Newtown, Connecticut—Shotgun sports are gaining popularity among male and female youths in America, statistics show. To witness this trend in action, one need look no further than the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), a national shooting league now active in more than 35 states, with nearly 7,000 participants.

State championship shoots have begun and will continue through August.

By the end of summer, national champion teams will be crowned in trap, skeet and sporting clays. Winners will receive scholarship awards, trophies and more.

"SCTP is experiencing phenomenal growth nationwide. Last year alone, the program saw a more than 50 percent increase in participation, not to mention an 84 percent increase in female competitors," said Zach Snow, SCTP national coordinator for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which developed the program.

SCTP's skeet and sporting clays national championships will be held in Rush, N.Y., in July while the SCTP national trap championships are slated for Sparta, Ill., in August. To qualify for these national events, youngsters are competing in SCTP events all over the country. A schedule of state championships is posted at www.nssf.org/sctp. The schedule is updated frequently as more states post their event dates.

Snow said SCTP allows elementary through high school-age youths to compete as a team while participants learn safe firearms handling, discipline, responsibility, leadership and teamwork.

Last year's SCTP national trapshooting championships—held in conjunction with the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships—attracted a record 1,564 youths, accounting for nearly 25 percent of all participation at the Grand American. The annual Grand American is the world's largest trapshooting competition.

The skeet and sporting clays nationals, held in Detroit, also attracted a record number of participants.

"In a 2005 SCTP survey, 94 percent of parents said competitive shooting is a positive influence in their child's development. In fact, 98 percent of SCTP parents believe shooting is just as important as other sports, and 94 percent would support shotgun sports as a school-based athletic program," said Snow.

For more information about your state's SCTP program, contact your state director or NSSF public relations director Steve Wagner at 203-426-1320 or swagner@nssf.org.


2006 Scholastic Clays State Shoot Calendar
As of April 21, 2006

If your SCTP State Championship event is not listed, please contact your SCTP State Director for the event date and location.

AK
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 07/15/06 - Birchwood Rec. & Shooting Park, Chugiak, AK


AL
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 05/20/06 - Top of the Rock

AR
Clays -- 05/26/06 - Blue Rock Gun Club
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/14/06-6/18/06 - Remington GC, Lonoke, AR

AZ
Clays -- 04/29/06 - Ben Avery, Phoenix, AZ
Skeet -- 04/01/06 - Tucson Gun Club, Tucson, AZ
Trap -- 03/25/06 - Red Mtn. , Scottsdale, AZ

CA
Clays -- 6/30/06-7/2/06 - Triple B Clays Shotgun Sports Park
Skeet -- 06/30/06 - Kern County Gun Club, Bakersfield CA
Trap -- 06/18/06 - Kingsburg GC, Kingsburg, CA

CO
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- 6/10/06-6/11/06 - Tri-Service Sportsman Club Buckley AF BAurora,CO
Trap -- 06/17/06 - Delta Trap Club, Delta CO

CT
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/23/06-6/25/06 - Hartford GC, East Granby

DE
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 05/28/06 - Delaware State TA, Millington, MD

FL
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- 5/13/06-5/14/06 - Silver Dollar Gun Club, Odessa, FL
Trap -- 05/13/06 - Silver Dollar SC, Odessa, FL

GA
Clays -- 6/10/06-6/11/06 - Ocmulgee River Gun Club, Macon GA
Skeet -- 6/10/06-6/11/06 - Ocmulgee River Gun Club, Macon GA
Trap -- 04/29/06 - South River Gun Club,Covington, GA

HI
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/15/06-6/18/06 - Maui Clay Target A, Ukumehame, HI

IA
Clays -- 07/08/06 - New Pioneer Gun Club, Waukee IA
Skeet -- 06/24/06 - New Pioneer Gun Club, Waukee IA
Trap -- 05/06/06 - Stockdale Gun Club, Ackley IA

ID
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 5/26/06-5/29/06 - Pocatello TC, Pocatello

IL
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/8/06-7/9/06 - World Shooting & Rec. Complex, Sparta, IL

IN
Clays -- 08/19/06 - Indian Creek Shooting Center ,Georgetown,IN
Skeet -- 06/10/06 - St. Joe Conservation Club St. Joe (tentative)
Trap -- 7/11/06-7/16/06 - Indiana Public GC, Fortville, IN

KS
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/10/06 - Wichita, KS (KTA)

