Beginning in the 1920’s in a town named Andover, Massachusetts, a small group of hunters took to shooting clay targets as a game and as a way to practice their wing shooting. As friendly rivalries started to develope, a series of uniform shots were developed to keep the shooting competitions fair and even for all who entered. It was from this that the modern version of skeet trap shooting developed into a international sport practiced by hunters and non-hunters alike.

Junior Garrett Shelton, started shooting when he was about seven years old, but didn’t start to shoot in competitions until about two years ago with some of his friends for the fun of it. His journey lead him to compete on the school’s team.

“I have shot competition for awhile and joined the school team to shoot more competitions.”

Shelton is the only one in his family who competes in these competitions. Shooting at clay birds with a Browning 725 sporting (12 ga), makes him feel good and he says that shooting could give him a chance for a scholarship.

Shelton’s favorite parts about skeet trapping is the competitions, and to be taught but Desi Edmends. Shooting does not take away Shelton’s viewpoint on school. He is more than happy to have practices and competitions on the weekends.

“I like everything on the weekends because i don’t get behind in school.”

With him loving the sport, practices have got Shelton to become a great shooter, and he would like to let his coach know how he feels about it, “Desi Edmends is my coach and she got me to shoot like I do today.”

At the beginning of last summer Senior, Broady Bodway started shooting clay birds just to get a taste of a new envirornment.  Being introduced to the sport by one of his good friends on the team, his favorite part would be traveling to the tournaments and the challenge that is given. Currently Bodway is the the only one in his family shooting. Competitions can be nerve wrecking but not for Broady,

“I feel relaxed, focused and not worried about anything else.”

Shooting with a Yildiz 12 gauge over and under, Bodway thinks that weekend practices and competitions are good because during this time of year it gets dark early. For anyone who does not know about the event he has described it a little to where you might get it. “It’s a competition where people of all ages try to hit the most targets in different games.”

Something that first started off as a game for close friends, turning into a competition to show off your skills, Garrett Shelton and Broady Bodway are two skeet trappers and competitions are now apart of their lives. They find the time to do something that they love and we want to wish them and the rest of the team good luck with future competitions.