I recently spent time onsite at the 2019 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships, held from July 13 to 20, at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. The 90-degree plus record breaking temperatures (over 100-degrees with the heat index) didn’t stop these young athletes from completing their missions.
Sponsored by CZ-USA
A carnival-like atmosphere is how I would describe this shooting sports event. Twenty banner flags, each with the name of a different state in attendance, lined the entrance drive to Cardinal Shooting Center. Food trucks, golf carts with team flags and smiling faces could be seen everywhere. CZ-USA represented themselves in a big way with flags, signs, tents and banners placed throughout its demo area.
Every day, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., CZ-USA ran a qualifier for the world record that its shotgun product manager, Dave Miller, along with 4 youth shooters are to attempting to set on October 12 in Lenexa, Kansas. Each competitor in the qualifier shot at 50 Chandelle / Teal type presentations at 30 meters. This score counts for 50% of their application scores. The other 50% is a written essay.
The 2019 SCTP National Championships had more than 6,300 entries in Skeet, Skeet Doubles, Trap, Trap Doubles, Handicap Trap, Sporting Clays and Bunker Trap, its largest event on record. Two-hundred forty teams from 30 states, with 2,343 athletes, competed. Throughout the 8 days, SCTP threw almost 2 million targets for competition, practice and side games – quite a record breaker for SCTP.
The 2019 SASP National Championships saw 1,535 entries in Rimfire Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, 1911 Class Pistol, Iron Rifle, Optics Rifle and Pistol Caliber Rifle, a record-breaking event. Sixt-five teams, from 20 states with 562 athletes, competed. These competitors shot a whopping 220,000 shots throughout the 8-day event.
The politeness of the young athletes at the 2019 SCTP and SASP National Championship impressed me. I heard “please,” “thank you,” “yes, ma’am” and more all day long, every day. On the first day, their consistent handshakes with eye contact and smiles caught me off-guard. I soon realized this was the norm, these are polite, well-mannered kids who have a respect for firearms, their peers and adults.
Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) website.
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) website.
Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) website.
Mark your calendars now for the 2020 SCTP and SASP National Championships July 11 to 18.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and GTM Original. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
That is so awesome. I heard similar stories from many of the other athletes … they found something they love.
My daughter Leyla Arambul attended the SASP National competition for the first time this year after only 2 months of joining action shooting and completely fell in love with the sport! I am very glad she finally found an interest as no other extra curricular activity caught her attention! This was an awesome event and great experience for both if us.
Very nice shooting by Grace Marlen! However, she is not the first female in SCTP history to shoot a straight 200 in trap. A female did that last year at the 2018 SCTP Nationals 😉
Thank you Barry for reading WOmen’s Outdoor News. The information gathered came directly from SCTP.
My daughter Leyla Arambul attended the SASP National competition for the first time this year after only 2 months of joining action shooting and completely fell in love with the sport! I am very glad she finally found an interest as no other extra curricular activity caught her attention! This was an awesome event and great experience for both of us.