The Volunteer State's Big Springs Rookie trap team traveled to the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Trap Nationals not knowing what to expect, but together the five teammates managed to take second place with a combined 888 broken targets.
Coached by Steve Picklesimer and Troy and Janice Cooper, pre-teen shooters Cory Cooper and Brandon Colbert of Henderson, David Keefe of Tiptonville, Sean Picklesimer of Murfreesboro and Tanner Morgan of Christiana found themselves in the evening shoot-off after breaking 777 of their 1,000 targets in the qualifying round.
As the bright afternoon light faded to soft Ohio twilight in front of a crowd of nearly a thousand parents and fellow shooters, the Tennessee squad faced stiff competition in their shoot-off against rookie teams from Utah and Indiana, but skillfully held on to their lead over Indiana by breaking 111 of their 125 targets. Led by Cooper's hammering of 195 targets, the Big Springs youngsters finished 38 targets ahead of Indiana and only 15 targets out of first place.
"The team really pulled together and we are all incredibly impressed with their performance especially in-front of that huge shoot-off crowd. They handled themselves and the pressure so well," said Coach Picklesimer.
The SCTP Trap National Championships were held in Vandalia, Ohio, on August 8 and 9 during the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships. Teams from 35 states competed for the national titles in five divisions; Rookie, Junior Novice, Junior Experienced, Senior Novice and Senior Experienced. Big Springs was one of 13 teams competing in the Rookie Division.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation's Scholastic Clay Target Program provides students in 12th grade and under the opportunity to showcase their competitive shooting skills and earn state and national recognition. The Rookie Division is limited to shooters in fifth grade and below. The program is designed to instill in participants safe firearms handling, commitment, responsibility, leadership and teamwork.