KY
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/28/06 - Central KY, Berea, KY

LA
Clays -- 6/9/06-6/11/06 - Covey Rise in Husser,LA.
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 5/19/06-5/21/06 - Hunter's Run GC, Port Allen

MA
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/9/06-6/11/06 - Minuteman SC, Burlington, MA

MD
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/24/06 - Maryland State, Millington, MD

ME
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/14/06-7/16/06 - Searborough TC, Searborough

MI
Clays -- 06/24/06 - Detroit Sportsmen's Congress, Utica, MI
Skeet -- 06/24/06 - Detroit Sportsmen's Congress, Utica, MI
Trap -- 07/01/06 - MTA, Mason, MI

MN
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 07/15/06 - Alexandria SP, Alexandria, MN

MO
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 5/15/06-5/21/06 - MTA, Linn Creek, MO

MS
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 5/25/06-5/28/06 - Corinth GC, Corinth, MS

MT
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/8/06-7/9/06 - Great Falls T&SC, Great Falls, MT

NC
Clays -- 06/03/06 - Spartanburg GC, Spartanburg, SC (tentative)
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 07/15/06 - Old Hickory Gun & Rifle Club, Bostic,NC

ND
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/20/06-7/23/06 - The Shooting Park, Fargo, ND

NE
Clays -- 05/21/06 - HeartlandShootingComplex, Grand Island
Skeet -- 05/21/06 - HeartlandShootingComplex, Grand Island
Trap -- 6/21/06-6/25/06 - Central NE GC, Doniphan, NE

NH
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/14/06-7/16/06 - Minuteman SC, Burlington, MA

NJ
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/03/06 - Pine Belt Sportsmans Club,Shomong, NJ

NM
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/21/06-6/25/06 - NRA Whittington Center, Raton, NM

NV
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/10/06 - Spring Creek T&SC, Elko, NV

NY
Clays -- 07/14/06 - Rochester Brooks Gun Club
Skeet -- 06/24/06 - Tonawanda Sportsmens Club
Trap -- 7/11/06-7/16/06 - NYSATA, Cicero, NY

OH
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/19/06 - OSTA Homegrounds, Marengo, OH

OK
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 5/30/06-6/4/06 - OTA TP, El Reno, OK

OR
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 4/20/06-4/23/06 - Walla Walla GC, WA

PA
Clays -- 07/08/06 - Central Penn SC, Wellsville PA
Skeet -- 06/11/06 - Union City Sportsman's Club, Union City, PA
Trap -- 06/17/06 - Valley Gun & Country Club, Elysburg, PA

RI
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/2/06-6/4/06 - Wallum Lake R&GC, Harrisville, RI

SC
Clays -- 06/03/06 - Spartanburg GC, Spartanburg, SC (tentative)
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/03/06 - Spartanburg GC, Spartanburg, SC (tentative)

SD
Clays -- 8/19/06-8/20/06 - Rapid City Trap & Skeet Club
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/12/06-7/16/06 - Crooks GC, Sioux Falls, SD

TN
Clays -- 7/7/06-7/8/06 - Flint Springs in Cleveland TN
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/24/06-6/25/06 - Nashville Gun Club

TX
Clays -- 04/15/06 - Rock Creek, Joshua TX
Skeet -- 06/03/06 - Waco Gun Club
Trap -- 06/04/06 - Waco Gun Club

UT
Clays -- 6/16/06-6/18/06 - Holldaway's Sporting Clays
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/03/06 - Greater Salt Lake Area, Salt Lake City, UT

VA
Clays -- 04/30/06 - Old Forge Sporting Clays, Providence Forge, VA
Skeet -- 05/21/06 - Conservation Park, Charles City, VA
Trap -- 05/20/06 - Piedmont SC, Gordonsville, VA

VT
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- 06/02/06 - Underhill Rod & Gun Club, Westford, VT (tentative)
Trap -- 6/16/06-6/18/06 - Montpelier GC, Montpelier, VT

WA
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 4/20/06-4/23/06 - Walla Walla GC, WA

WI
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 06/17/06 - Sauk Prairie Trap and Skeet

WV
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 7/6/06-7/9/06 - Brooke Co S&FA, Wellsburg, WV

WY
Clays -- not yet scheduled
Skeet -- not yet scheduled
Trap -- 6/27/06-7/2/06 - Torrington TC, Torrington, WY