A True Success Story: Jack’d up for Trap
Story by John Koney Five years ago seems like so long ago for Jack Gerstmeier. At the age of 10 1/2, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. Type 1 diabetes means that your pancreas no longer produces insulin that turn sugar and carbs into energy your body can use. It meant from now on he would require at least 4 shots a day to control his blood sugar for this chronic disease. The diagnosis took a toll on him both mentally and physically. He quit playing volleyball and basketball because it was very hard to control his diabetes early on. He was at the age where hormones and growth spurts wreak havoc on normal middle school boys, but trying to control blood sugars while your body begins that process is a challenge all in itself. Sports were no longer an important part of his daily life. Gradually things improved as he adjusted to his new normal. A year into his diagnosis he began receiving insulin through an insulin pump, which eliminated the 4 insulin shots each day. Things 
were slowly getting easier. Knowing how important it is to be active and involved he was approached by his dad and asked if he had any interest in trap shooting. His grandparents had been league trap shooters at the Waukesha Gun Club while his dad was growing up. He was excited to give it a try. He was ready to find something he could be good at with or without diabetes. Fast forward 3 years, Jack is now a varsity trap shooter for Poplar Creek Claybusters. He started at the intermediate level while in 8th grade. He traveled throughout southeastern Wisconsin shooting in tournaments and improving his skills that season. On June 26, 2016, he went to Rome, Wisconsin to shoot in the SCTP State Trap Tournament. He participated in the 21yd intermediate handicap and took 3rd place. This was a huge accomplishment for him in year one. While continuing to shoot trap for a second season, he was asked to tryout for a pistol and rifle team. He joined Lake Country Action Shooters (LCAS) in late May, 2017. He immediately began practices and on June 11, joined LCAS at State in Sturgeon Bay, WI. This would be his first pistol and rifle competition and the weather provided him a great challenge. Many of the teams opted to wait out the storm. Jack's coach insisted they persevere, if they could shoot in this they could shoot in anything. The team walked away with two 1st place ribbons for center fire pistol and optic rifle. It was quite an accomplishment in the few weeks he was with the team. Just a short 6 weeks after state, LCAS traveled to SASP Nationals in Marengo, Ohio. With a few additional weeks of practice for Jack, his JV squad walked away with three 1st place ribbons in optic rifle, iron rifle, and center fire pistol and a 2nd place in 1911. He returned to Marengo again in October this time as a member of the varsity squad and came home with four first place medals. To improve upon his success from the year before with Poplar Creek, Jack’s JV Squad took 1st place in the NWCTC Eastern Division Conference. Jack continued to improve, putting up some personal bests. With all the successes with his shooting teams last season, in August, 2017 Jack received the “artificial pancreas”. This is still not a cure for type 1 diabetes, but definitely a game changer for him. His continual blood sugar roller coasters have almost disappeared. His new pump, regulates his blood sugar with the use of a continuous glucose monitor that gives his pump blood sugar readings every 5 minutes and decides to give or not give him insulin based on the numbers. He is finally starting to feel “normal” again, thanks to the latest and greatest in medical technology. He is off to a great start again this year with both Poplar Creek Claybusters and Lake Country Action Shooters. For the first time in 2 years, he has had two 24/25 rounds this week. He is aiming for that 25/25 perfect round. He continues to work on reducing his time with pistol and rifle as he shoots at the varsity level this year. He looks forward to finishing this season strong in both disciplines, while looking ahead to the future. He continues to manage type 1 diabetes through technology and self discipline and is not going to let it stop him from achieving his goals. Jack credits the SCTP and SASP organizations for providing alternative sports for today’s youth. The coaching he has received in both disciplines and his continued development has given him a new level of confidence. His coaching and training along with his new pump allow him to walk up to the line not as a diabetic but as a competitor just like everyone else.
were slowly getting easier. Knowing how important it is to be active and involved he was approached by his dad and asked if he had any interest in trap shooting. His grandparents had been league trap shooters at the Waukesha Gun Club while his dad was growing up. He was excited to give it a try. He was ready to find something he could be good at with or without diabetes. Fast forward 3 years, Jack is now a varsity trap shooter for Poplar Creek Claybusters. He started at the intermediate level while in 8th grade. He traveled throughout southeastern Wisconsin shooting in tournaments and improving his skills that season. On June 26, 2016, he went to Rome, Wisconsin to shoot in the SCTP State Trap Tournament. He participated in the 21yd intermediate handicap and took 3rd place. This was a huge accomplishment for him in year one. While continuing to shoot trap for a second season, he was asked to tryout for a pistol and rifle team. He joined Lake Country Action Shooters (LCAS) in late May, 2017. He immediately began practices and on June 11, joined LCAS at State in Sturgeon Bay, WI. This would be his first pistol and rifle competition and the weather provided him a great challenge. Many of the teams opted to wait out the storm. Jack's coach insisted they persevere, if they could shoot in this they could shoot in anything. The team walked away with two 1st place ribbons for center fire pistol and optic rifle. It was quite an accomplishment in the few weeks he was with the team. Just a short 6 weeks after state, LCAS traveled to SASP Nationals in Marengo, Ohio. With a few additional weeks of practice for Jack, his JV squad walked away with three 1st place ribbons in optic rifle, iron rifle, and center fire pistol and a 2nd place in 1911. He returned to Marengo again in October this time as a member of the varsity squad and came home with four first place medals. To improve upon his success from the year before with Poplar Creek, Jack’s JV Squad took 1st place in the NWCTC Eastern Division Conference. Jack continued to improve, putting up some personal bests. With all the successes with his shooting teams last season, in August, 2017 Jack received the “artificial pancreas”. This is still not a cure for type 1 diabetes, but definitely a game changer for him. His continual blood sugar roller coasters have almost disappeared. His new pump, regulates his blood sugar with the use of a continuous glucose monitor that gives his pump blood sugar readings every 5 minutes and decides to give or not give him insulin based on the numbers. He is finally starting to feel “normal” again, thanks to the latest and greatest in medical technology. He is off to a great start again this year with both Poplar Creek Claybusters and Lake Country Action Shooters. For the first time in 2 years, he has had two 24/25 rounds this week. He is aiming for that 25/25 perfect round. He continues to work on reducing his time with pistol and rifle as he shoots at the varsity level this year. He looks forward to finishing this season strong in both disciplines, while looking ahead to the future. He continues to manage type 1 diabetes through technology and self discipline and is not going to let it stop him from achieving his goals. Jack credits the SCTP and SASP organizations for providing alternative sports for today’s youth. The coaching he has received in both disciplines and his continued development has given him a new level of confidence. His coaching and training along with his new pump allow him to walk up to the line not as a diabetic but as a competitor just like everyone else.
