U.S. High Schools Embrace Shooting as Hot New Sport

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U.S. High Schools Embrace Shooting as Hot New Sport.

A good positive story on how sport shooting is making a comeback and trap shooting is currently the fastest growing sport in Minnesota schools.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...igh-schools-embrace-shooting-as-hot-new-sport

"This year, 9,245 schoolchildren in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota participated; trap’s so popular in Minnesota that the legislature appropriated $2 million for the expansion of gun ranges, where the kids compete. Next year, schools in Arizona, South Dakota, Illinois and Kansas will host teams. Middle-schoolers can also join high-school squads."


One mom who used to be anti-gun has turned pro-gun.

"His mother, Courtney Olson, went from being repulsed at the thought of guns in their house near Minneapolis to buying Zac the $1,400 shotgun and a $600 Glock 17 to nurture his newfound interest in becoming a police officer. “To see your kid this happy is incredible,” she said."
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My, how times have changed.

Our local High School has had trap shooting for several years now, but there is one major flaw. Guns are not allowed on the school grounds. Not even in the vehicle. So if your child wants to shoot you have to take their shotgun to them after school.

Doesn't make sense to me but I am old. I took a gun to grade school. My teacher would put it in the corner or in his car and we would go hunting after school. In high school anyone who had a pickup had a rifle in a rack in the back window.
 
Our local HS has been shooting trap for 15 years at least. I guess it depends on where you live.

Shooting sports is pretty healthy around here.
 
Captcurt said:
Our local High School has had trap shooting for several years now, but there is one major flaw. Guns are not allowed on the school grounds. Not even in the vehicle. So if your child wants to shoot you have to take their shotgun to them after school.

Doesn't make sense to me but I am old. I took a gun to grade school. My teacher would put it in the corner or in his car and we would go hunting after school. In high school anyone who had a pickup had a rifle in a rack in the back window.
Click to expand...

Why couldn't they park off school grounds?
 
Two of my grandsons, one granddaughter and a foster son are taking part in this program and it is great.

It's also the reason that I know interest in firearms ownership is growing among young people, not waning as suggested in another thread.
 
I was in High School from 1957 to 1960 in North Miami, Florida. Not only did we not have any school shooting teams, but guns were never discussed .

I suppose it was a Miami environmental thing. Sports, girls, the beaches. but never firearms. Never. Not one conversation in 4 years of High School.

Not 1.

This is certainly a positive move.
 
Sure they do this 35 years after I graduate. When I was in HS, I worked at a trap range, shot on four or five leagues, and had a 23.5 avg.

My youngest is a senior this fall. I just might have to find an old BT-99 cheap.....
 
I would certainly like to see more high schools have a shooting sport included as part of their "clubs". Savage is the only company that comes to mind that has a low cost "target 22" that is currently being made. But of course, schools could have a sporter class too. My high school did not have any shooting sports available years ago.
 
My local school district has received a $15K grant from the NRA to start a trap/sheet shooting team. Included is an electric trap.
 
Fella's;

My high school used to have a rifle team, & I was on it. I've fired tens of thousands of rounds of live ammo in school. That was long ago & fairly far away. Now I think they've turned the old range into a media center.

As far as I'm concerned, this country's major media is a large part of the problem, not the solution. I'd donate a coupla bucks to the school to restore the area to it's original purpose. Much better use of the space IMHO.

900F
 
In all honesty fellas, one reason, maybe the main reason, that this idea is working so well in Minnesota is that volunteers are working so hard to make a success. Rest assured the State High School League didn't come up with the idea on their own. They were willing to partner with others to implement the program.

Local sportsmens groups, Pheasants Forever, Deer Hunters and many others comprised of interested and committed locals are making this work. And it outa be that way.
 
In high school anyone who had a pickup had a rifle in a rack in the back window.
Click to expand...

Why couldn't they park off school grounds?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately things have changed, doing so now would be a very good way to come back to a smashed window and missing $1400 trap shotgun :(
 
A revival of shooting in high schools? That's wonderful.

All we had in my times was a 22 LR range.
 
A buddy of mine use to be on a high school shooting team and they had their own range in the basement of the school. He told me one kid on the team shot so well he got a college scholarship from it.
 
I went to HS in San Jose, CA in the '70s no gun oriented anything at school then. My father tells me that when he went to Jr. High and HS in Kentucky in the '50s they had a rifle team and would bring their .22s to school and stow them in the coat closet and go hunting after school.

It's great to see an American tradition making a comeback, especially in this day and age. The kids involved these new HS programs will become adults that have an appreciation for guns and their safe and proper usage, unlike so many of their peers in other places.

Like my Dad did with me, I started all of our kids shooting early, they're all out of the house now but our youngest (he's 13). He tagged along with me to IDPA and LE pistol matches for several years, helping with my gear, setting up and taking down stages, taping targets, etc.. There aren't any school based shooting sports programs around here but this year he started competing in USPSA Action Pistol with me and will be trying 3-gun, we have a great time, he's often complimented on his range etiquette, and there's no question about whether he knows how to safely handle a gun. I'm surprised that we don't see more kids at the matches, though, usually he's the only one.

I took this pic at a match a couple of weeks ago, it is my oldest boy, his wife, and my youngest. My oldest was home on leave for a few days so I set them up with guns and gear and they shot the match with us. First time either of them had tried it and now they're hooked!
20150627_103216.png
 
wally said:
Unfortunately things have changed, doing so now would be a very good way to come back to a smashed window and missing $1400 trap shotgun.
Click to expand...

Not if it wasn't advertised...

A bigger issue might be the 16 and 17 year olds that can drive but are not allowed in have guns secured in their vehicles in some locations.
 
My nephew goes to a school where they do trap shooting. It's a good thing too because it teaches the younger generation how to shoot and be responsible while carrying. I think some adults just don't get enough training before carrying a gun for everyday.
 
I was talking to my father about this and he laughed a bit. He went to Ogden High in Utah back in the early 50s and was on the shooting team. They had a spot in one of the classrooms where they brought their rifles in and leaned them up against the wall until practice.

Funny thing... They never had an accidental shooting or murder. Times have changed and it has nothing to do with the availability of firearms.

This is great news.
 
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