The 2018 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) national championships kicked off last Saturday, July 14 and concludes on Saturday, July 21. The event is being hosted by the Cardinal Shooting Center located near Marengo, OH.
A total of 275 teams from 26 states are participating – some as close as Ohio and as far as Washington. Over 2,700 athletes are scheduled to participate with over 1.25 million competition shots expected to be fired over 8 days. Athletes from around the country are participating in trap, doubles trap, handicap trap, skeet, doubles skeet, sporting clays, bunker trap, action pistol and action rifle events. Many athletes shoot multiple events translating to almost 7,000 total event entries for the eight day competition.
When not shooting, athletes and their families have been spending time with the dozens of vendors on the Cardinal Center grounds and visiting special guests such as Larry and Brenda Potterfield, owners of MidwayUSA and founders of the MidwayUSA Foundation. The Potterfield’s have donated over $100 million to youth shooting sports organizations and teams across the country! Because of generous grants made possible by the Potterfield’s, the SSSF has been able to contribute nearly $8 million to SCTP and SASP Team Endowment accounts held at the MidwayUSA Foundation. Larry and Brenda enjoyed a day on the grounds featuring a team meet and greet, rifle shooting and trapshooting with youth athletes.
Stay tuned to our blog and social media for complete coverage of events from the rest of the week! Also, be sure to search on our official event hashtags #SCTPNationals2018 and #SASPNationals2018 for additional news and photos!
One of the most popular attractions at the SCTP/SASP National Championships each year is the Last Competitor Standing competition. This year over 550 athletes competed on Wednesday night after the Opening Ceremonies. The trap fields at the Cardinal Shooting Center were lined up as far as the eye could see as shooters of all ages and sizes stood shoulder to shoulder to compete for some great prizes and the ultimate title of last “man” or “lady” standing. Prizes were awarded to the Top 8 Finishers in the Men’s and Ladies Division and the Top 2 Finishers in the College Division.
LADIES 1st – Reanna Frauens – FL Young Guns @ Quail Creek (SKB IS300 – Belt Buckle) 2nd – Nicole Brees – IA Solon Springs (Shamrock Leather Shooting Bag) 3rd – Anna Feldman – NE Marion Trap Team (RE Ranger Phantom Shooting Glasses) 4th – Chloe Pemberton – TN South Gibson Trap Team (Shamrock Leather Shell Holder – 2 cases ammo) 5th – Morgan Clark – WI Flyway Clayslayers (Shamrock Leather Shell Holder – 2 cases ammo) 6th – Aimee Spiering – WI Union Grove Bronco’s (2 Cases Nobel Sport Ammo) 7th – Grace Voth – NE Marion Trap Team (2 Cases Nobel Sport Ammo) 8th – Jessica Ciezki – WI Waterford Wolverines (1 Case Nobel Sport Ammo)
MENS 1st – Kaden Westphal – CO St. Mary’s Trap Team (SKB IS300 – Belt Buckle) 2nd – Ethan Jensen – WI Burlington High School Demons (Shamrock Leather Shooting Bag) 3rd – Tyler VanPatten – WI Burlington High School Demons (RE Ranger Phantom Shooting Glasses) 4th – Wyatt Strasser – WI Waterford Wolverines (Shamrock Leather Shell Holder – 2 cases ammo) 5th – Hunter Pickerign – WI Menominee Mustangs (Shamrock Leather Shell Holder – 2 cases ammo) 6th – Dawson Sterner – PA Mason Dixon Claybusters (2 Cases Nobel Sport Ammo) 7th – George Clark – WI Marquette H.S. (2 Cases Nobel Sport Ammo) 8th – Gus Peterson – WI Osceola Trap Team (1 Case Nobel Sport Ammo)
COLLEGE 1st – Sam Nehmey – WI Marquette H.S. (Shamrock Leather Shooting Bag) 2nd – Cameron Asala – WI Marquette H.S. (1 Case of Nobel Sport Ammo)
In a “Champion of Champions” battle of the sexes competition 1st Place Ladies Division Champion, Reanna Frauens, bested Men’s Division Champions, Kaden Westphal and was awarded a Bob Allen Boyt Travel Gun Case.
Congratulations to all the Top Finishers in each division and good luck to all those who compete in Friday evening’s Last Man Standing competition!
