We are excited to introduce these individuals who have been selected as additional State Advisors for the SCTP in Texas. Each of them has considerable experience as coaches of SCTP teams and is passionate about giving back to the program as State Advisors!
Mario Gonzalez, Austin/San Antonio Region
In the spring of 2019, Mario organized a team for his daughter’s high school, St. John Paul II Catholic High School. He serves as the head coach and is pleased to have an amazing amount of support from the school’s leadership, students, and parents. In just its second season, approximately 15% of the school’s student body were a member of the clay team and also members of SCTP. Since then, Mario has been active in helping to establish the Austin/San Antonio Region for SCTP. When he’s not coaching, Mario enjoys all types of hunting, fly fishing, and traveling with his family. Madeline Maggard, Northeast Region
Madeline coaches for Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas which is in its third year. She has seven years of shooting experience, most of which is actually with action shooting sports. Jesuit has both a shotgun and pistol team, with forty-seven young SCTP and SASP athletes. In her free time, she shoots in steel challenge and GSSF matches, does a little hunting, and enjoys sharing her love of the shooting sports with others!Don Williams, Northeast Region
I’ve been coaching youth shotgun for about 10 years. I started coaching 4-H in 2009 for Ellis county 4-H shooting sports. In 2015, I started the Red Oak High School shotgun team and served as Head Coach for about three years, as well as coaching 4-H. I got out of coaching for a couple of years and realized how much I missed it. I’m back in it now as head coach for the Waxahachie High School shotgun team.Kris Keith, Northwest Region
My name is Kris Keith I have been coaching at SCTP for last five years. Currently, I am the head coach for the Fossil Pointe Legends in the Texas Northwest Division. I am currently an NRA certified Shotgun Instructor and NRA Level 1 Coach. I am married with two daughters, one college grad and the other a former SCTP competitor and college student. I enjoy outdoors hunting and fishing and I also shoot NSCA events as much as possible. I want to help grow young shooters in the sport so that it will be around for our future.
The
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) announces some changes in venue and
format for its International Style National Championships 2020 and well beyond!
The SCTP International-Style National Championships, formerly held in Colorado Springs, CO will now be held at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. In conjunction with the SCTP’s American Style National Championships being held July 11-18, the “International Style” National Championships will be held on the front end, running from July 9-12. Open training will take place July 7-8 with International Skeet Championships taking place July 9-10 and Bunker Trap Championships taking place July 11-12. An awards ceremony will follow International Style competition on Sunday, July 12.
“We couldn’t
be happier to have the SCTP’s International Style National Championships come
to the Cardinal Center here in Marengo Ohio, we welcome them with open arms!”
stated Jack Fishburn, owner of the Cardinal Center.
“The SCTP
has demonstrated its commitment to growth in the youth shooting sports,
establishing itself as a great asset to the Cardinal Center’s plans to provide
and build the best shooting and camping facility in the world!” added Luke
Spengler, Cardinal Center Trap Manager.
The Cardinal
Center has committed to build four state of the art International Skeet and
Bunker field overlays on their massive property west of the current sporting
clays ranges. Supplying the fields with equipment will be up to the SCTP and
its sponsors. To date, the SCTP will be providing one set of Bunker machines
and Promatic has agreed to supply one set as well. The remaining two fields will be constructed
by the Cardinal Center, but will remain non-operational until funds can be
raised to supply trap machines and related equipment. “Promatic is very excited
to see the SCTP support International shooting and its athletes in this manner!
They are definitely making a difference and filling a pipeline of athletes for
tomorrow’s Olympians.” commented Jim Moses, CEO for Promatic. “The SCTP is
proof that through hard work and dedication to youth shooting, they can make a
difference and offer real opportunities for our young athletes. We couldn’t be
prouder to be involved!”
Not only
will the International Style Championships be held in Marengo for the
foreseeable future, the Cardinal Center will be dubbed “Home of the SCTP
International Team”, lead by coach Terri DeWitt!
