'll be sure to mention it on TS......

 

[PapaG]

One will fit. One must fit. Selection of shotguns for left eye dominant 5'6" solid granddaughter.
1100 12 ga field. Mod. 1100 20 ga Field with 13.5 LOP synthetic, Mod. Stevens pump 20, mod., other chokes available.870 WM, 28" mod. Express, 28" i.c.
Stationary first. Alignment. Posture.
Might have to switch her to lefty like we did with her cousin three years ago.

 

[PapaG]

1100 20 synthetic mod. Left lens covered. Adjusted form and stance. First round, 12/25, a huge improvement and big smile.

 

[PapaG]

17 of 18 shot for score last night. Seven kids into the 40s. Almost all improving steadily. My gd Emmy had her best so far with 25/50 and she had never fired a gun three weeks ago.

 

[PapaG]

Two weeks left, then fun night, then state shoot. I just received the Terry Jordan wall chart for dry fire practice. Next season we’ll have a few sessions indoors on form using it before we start live ammo. Eighteen kids this year. Will have to figure out a limit on next year as we only have two traps.

 

[PapaG]

Put up the chart last night and gave the kids an overview. Some eyes opened up. A couple really improved their scores. “Gee, Stan, that really helped”.
One girl who had been shooting well was struggling. I found she was lowering her starting position. Corrected that and she started grinding them up. Another boy had his ball cap bill so low he wasn’t picking up the target. I repositioned his hat and he ran the last ten after that.
Kids, for the most part,are eager to learn and soak up instruction like sponges.
But, as I told two of the coaches who just got back from NRA coaching school, only correct one thing at a time.