Students say they love it, school administrators have called it very beneficial, and members of the Holley Rod & Gun Club say they are excited to bring the thrill and discipline of shooting sports to a new generation.
The newly formed Holley Hawks Clay Target Trap League team was approved in February 2017 by the Holley Central School Board of Education. Seventeen students are now members of the team which competes with other school clay target trap teams across New York State.
“We wanted to perpetuate the sport and get kids involved,” says Holley Rod & Gun Club member Debbie Day, regarding the formation of the team. She is especially appreciative of the support of Holley School Board member Melissa Ierlan, who brought the idea before the Board of Education in January and who’s son Kyle, is now a member of the team.
“Melissa grabbed the bull by the horns,” Day says of Ierlan’s work to get the team started. The Holley Rod & Gun Club sponsors the team and weekly shoots are held on the Holley Rod & Gun Club grounds in Clarendon. The team is open to students in grades 6-12.
Ierlan’s son, Kyle, is an 11th grader at Holley Central. He says the weekly shoots are a way for him to relieve stress. “It’s fun,” he says of the sport.
Trapshooting is one of three major sports of competitive clay target shooting sports with a shotgun, the New York State High School Clay Target League explains. In trapshooting, clay targets are launched from a single “house” or machine generally away from the shooter.
“It’s a great thing, it’s awesome,” Coach John Waldron says of the Holley Central team. Waldron co-coaches the team with Doug Baker. Some of the team members are experienced shooters, Waldron and Baker say, while others are novices, never having shot a gun before joining the team.
Safety is a priority – all team members must complete League-approved safety training. Parents must transport their children and guns to and from the shoots.
Shooting sports has much to offer students, Debbie Day explains. “You must be very focused and concentrate,” she says. The sport also, “provides a niche for kids who don’t fit into soccer, basketball or baseball.” She adds that parents have expressed their appreciation for the opportunity the clay target trap team provides for their children.
Team member scores are submitted to the state organization after each week’s shoot. The Holley Hawks Trap League is Class A, Conference 2 of the state organization and as of week three, was ranked third in the state standings. Team members will have a chance to participate in the State Shoot in June, following the spring trap shooting season.
Team members are enthused to have the new opportunity to participate in a team sport which also engages them with a community organization.
Senior Bailey Schubmehl says he wishes the team had started earlier in his high school career. “I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors,” he said. “I’m glad I got to participate.” Bailey adds that trap shooting is a lifetime sport and he can see continuing with it well beyond high school.
The team is co-ed, and 11th grader Kelsie Johnstone says she is a complete novice to the sport, but enjoys it. “I’ve accepted the fact that I’m pretty bad,” she says with a sense of humor about the challenges of clay target trap shooting, “the coaches help a ton.”