“This is a
real game changer for SCTP athletes, teams and families across the country!” said
Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “To bring both of our National
Championships together under one roof is absolutely a dream come true! Parents
and families will not have to choose which tournament they want to attend, as they
can attend both now! This single venue schedule costs them less money and less
time off of work, with less travel. We can’t thank the Cardinal Center and
Promatic enough for their commitment to youth shooting and the SCTP!”
The SCTP’s International Team will begin training this spring/summer in Marengo and has its sights set on attending a Junior Cup International competition later this summer in Finland. Lead by coach DeWitt, these athletes are getting some of the best training available, along with help and support from the likes of Dr. Jason Selk, Dr. Cathy Arnot, 2-time Olympian Connie Smotek and SSG Dustan Taylor of the US Army Marksmanship Unit’s Skeet Team!
If you are
interested in supporting or sponsoring the SCTP and/or the SCTP’s International
Team, please contact SCTP National Director Tom Wondrash at twondrash@sssfonline.com
The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) announces its continued support from SKB Shotguns out of Omaha Nebraska. SKB known for its fine side by side, over/under and single barrel competitive shotguns will support the SCTP as a Platinum level Sponsor for 2020. SKB offers a wide variety of quality firearms that fit the competitive shooter and hunter alike!
“We are pleased to support the SCTP and its national youth program!” remarked Rob Johansen, owner and CEO of SKB Shotguns. “The SCTP gives back to its teams and coaches in many ways, we are extremely happy to be part of this quality program and its teams, athletes and coaches.”
“Rob Johansen and SKB have been a strong supporter of SCTP, our coaches and families for years” said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “They offer quality firearms at a good price for our youth shooters and are not only sponsors of our program, they are partners with us! We appreciate all of their continued support and trust in making the SCTP the number one youth shooting organization in the world!”
Look for Rob and the SKB team at the SCTP Regional, state and National Championship events during the 2020 shooting year. SKB shotguns can be tried out at the SCTP National Championships in the grandstands area for no charge! They have a gun for almost every budget and dealers across the country that would love to work with you. Coaches, SKB also has a wonderful team raffle program available to all SCTP Teams!
Burlington, Wisconsin: The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) would
like to acknowledge the support from a local firearm manufacturer, Kolar Arms!
Kolar, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of high-quality shotguns continues
to support the SCTP with a donation of one of their finest shotguns, The Kolar “Low Max” over/under. This
shotgun will be available in either a sporting/skeet model or a trap model. The
donation is estimated at roughly $12,000.
The Kolar shotgun will be used as part of the 2020 SCTP National Raffle and the
winner will be drawn at the SCTP National Championships in July.
“Kolar is absolutely delighted to sponsor the SCTP again in 2020 with
a fully American-made shotgun”, stated Sean Mainland, of Kolar Arms. “SCTP has
demonstrated its ability to use a donation to support not only the source, but
support its teams, families and athletes across the country. That win-win
attitude is exactly what companies like Kolar are looking for!”
“We appreciate the continued support and confidence that Kolar has
placed in the SCTP”, said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “We are very grateful
for the donation and look forward to a long-lasting relationship. Helping make
Kolar a household name with our youth shooting teams across the country is what
we are going for! The Kolar Shotgun has been a staple on our National
Fundraiser raffle for several years now, and this donation has helped many of
our teams raise much needed funds!”
If you are interested in supporting youth shooting programs with a
donation or sponsorship, please contact the SCTP or Tom Wondrash at twondrash@sssfonline.com
About Kolar
Kolar’s
competition shotguns have made their mark, winning numerous World Skeet, ATA
Grand American, and National, World, and FITASC Sporting Clay titles. Kolar
continually improves its guns to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of
competitive and recreational shooters. For more information, visit www.kolararms.com
As 2019 drew to a close, the SCTP International Team gathered in Tucson, AZ for the year’s last training camp, December 28-30. Since most of the team members will be participating in USA Shooting’s Olympic Trials Part 2 being held at Tucson Trap and Skeet next month, it made sense to get some training on this range. “Honestly, the weather was really awful this week,” remarked Coach Terri DeWitt. “But it was an excellent opportunity for the athletes to get a game plan for sustained winds and cold temperatures in case we have the same thing next month.”