Young Guns, Lake Oconee, Forest City and Central Georgia represent 4 of the top 5 winning teams at the 2017 SCTP National Championship out of over 200 teams nationwide. Andrew Weiche and Tate Skipper, both of Macon, led the charge for Central Georgia Elite and ended up tied for the High Over All individual honor which was settled by a shoot-off that went Weiche’s way. Ambus Powell of the Worth County Shotgun Team finished third overall. Reanna Frauens of Coral Gables, Florida, won Ladies HOA shooting for the Young Guns at Quail Creek followed by Alexis Eidson and Dallas Ward for Central Georgia Elite. Men's Sporting Clays ended in a tie between perennial Georgia powerhouses Aaron Copelan of Lake Oconee and Kevin Bandt of the Brookine Top Shots. Copelan won the shoot-off to take the title. Andrew Weiche finished 3rd. The Ladies sporting champion was Central Georgia's Alexis Eidson followed by Reanna Frauens. Ashley Blenker of Quail Creek and Camryn McCraney of Etowah Valley tied for 3rd. Sunday’s Skeet event ended with three perfect scores of 100 by Tate Skipper, Reanna Frauens and Buford’s Camryn McCraney, who shoots for the Etowah Valley Mambas. Skipper eventually won the event via shoot-off, and then Frauens defeated McCraney to win the Ladies Division. Lake Oconee Collegiate shooter Tyler Hyatt also shot a perfect 100 straight. Forest City Gun Club has a busy competitive calendar in 2018. In addition to this SCTP Regional, they hosted the 2018 NSSA Krieghoff MASTERS Skeet tournament May 3-6. In June, they will hold the Georgia State Sporting Clays Championship and in September, they will host the NSCA Southeastern Regional Championship for a field of over 600 shooters. Article by Lee Summerford, Forest City Gun Club.
ious special needs at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields in Fairfield, Ohio. The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields at Hatton Park are the realization of one of several charitable works envisioned by the late major league pitcher and Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall. Encounters with service organizations dedicated to helping children and adults with disabilities, as well as his association with amateur sports organizations of all kinds, led Joe to the realization that no baseball diamonds existed to facilitate unrestricted play for people with physical and mental challenges. He developed a resolve to provide such a ballpark for his community. The Ohio Steel Stingers were partnered with individual players to help them hit the ball, run the bases, field the ball or just have fun. Smiles were seen throughout the park from the players and their new buddies.
New from the 2017 shooting season and continued for the 2018 season will be the SCTP “All State Team”. This team will be comprised of athletes finishing in the top 5 positions at their respective state shoots in 16 yard singles Trap, American Skeet and Sporting Clays, male and female athletes combined and regardless of their team affiliation! To be eligible for the All State Team, athletes must:
The Scholastic Clay Target Program would like to announce the continued support from RE Ranger. Randolph, the maker of the RE Ranger line of competitive shooting eyewear, will continue to support the SCTP at the Gold Level ($15,000+) for the 2018 Shooting year! Randolph makes several styles of eyewear that fit the clay target enthusiasts including the Ranger Falcon and Ranger Falcon Pro’s. In its second year “The Ranger Phantom” is a 3 lens set w/frame kit that will surely not disappoint the athletes and their parent’s pocket books! These are currently available on the SCTP’s online store for their athletes and teams! "RE Ranger is delighted to sponsor the SCTP program for our 6th straight year.” Said Sarah Waszkiewicz, General Manager of RE Ranger Sales “We couldn’t be prouder to support a program that encourages the next generation of shooters to participate in such a fun sport that educates and provides important life skills to the youth. More importantly we get to see the benefits of the SCTP program for these kids at various levels and we couldn't be happier to support the cause!” “Randolph/RE Ranger have been great partners/sponsors of SCTP!” Said Tom Wondrash, SCTP’s National Director. “The RE Ranger line of shooting glasses are a super fit for our athletes, more and more of them are identifying with their brand! We continue to be encouraged by the support and confidence that Sarah and her team put in us and the SCTP!” Are you or your company interested in supporting the largest competitive youth shooting program in the world? 
