NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/823575
MAY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 69 high school and college shooting teams has helped gun clubs across Nebraska immensely. The daily traffic at my facility has grown by 5-10 percent in the last few years due solely to high school and college shooters." Skeet Hiers, manager of Lincoln Trap and Skeet Club, agrees: "It has helped our facility a lot. And we encourage young people by letting them shoot at a discounted rate." Universities in Nebraska and other states are taking notice. Although collegiate shooting teams have existed in Nebraska for many years, they were mainly student-led club teams with limited funding from the schools. Smaller, private universities are stepping in with scholarships and financial support. Midland University in Fremont and Hastings College began shooting teams in 2013, with both experiencing rapid growth. The following year I formed a team at Concordia University in Seward, while Doane University began its program this fall. Nebraska has fast become a hotbed for collegiate shooting. At last year's national tournament in San Antonio, Texas, there were 697 students representing 76 universities. This is double the number of just four years ago. For young shooters interested in competing in college, the main difference is the higher level of competition and number of disciplines shot. Although American trap is common, collegiate tournaments include multiple disciplines such as American skeet, double trap, wobble trap, sporting clays, five-stand and some international events as well. The good news for college coaches is that more high school shooters are expanding their shooting repertoire as the opportunities for college scholarships increase. I encourage all of our young shooters in Nebraska to keep working hard in school and on their shooting. The opportunity for you to keep competing and enjoying the shooting sports is only going to grow. ■ COMPETITORS prepare to shoot at the Cornhusker Trapshoot as a scorer looks on. My experience in starting and coaching a team at Concordia University has been amazing. The initial team of five grew quickly to a roster of 20 this past fall, necessitating hiring an assistant coach. Our roster, which includes seven women, consists mainly of Nebraska students but also includes shooters from MN, SD, TX, CO, WI, and KS. At Concordia, we treat our shooting team like the other athletic teams by offering scholarships and covering the costs of ammunition, fees and travel. It has been rewarding working with these young adults who have put the time and effort into becoming excellent and well-rounded shooters. Coaching