Athletes attending this camp were: Erin Lokke, Emily Rasmussen, Madeline Corbin, Josh Corbin, Jordan Sapp, Kyle Fleck, Preston Bailey, Sarah Schwacher, Joe Witty, Quinn Schuppner, Peter Meola, Tony Meola, Kevin Whitehead, Alexa Paxson, Ella McLerran, Sydney Krieger, and Madeleine Taylor.
Lending their expertise to the training camp were two subject matter experts; two-time Olympian Connie Smotek, who coached Skeet and Physical Therapist Dr. Cathy Arnot who assessed the strength, flexibility, and balance of each athlete as well as led group exercises. Each athlete left the camp with Dr. Arnot’s individual recommendations for home programs intended to address any impairment and to maximize performance. “It was a pleasure to meet and work with such a talented group of young shooting athletes,” she said.
On the benefit of having an individual exercise protocol, skeet athlete Jordan Sapp commented, “With this I can properly stretch to feel more comfortable on the first round of the day.” Skeet athlete Preston Bailey also enjoyed the camp, remarking, “ I loved the coaching and definitely picked up some hot tips that are going to serve me well! I loved being able to work with Dr. Cathy and learn how to properly prepare myself.”
The SCTP
International Team would like to thank the staff at Tucson Trap and Skeet for
their generous hospitality in hosting the camp.
Training camps
for 2020 are still in the planning stages.
“We have some
fantastic opportunities for SCTP International Team athletes coming up this
year that may include some overseas travel!” Added Tom Wondrash, SCTP National
Director. “We are working hard making sure these athletes have every opportunity
to succeed and have as many tools as we can muster up for them! We can’t thank
Coach DeWitt enough for her passion and the diligence she has shown ensuring
the best possible outcome for these athletes, this team is going places!”
Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation will again join #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide.
Occurring this year on December 3rd, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.
#GivingTuesday is also a great opportunity to drive donations for your SCTP or SASP team through our Vision 2020 campaign! Simple posts to your social media sites and/or e-mails to team members, parents, friends and business associates can make a difference! All you have to do is share your team ID and the link to donate!
This year we are offering a special incentive for teams on #GivingTuesday! We will be awarding this Henry Big Boy Rifle and Ruger Black Hawk revolver to the team with the most unique donors making online donations on December 3rd.
Here are the requirements:
SCTP/SASP teams must be registered for the Vision 2020 campaign. Team registration information and materials can be found at the bottom of our official campaign page.
Teams must raise a minimum of $500 through online donations on December 3rd to be eligible for the Henry / Ruger combo.
Winning team will be the team with the highest count of individual donors making a donation of $10 or more on December 3, 2019. In case of a tie, the team with the largest individual donation amount will win.
Donors must use your SSSF team id at the time of the donation. Contact us if you don’t know your SSSF team ID
Online donations must be made on December 3rd, 2019 in order to count towards this Combo Gun competition.
Total campaign donations, including all participating teams, must exceed $10,000 on December 3rd for the Henry / Ruger combo to be awarded. Note, donations on #GivingTuesday in 2018 exceeded $10,000.
The SCTP would like to announce the addition of some of its
newest State Advisors for the 2019/2020 competition season.
Angie Everson of
Midland, Sylvia McCart from
Nicholson and Steve Lane of Madison
have all agreed to help in assisting teams, athletes and coaches in the state
of Georgia. Angie brings several
years of experience and dedication to the SCTP and currently coaches the Harris
County Shotgun Team. Sylvia is currently an assistant coach with the Georgia
Claybusters and Steve has been the Head Coach of the Lake Oconee Shotgun Team
for some time! The growing number of teams and athletes in Georgia sure welcome
their guidance and help with state and local events and for being the boots on
the ground. We appreciate them stepping up and thank them for their dedication
to the SCTP!
