Trap team hits the success bullseye

Tyler Hagberg, Online Editor-In-Chief

The bright orange clay pigeon flies over their heads as senior Erich Korth is at the ready to take fire with his 12-gauge shotgun.

Korth has a direct hit, tiny shards fall to the ground into a field.

He is a strong supporter and collaborator in the start of a trap shooting team for the high school in 2012, his freshman year. The trap shooting team has seen strong positive feedback from the student public and has just begun its fourth season.

“I got into trapshooting about four years ago by my dad when he brought my brother and I out to South Dakota,” said Korth. “He brought me out to South Dakota and Oakdale Gun Club and taught me how to shoot.

There are 5 stations and one person at each station at one time. Each person shoots five shells at each station then rotates, for a total round of 25 shots.”

Korth fell in love with the sport since that day and wanted to go trap shooting every day he could not. His love for the sport grew to her friends, and they decided to start a club through the school.

“I made a lot of friends since I started the trap team. The people in the club are super cool and really fun people. Also its really cool that they have the same hobby as I do which is pretty unique for high school kids,” said Korth.

The club functions in a competition against other schools and organizations, but it is not run like a normal sport’s competition.

“The competition between schools isn’t what you think it would be. We don’t actually go to their gun club or anything, its a virtual sport until state,” said Korth. “Every team has their designated day or days that they shoot once a week. Each kid shoots two rounds (25 pigeons per round so 50 total) and the scores get sent in and then updated for ranking and scoring online.”

When I started in 10th grade, the team was small but I think word of mouth got around about it after my first year and that’s why the big spike occurred. Kids are willing to try new things and they heard how fun trap shooting is.”

“The best part about it is watching the pigeon fly, squeezing the trigger and watching the hundreds of orange shards fall to the ground,” said Korth.