A meeting of parents and students interested in forming a trap shooting club at Becker High School drew an enthusiastic group to the BHS auditorium Monday night to hear more details about the program.
Organizers Chris Keeler and Cary Rauch gave a slide presentation on the organization and answered questions from attendees on the specifics of the program.
Keeler told the group the classroom portion of the program is expected to begin during the first week of March, with range sessions scheduled to follow. There will be a five-week competitive shooting season, he said.
Club members will shoot at the Monticello Rod and Gun Club Monday nights beginning at 4:30 p.m., and their scores will be posted and rankings shared on a web site which will update every Saturday night during the shooting season.
The sport is rapidly growing in the state, Rauch said, and club members can earn a varsity letter through participation. They will also have the opportunity to take part in the annual state tournament in early June.
Keeler said that the size of the club determines when a team will shoot at the state meet, and that he anticipates the Becker contingent will number between 20 and 50 shooters. An estimated 3,000 high school shooters took part in clays competition last year, and Keeler expected that number of grow to around 5,000 in the state this year.
Keeler said he and Rauch are in the process of becoming certified as shotgun coaches, and will have their certifications in advance of the program start in March. A number of other volunteer coaches will become certified in the future, Keeler said, with the ideal ratio being six or seven shooters per coach. Those interested in taking part do not need to have any prior knowledge of or training in trap shooting, as all needed information will be provided in the program.
Keeler and Rauch thanked the students and parents for their interest, and promised them a “fun and safe season” as the trap club gets underway. They also thanked Supt. Stephen Malone, Dave Niemi and Jesse O’Neil from the activities office and Michelle Peacock and Jenn Edling from Community Ed. for their support in getting the club underway.
For more information, contact Rauch at www.beckertrap@gmail.com, or visit Keeler at his gunsmithing shop in Becker.
