This high school sport begins with a safety class for the over 1,800 student athletes around Kansas.

According to Chris Fritz, head coach for Southeast of Saline Trojans trapshooting team – students must complete their Hunter’s Safety Course before they can begin the journey at shooting sporting clays.

 

As the Trojans begin their third competitive season, Fritz says there are now nearly 100 high schools around the state with teams that will shoot this spring in a short season that lasts five weeks and ends with a state event in June.

The SES co-ed team does not travel at this time but competes by shooting for scores on Wednesday or Saturday, then submits the scores online to compile the standings.

Fritz credits his assistant coaches with keeping things safe and fun as the athletes continue to improve their shooting skills.

Participants compete with 12-gauge or 20-guage shotguns and shoot one target at a time, taking turns to try and hit 50 clay targets that are thrown into the air by an automatic machine.