By mid-June all the North Dakota “traditional” spring
sport state events are wrapped up, but there’s still hundreds of kids awaiting
their “shot” at state tournament honors. And yes, that is a pun intended.
The North Dakota State High School Clay Target League
2019 state tournament is
June 15-16 at The Shooting Park near Horace. It’s an
increasingly popular event that has seen participation more than double in just
the last three years, necessitating an extra day so everyone who wants to
compete can get in their 100 targets.
This
spring, nearly 1,700 students from 63 North Dakota high school teams are
participating in the clay target league,with more than 1,300 students from 50 high
school teams are expected to participate in the season-ending state meet.
In
2016, the total was more than 400 student
athletes representing 23 high schools, with about 360 participants at the one-day
state tournament.
One of the neat aspects of clay
target state tournament is that there is no qualifying like there is for most
other state athletic events. All league participants are invited to attend and compete at
the same venue. Individuals compete within their assigned shooting skill
classification based on their year-end season average. Teams use their top
five members’ scores from any classification for their team score.
“Clay target shooting as an activity for North Dakota
high school athletes continues to grow rapidly,” said John Nelson, president of
the NDSHSCTL, “The record-setting growth we’ve seen shows the demand for
alternative high school activities related to the state’s longstanding outdoor
traditions.”
The all-inclusive nature creates opportunities for
boys and girls of all ages, skills and abilities. The league is fully Title IX
compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team.
Additionally, it’s an “adaptive” sport, which allows students with physical
disabilities to take part.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is a presenting
partner of the clay target league, with a grant program that can help new teams
get started, as well as improve facilities at clay target ranges. In addition,
Game and Fish is also involved with sponsorship of the state tournament.
“This is a great fit for us,” said Marty Egeland, Game
and Fish Department education supervisor. “It’s the same type of interest we’re
seeing in our National Archery in the Schools program. A lot of kids are
participating because of the opportunity to be a part of a team.”
The North Dakota State High School Clay Target League
is a member of the
USA High School Clay
Target League
. The league is the independent provider of clay target
shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for high
schools and students in grades 6 through 12. The organization’s priorities are
safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order. Each student is required to pass
a comprehensive firearm safety education course prior to participation.
Nationwide, more than 32,000 students representing
over 1,000 school-approved teams participated in the league during the 2018-19
school year.
