Spring has arrived which means that a variety of HF sports have started. One of the sports that doesn’t get much attention is the trap shooting team. Not many people even understand what trap shooting is or how it is played. This is surprising because Minnesota has over 42 high school teams and even holds the largest skeet/trap shooting competition in the country (USA Clay Target League). Holy Family competes at the state level each year in this tournament. While Minnesota is one of the most prominent skeet/trap shooting states, it is generally overshadowed by larger sports like hockey and football. 

The HF Trap team is led by Mr. Egan and Mr. Livermore. The team has over 30+ members who range from 8th graders to Holy Family seniors. Meets are held every Tuesday night at the Watertown Rod and Gun Club. These meets consist of announcements, awards, and competitions. Mr Egan states, “The team splits up into groups of five at each station.” The stations have five different positions where shooters will stand, an elevated platform for the scorer, and a house that throws the clay targets. Players will shoot five rounds at each of the five positions twice. That means each player will shoot two sets of 25 rounds. Each round is scored by a scorer who keeps track of each player’s hits and misses. Players can receive special awards for hitting 25 targets in a row. Each week, scores are recorded by the team and then submitted to the USA Clay Target League. Teams and players from various high schools are then ranked based on their scores.

While trap shooting is usually shadowed by other high school sports, it is still a great activity that allows students to get outside and compete. It is a low-commitment sport which makes it desirable for many students who play other sports and work during the spring. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mr. Egan or Mr. Livermore for more information. As the spring continues, remember to support all of the clubs and activities that Holy Family students participate in.