Over 200 junior International Trap and Skeet athletes converged in Colorado Springs June 21-29 for the 2018 USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships. Of those 200 young athletes, nine were wearing SCTP National Team vests: Maddy Bernau, Heather Broski, Jack Brosseau, Trevor Evelhair, AJ Nomina, Molly Sheehan, Mark Shields, Madeleine Taylor, and Tyler Theide (Cole Barrett withdrew from Men’s Skeet due to illness).
After a week of capricious Colorado weather that included extreme heat, strong winds, lightning, and hail, four SCTP National Team members will be trading their SCTP vests for a USA Shooting Junior Team or Junior Squad vest. Consistent with the mission of the SCTP National Team program as a pipeline for USA Shooting’s upcoming junior talent Bernau, Brosseau, and Shields have graduated to the major leagues. Bernau and Brosseau both fought their way to silver medals in Women’s and Men’s Trap, respectively. Their second-place finish places them on USA Shooting’s Junior National Team. Mark Shields, with his fourth-place finish in Men’s Skeet, will be added to USA Shooting’s Junior Squad. Heather Broski also made the Women’s Trap final, taking home the gold medal in the J2 age category (age 15-17). In addition, Broski and teammate Jeff Holguin (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit) finished 5th out of 21 teams in USA Shooting’s first Mixed Team Trap Selection Match.
“All of the SCTP National Team members performed extremely well this week. They displayed great resilience and determination in spite of less than optimum weather conditions. Assistant Skeet Coach Joe Buffa and I could not be prouder of these athletes. All of them represented our program with integrity and professionalism and I look forward to working with next year’s athletes,” remarked Head Coach Terri DeWitt.
Hunt with shotgun world record-holder Dave Miller and Wingshooting USA host Scott Linden, or win a shooting clinic with Dave for your whole team. Share your sport, work as a team and win two ways:
1) Individual entrants online photo-caption contest illustrating the “teamwork” theme;
2) Team competition – vote for your favorite team members’ photo; generate more votes by working as a team to tell the world!
Prizes: For the photo/caption contest – a televised hunting trip alongside CZ’s shotgun world record-holder Dave Miller and Wingshooting USA TV host Scott Linden at Flint Oak in Kansas for one boy and one girl. It will be filmed as an episode of Wingshooting USA to air in 2019. For the teamwork/voting contest, win a day-long shooting clinic conducted by Miller for the team and coaches.
How it works – photo essay: Individual SCTP members collaborate, cooperate and create a photo depicting the theme of “teamwork.” Work with friends, parents, teammates and others, the image must include at least two SCTP team members. Entrants must also write a 25-words-or-less caption elaborating on the teamwork theme. Submit the package along with your name at the SCTP Facebook page’s “CZ NexGen photo contest” tab. SCTP judges will select one winning package from a boy and one from a girl, based on creativity, artistic merit and descriptive ability.
How it works – team competition: Anyone can vote for their favorite team member’s photo/caption. To win, teams must build camaraderie and motivate members, supporters, family and friends to vote. The photo and caption with the most votes will win a day-long shooting clinic for their team and coaches, conducted by world-record-holder Dave Miller.
Methods of entry: Submit photos/captions at the SCTP Facebook page “CZ NexGen photo contest” tab or using the hashtag #CZNexGen on Twitter and Instagram. Vote for favorite photos/captions at the SCTP Facebook page.
Contest starts July 1, 2018 and ends September 1, 2018. Winners notified by September 15, 2018 and must be able to attend the Flint Oak hunting trip Nov. 9-11, 2018. Team prize to be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the team and Dave Miller of CZ-USA.
The 2018 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships is scheduled for July 14-21st, 2018 at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, OH. We hope you can join us!
Scholastic Clay Target Program High Over All Trap Event
SCTP will offer another High Over All (HOA) for teams that will include all of the “Trap” disciplines! Teams bringing athletes and competing in all 3 Trap disciplines of 16 yard Trap, Handicap Trap and Trap Doubles will have the opportunity for their team to earn a place among the top teams for a separate HOA!
This “Trap HOA” will be based on a team’s top 5 athletes in 16 yard trap, top 5 athletes in Handicap Trap and top 5 athletes in Trap Doubles. That total score will be used for the teams “Trap HOA”! It does not matter if the athletes are rookies or varsity as team scoring will be used!
These awards will be announced on the afternoon of Saturday, July 21st along with the Trap awards and overall HOA awards at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio.
Teams don’t have to do anything different, they just need to have 5 or more athletes compete in each of these 3 disciplines to be eligible!
