Athletes Score High At Unusual State Championships, Program Welcomes New Recruits

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Tennessee SCTP State Championships looked very different than in past years, but the competition was as exciting as ever.

A total of 764 student-athletes, from all across the state competed in three shotgun shooting sports disciplines: trap, skeet, and sporting clays.

Five athletes shot a 100 straight—one in skeet and four in trap—for a perfect score.

To ensure the health and safety of participants, Tennessee Wildlife Federation took a number of precautions, including adjusting the competition format to minimize exposure, requiring participants to wear masks, reducing group gatherings, and hosting virtual safety briefings.

“We’re so thankful to the athletes, parents, coaches, and volunteers for being flexible and adapting to the new safety measures,” said Andrew Peercy, Tennessee SCTP manager. “We know how important this competition is to the community, but our focus has and will always be safety first.”

After the State Championships wrapped up a successful 2020 season for Tennessee SCTP, the program’s attention was turned toward recruiting new athletes for the new year.

In late September, the Federation held statewide Recruiting Days where youth—and an accompanying parent or guardian—were invited to learn about the shotgun shooting sports and try hitting a few targets on their own.

>>LEARN MORE: Find a Tennessee SCTP team near you

More than 650 kids registered to attend at one of 18 Recruiting Day locations across the state. “As one of the biggest and best shooting programs in the nation, we are excited to welcome and introduce new athletes to the sport,” said Andrew.

Beginners were guided through proper firearm safety and received instruction from a highly-trained coach before having the chance to hit a few practice targets of their own.