Michael Jacks of
Grenada will be assisting new teams, athletes and coaches in the state of Mississippi! Mississippi, one of the
newest states to get involved with the SCTP, is seeing some significant
interest and growth in the youth shooting sports. Home to the Winchester
supported shooting facility, The McIvor Shooting Center, SCTP is working on a
plan for a spring 2020 Regional shoot to be held there. Michael is involved
with the Cypress Creek Shotgun Sports Team and looks forward to working with
new teams and coaches joining the SCTP!
Andy Croley of
Williamsburg has agreed to assist teams, athletes and coaches in the state of Kentucky. We have started to see more
interest and excitement in Kentucky and look forward to the help there! Andy
heads up the Whitley County Clay Crushers and is excited to work with more
teams and coaches in an effort to grow youth shooting in the state of Kentucky!
Kevin Kozel of
Carmichaels Pennsylvania, will be
assisting fellow State Advisors in PA in helping build new teams, adding
athletes and overall growing of the SCTP! PA has seen regular steady growth
over the last few years and continues to garner more teams and athletes. Kevin
is involved with his local team, The Hunting Hills Hawkeyes where he has been
an assistant coach there for the last few years.
Dale Cason of
Yukon will be heading up efforts in the state of Oklahoma. Dale enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 children
and is an outdoor enthusiast. He spends time out hunting and shooting as well
as coaching his team the F5 Clay Crushers. We look forward to Dale’s help in
Oklahoma and growing the SCTP program there!
State Advisors are appointed positions by the SCTP National
Organization and renewed yearly. If you are interested in assisting the SCTP
with growing youth clay target shooting in your state, please reach out to your
Director of Development (western US) Jeff Morrison jmorrison@sssfonline.com or (Eastern
US) Chet Tuinstra ctuinstra@sssfonline.com.
We would be happy to have you!
Hillsdale, MI – Members of the 2019 SCTP National Team (NT) met in Hillsdale, Michigan over the Columbus Day weekend for their first training camp together. The camp was a short two days but that may have been a blessing as weekend temperatures failed to reach 50 degrees in the face of steady 10-15 mph winds. The 2019 NT athletes attending this camp were: Preston Bailey, Josh Corbin, Madeline Corbin, Kyle Fleck, Ella McLerran, Alexa Paxson, and Jordan Sapp. Also attending were Quinn Schuppner, Hamilton Spieth, and 2018 NT alumni Matthew Wells.
Back row, left to right: Quinn Schuppner, Hamilton Spieth, Jordan Sapp, Josh Corbin, Alexa Paxson, Ella McLerran. Front row, left to right: Madeline Corbin, Preston Bailey, Kyle Fleck, Matthew Wells.
Utilizing some indoor time, Coach Terri DeWitt introduced
the athletes to stretching and circuit training exercises designed to
strengthen core muscles and improve stability and SSG Dustan Taylor, member of
the US Army Marksmanship Unit Skeet Team, introduced the skeet athletes to new
drills and training techniques. Coach Taylor noted that while the high winds
made training difficult, it helped build confidence in the end. “I believe the
camp was a complete success,” he stated. Skeet athlete Preston Bailey agreed.
“I liked working with Coach Dustan and being able to train with the other team
members. Most of the time I train by myself, so this was a productive weekend
for me,” Bailey said.
“I’d like to thank the staff at the John Halter Shooting Sports Education Center here at Hillsdale College for their generous hospitality in hosting our training camp. Bart, Jim, and Judy made sure we had everything we needed. This is a first-class facility that has some exciting things in store for it,” stated Coach DeWitt.
The SCTP NT will get together again December 28-30 in
Tucson, AZ. They will have an opportunity to train on the same fields that will
be used to select the 2020 US Olympic Shooting Team at Olympic Trials Part 2
which starts February 25, 2020.
The SCTP National Team is selected from and based on the top
3 finishes for male and female athletes at the SCTP International National
Championships (in International Skeet and Bunker Trap) held each year at the
end of July. The national team seats from Sept. 1st through August
31st each year and athletes are invited to attend various camps and
competitions throughout the year. These athletes receive Winchester ammunition,
a Castellani national team vest sponsored by Ultimate Shooting accessories ,
entry fees and many other support materials entitled to membership on the team!