Scholastic Clay Target Program Schedule of Events
Saturday, July 14th Rotation #1 – 1st 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Bunker Competition is Open
Sunday, July 15th Rotation #1 – 2nd 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Bunker Competition is Open
Monday, July 16th Rotation #2 – 1st 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Rotation #1 – 1st 100 targets in Sporting Clays Bunker Trap Competition is Open
Tuesday, July 17th Rotation #2 – 2nd 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Rotation #1 – 2nd 100 targets in Sporting Clays Bunker Trap Competition is Open
Wednesday, July 18th (Opening Ceremonies followed by Last Competitor Standing Competition) Rotation #3 – 1st 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Rotation #2 – 1st 100 targets in Sporting Clays Rotation #1 – 1st 100 targets in 16 yard trap Bunker Trap Competition is Open Burger / Hot Dog / Soda Social @ about 6pm
Thursday, July 19th (Skeet & Sporting Clays Award Ceremonies at end of day) Rotation #3 – 2nd 100 targets in Skeet, Handicap Trap, Double Trap Rotation #2 – 2nd 100 targets in Sporting Clays Rotation #1 – 2nd 100 targets in 16 yard trap Bunker Trap Competition is Open Any Skeet & Sporting Clays Shoot Offs of squad ties Meet Larry and Brenda Potterfield 2:00 – 3:30PM at the Banquet Hall Pizza & Soda Party @ approximately 5pm
Friday, July 20th (Handicap Trap, Double Trap & Bunker Trap Awards Ceremonies at end of day) Rotation #2 – 1st 100 targets in 16 yard trap Skeet Doubles Competition Open Bunker Trap Competition Open College Recruiting and Conservation Partners Day at Hitter’s Building 1st day of Kids & Clays / SCTP Charity Shoot Any Handicap Trap, Double Trap & Bunker Trap shoot offs of squad ties Last Competitor Standing Competition to follow awards ceremonies) Ice Cream Social @ approximately 5pm
Saturday, July 21st (Trap, Double Skeet, Main HOA and Trap HOA Awards Ceremonies) Rotation #2 – 2nd 100 targets in 16 yard trap 2nd day of Kids & Clays / SCTP Charity Shoot Skeet Doubles Shoot Off Make a Break Shoot Off and Winner Announcement Any Trap Shoot Offs of squad ties
SIDE GAMES, FUN & National Raffle! (Tickets Available at Registration Counter) Make A Break Fun Shoot Flurry Fun Shoot National Raffle
Scholastic Action Shooting Program Schedule of Events
Saturday, July 14th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM
Sunday, July 15th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM
Monday, July 16th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM
Tuesday, July 17th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM
Wednesday, July 18th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM Opening ceremonies approximately 5:00PM Burger / Hot Dog / Soda Social @ about 6pm
Thursday, July 19th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM Meet Larry and Brenda Potterfield 2:00 – 3:30PM at the Banquet Hall Pizza & Soda Party @ approximately 5pm
Friday, July 20th Competition times, 9:00AM and 1:00PM College Recruiting and Conservation Partners Day at Hitter’s Building Ice Cream Social @ approximately 5pm
Saturday, July 21st Competition times, 9:00AM Awards approximately 3:00PM
SIDE GAMES, FUN & National Raffle! (Tickets Available at Registration Counter) Beat the Pro Side Match with Matt Hopkins, CZ-USA Exhibitions and Clinics with Max Michel and Lena Miculek, Sig Sauer Savage Rimfire Rifle Side Match National Raffle
(Marengo, OH) – Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is partnering with the Kids and Clays Foundation to hold a registered two-day sporting clay charity event at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio.
The event will be held Friday July 20 and Saturday July 21 during SSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target Program National Championships. The event is open to the public, parents and coaches of athletes attending the SCTP and the athletes themselves.
All registrants for the event will be entered in a drawing for a large prize package of firearms, outdoor and shooting gear worth more than $14,000! Prizes, donated by many great sponsors, are listed below.
Click here to sign up for this event today! The event is open to the public and those participating or attending the SCTP National Championships.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is the nation’s leader in youth development shooting sports programs. The Kids and Clays Foundation supports a series of shooting events across the country with all proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities. All proceeds from this special two-day event will help each organization fulfill their mission.
“We’re not only happy to partner with Kids & Clays on this event but are thrilled to be able to offer such a large prize package just for participating in the event,” said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Program Director. “This event will make for a great ending to what is shaping up as record-setting National Championships at Cardinal.”
