The fastest-growing high school sport in America got a bit bigger in 2016, as the USA high school Clay Target League added nine new states from all parts of the country.
“We are tremendously excited to offer clay target shooting to high school athletes across the country” said Jim Sable, Executive Director of the USAHSCTL, “such high participation in our first year shows the demand for alternative high school activities related to America’s longstanding outdoor traditions.”
States that formed high-school clay target leagues include: New York, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon, Michigan, South Dakota, Illinois, and New Mexico.
The league’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to high schools in America. The league is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.
“We take pride in that athletes of all types are able to participate in clay target shooting,” John Nelson, Vice President of the USAHSCTL, remarked. “Our True Team® scoring system is also designed so that everyone can compete, not just the top scorers on a team.”
Upon completion of the Spring League, all student athletes were invited to participate in individual and team competitions at 2016 State Tournaments in each state. The events are were held in June.
The addition of the nine new states brings the total number of participants in the league to over 15,000, making it the largest high-school based trap shooting program in the world, and with room to grow.