Besides the great prizes, top finishers in this registered event will be recognized with trophies.
A portion of the proceeds, through the Kids & Clays Foundation, benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities, who provide housing and other help to tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the country each year.
“We are blessed to be associated with such a quality organization as the SCTP,” said Doug Jeanneret, Kids & Clays Foundation executive director. “We certainly invite all who have an interest in shooting and also in helping youth to attend this marquis event.”
Proceeds will also benefit the SCTP’s scholarship program providing assistance to graduating high school seniors continuing their education in college. Scholarship applications are available on the SSSF’s website.
The Prize Package for participants of the sporting clay event includes:
The Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program are excited to announce a new event at this year’s National Championships – the Top Gun Challenge.
Over the years we have watched the increase in athletes shooting multiple disciplines in both our programs at nationals. We wanted to find a way to recognize the commitment and stamina these athletes have shown competing in so many events, over the course of the week of nationals.
CZ-USA, a large sponsor of both SCTP and SASP heard us talking about wanting to start some kind of “Top Gun” competition and graciously offered to sponsor the top prize for the winner. CZ-USA will be donating a Shotgun, a Rifle and Pistol to SCTP/SASP and we will be awarding all three prizes to the High Overall Top Gun Challenge competitor.
With CZ’s support here is what we have come up with for the 2018 SCTP/SASP Nationals.
Top Gun Challenge Eligibility Criteria, Scoring and Prizes
Athletes wishing to compete in the Top Gun Challenge must be current team members in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) AND the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP).
Athletes wishing to compete in the Top Gun Challenge must be pre-registered to shoot the following events at the 2018 National Championships:
16 Yard Trap
Skeet
Sporting Clays
Rimifre Rifle (irons or optics)
Centerfire or Rimfire Pistol
Each athlete wishing to compete in the Top Gun Challenge must complete a registration form in person at either the SASP or SCTP registration desk located at the Cardinal Center Central Entry Building prior to competing in their first event. Athletes will then shoot all competition events as usual.
We will compile scores from your events and calculate the winners. Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays is easy you will get the total number of birds you break in each discipline, so a possible 600 points. Since SASP is based on time and not total targets hit, it will be done a little differently. We will take all participants and rank both their rifle times and their pistol times fastest to slowest.
The fastest in each discipline will get 200, second place 199, third place 198 and so on down the line until everyone has a score. We will add all those points together and the athlete with the most points out of the possible 1000 will win.
Every Athlete who competes in all the events and signs up, will receive a Top Gun Challenge challenge coin just for participating and showing your shooting stamina.
Prizes for Athletes Grade 12 and Under
1st prize – CZ USA 612 Target Shotgun, CZ 75 SP01 Phantom Pistol and a 512 American Rifle
2nd Prize – CZ Drake 12ga. Over/Under
3rd Prize – Certificate for a GLOCK Pistol
4th Prize – Mossberg Blaze .22 Rifle
5th Prize – Case of Aguila shotgun shells and 1000 rounds of Federal Premium Hunter Match .22 ammo
Article and photos courtesy of Paul A. Smith – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Smith: This 20-year-old shooter from Waterford aims to be one of the best in the world
BURLINGTON – Madelynn Bernau of Waterford was 12 when she was introduced to trapshooting through a 4-H program in Racine County.
In her first round of trap, she remembers hitting six of 25 clay targets.
“I left some room for improvement,” Bernau, now 20, said with a laugh last week.
Two others present that day, her father, Chris, and her sister, Meredith, agree with her assessment.
But what no one knew was how much upside Maddy had to her game. Or where trapshooting could take her.
Eight years later Bernau has proven she’s among the world’s best trapshooters in her age group.
Competing as a member of the USA Shooting team, Bernau won the biggest title of her young career, the gold medal in women’s trap at the 14th International Junior Grand Prix in Porpetto, Italy, on May 20.
“I had no idea if I’d be on the podium,” Bernau said. “But I try to perform to the best of my ability every time out, If I do that and it results in a medal, I’m definitely happy.”
Bernau also won gold in Italy in mixed team trap (with teammate Dale Royer of Jackson, Mont.) and bronze in women’s team trap (with Carey Garrison of Crossville, Tenn. and Emma Williams of Savannah, Tenn.).
The success in international competition didn’t come overnight, of course.
After the 4-H program, Bernau entered Waterford High School and competed for the Waterford Wolverine Shooting Team in the Scholastic Clay Target Program.
As a freshman, Bernau said she still was unsure about trapshooting. She struggled with bruises from ill-fitting shotguns and, while she enjoyed breaking targets, was not keen on the competitive aspects of the sport.
But her skill was already on full display. As a freshman at the SCTP national championships, she hit 75 straight and 193 out of 200 in singles trap.
And the crucible that is the southeastern Wisconsin SCTP conference eventually changed her attitude about competition.
Within a 50-mile radius are a dozen SCTP programs, including past national champions Burlington Demons Shooting Team and Westosha Central Falcons Shooting Team, that perennially produce some of the best youth trapshooters in the country.
As Bernau grew stronger and found a shotgun that fit well, she began to excel in close matches against fierce competition.
Bernau eventually earned a reputation as one of the top female trapshooters in the region, and beyond.
“We try to provide a structure and open doors for all our athletes,” said Tom Wondrash of Burlington, SCTP national program director. “Maddy has walked through that door and climbed to a new level. She’s setting an outstanding example of where our kids can go.”
In 2016, Bernau enrolled at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where she pursues dual goals: competitive trapshooting on the school’s team and preveterinary studies.
Significantly, Bernau has taken to bunker (or international) trap, the type used in Olympic and World Cup competitions.
But training on bunker is limited to due to a lack of facilities.
Bernau’s development in international trap has been aided substantially through a new SCTP program designed by Wondrash.
The initiative creates a team of the top three male and female finishers in SCTP international disciplines. The team members then travel multiple times to sites, including the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., to practice under the tutelage of Olympic trapshooting medalist Terri DeWitt.
It has been said that bunker trap and American trap are similar, but only in the way a sports car is similar to a minivan.
In bunker trap (named for its underground house), targets are thrown at 65 miles per hour, compared to about 45 in American trap. And bunker targets can be sent out at a variety of elevations and at a greater range of angles than its American counterpart.
“It’s crazy challenging,” Bernau. “It really tests you and it’s really fun at the same time.”
In March, Bernau tied for second in women’s junior bunker trap at the USA Shooting Spring Selection in Tucson, Ariz.
The result punched her ticket for the next, and greatest, international challenge: the 2018 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships in Changwon, Korea.
The event, held Aug. 31 to Sept. 15, will bring together the best competitive shooters in the world, including skeet shooter Vince Hancock of the U.S., a three-time gold medal winner. About 4,500 athletes from 120 nations are expected to participate.
Bernau will be competing in the junior (age 20 and under) division of bunker trap.
Bernau said it will be another learning experience, another chance to perform to the best of her ability.
Her long-range goal in trapshooting is to represent the U.S. at a future Olympic Games. The 2020 Summer Olympics are in Japan.
Trapshooters never count a target before it’s been broken.
But Bernau’s track record has shown she’d do well to keep her passport handy.
This will be the Grand Prize for the winning athlete!
Athletes will have the chance to compete head to head on Saturday, July 21st to determine the winner of this Fantastic prize!
Each day of the national championships, 1 boy and 1 girl will be named that days winner based on score and earn a case of shotgun shells. Those 8 guys and 8 girls will compete head to head to determine the events top guy and top girl. Then, they will compete head to head…..Girl vs Guy to determine the Grand Prize winner and owner of the Blaser F16!
The Blaser F16 Sporting with a retail value of approximately $4,500 has been donated by Double Guns of Nashville. Please thank them for this very generous donation!
COACHES/ADULT VOLUNTEERS! Play the Make A Break Game to determine the top coach each day! 8 top coaches will face off against each other for prizes to include a Winchester SX3 to the top coach! The Make A Break game is located in the Sporting Clays area of the Cardinal Center. Course will be open from 8:00am—8:00pm each day Cost to play is 2 game tickets (available at the registration building) or $10 per person! Good Luck to all participants!!
The 2018 SCTP National Team recently completed its fourth training camp at Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association in Cincinnati, Ohio. This was the last scheduled training camp for the team and team members Madeleine Taylor, Mark Shields, and Trevor Evelhair (not pictured) took advantage of one last opportunity to work with coaches Terri DeWitt and Joe Buffa.
Because not all of the SCTP National Team members could attend this 3-day training camp, available training spots were filled with local (and not so local) athletes coming from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Montana. Next up for most of these international trap and skeet competitors is the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships in Colorado Springs. July will see them back in Colorado Springs for the SCTP International National Championships where the 2019 SCTP National Team will be selected.