For the last 4 years, Titanium-Level Sponsor, Browning has provided SCTP National Championship athletes with the opportunity to earn the “Browning Scholarship”. This scholarship is awarded to the high school-aged top athlete in Trap Singles (male or female) shooting a Browning Shotgun.
"The biggest supporters of our program consistently go above and beyond to give back to these young athletes, said SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. "Since its inception, the Browning Scholarship has been a popular competition within the National Championship events. Every year we have athletes who shoot Browning shotguns sign up to see who comes out on top, receiving honors from one of our biggest program sponsors. This year was no different and we are very thankful to have Browning's support, creating another exciting aspect of competition for many athletes at Nationals."
Congratulations to Joey Donato of the Warren County Claybusters, shooting a 199/200 in Trap Singles! For his performance, Browning provided Joey with a Cynergy Gran Lightning!
Pennsylvania All-State Team Member and Browning Scholarship Winner, Joey Donato with his new Browning Cynergy Gran Lightning
A team of target throwing specialists, electricians, heavy equipment operators, and project managers had their work cut out for them. Thousands of pounds of concrete to be poured, hundreds of tons of dirt to be moved, and over 60 traps with supporting equipment to be installed. They have less than a month to get it done, and the success of a National Championship hangs in the balance.
On June 1st, the green light is given to proceed. It is a decision carefully considered over dozens of hours of board meetings, tense phone calls, email chains to infinity, and many restless nights. By this time last year, logistics of the Scholastic Clay Target Program's (SCTP) National Championship had in large part already been buttoned up and were in motion. 2020 was different for many reasons. The SCTP International Championship had historically been held each fall in Colorado as a separate event, whereas the National Championship is locked in for the second week of July in a 10-year contract for the Cardinal Center.
In January, the SCTP announced the International disciplines of Bunker Trap and International Skeet would be joining the National Championship events at the Cardinal Center in July. With the support of Larry and Brenda Potterfield, SSSF, Promatic, and the Cardinal Shooting Center, a project was drafted to accommodate the International events by constructing four, state of the art International Skeet and Bunker field overlays, complete with Promatic target throwing systems. Placing the International events on the front end of Nationals would give athletes more exposure to the Olympic sports as well as cutting the costs and logistics of another trip for teams and families. But as April came and went, the pandemic in America continued to send ripples through society, putting the project managers for the International Championship in a holding pattern.
Over 16,000 SCTP athletes and coaches were eagerly waiting to hear news about Nationals. The SCTP provided resources for teams to stay sharp during the downtime but nervously watched as other sports organizations throughout the country postponed or canceled seasons. High school senior athletes were dreading that there would be no National title pursuits to close out their final seasons.
In May, the SCTP continued to hold on an official Nationals announcement, continually monitoring information from the state of Ohio, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morrow County (OH) Department of Health, and representatives from the Cardinal Center in their consideration. Additional input came in throughout the month from health professionals and feedback from SCTP coaches, helping shape the decision to go forward with the National Championship event as planned on June 1st.
This set the stage for an incredibly fast-paced timeline to execute the traditional National Championship preparations, much less integrating an entire International Style Championship into the schedule.
"Clear, consistent communication was key on this project," said SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. "With the time ticking and athletes, coaches, families, sponsors, looking to see if Nationals was a go, the weight of moving the International events to the front end of Nationals grew heavier as time went on. Throughout all of this, those involved in the project remained optimistic and eager to get to work. On June 1st, everyone hit the ground running, ready to execute their piece of the project."
The Promatic team took point early on in the year, getting plans set with the Cardinal Center staff and contractors. Promatic representatives said, "Every event is important but the SCTP project at the Cardinal Center was special, knowing that all the American and International disciplines were under one roof for the first time ever in SCTP history. As soon as the Cardinal Center got enough earth moved to get the initial structure built, we were on our way with a trailer full of throwers and equipment."
With the plans dialed in, the Promatic team got to work installing Promatic Olympic Trap units into the bunkers, with the SCTP National Championship fast approaching.
Another Promatic technician reflected on the project saying, "Once we were on the ground we were all just plugging away, working with and around each other to get all of our parts of the bunkers done. With a project as important as this, you expect for Murphy's law to come into play. We were all thinking the weather would come in to wreak havoc, but not so much as a drop of water hit the ground. With so many aspects of the project happening at one time, rain would have been disastrous. We were on the ground on the 25th of June and wrapped things up by July 3rd. It could not have gone any smoother!"
Much like the installation project, the 2020 SCTP National Championship went off without a hitch, with athlete entries in Bunker Trap doubling from the previous year. The International Skeet and Bunker Trap finals closed out each event, with the top 3 male and female athletes in each discipline determining slots for the SCTP International Team, coached by former Olympian, Terri DeWitt. Familiar faces returned, along with some new athletes earning their slot on the prestigious youth shooting team. The group will be attending training camps in the fall in order to prepare for 2021's Olympic Trials. As the official youth feeder program of USA Shooting, participating in SCTP’s International Disciplines is the path for kids to reach their Olympic dreams.
The 2021 National Championships are slated for July 8-19th, with the International events taking place on the 8th-11th. An additional Bunker Trap field, complete with Promatic equipment will be completed next spring, bringing the total number at the Cardinal Shooting Center to five. This greatly expands the capabilities of hosting International Style Competitions, a rarity in the United States.
Over the course of 10 days, SCTP athletes converged on the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio for the much anticipated 2020 National Championship. This year's event was different for many reasons but was resoundingly welcomed by athletes, coaches, families, and sponsors in the midst of an unusual season. After careful consideration and advisement from the Ohio Department of Health, Cardinal Shooting Center, and medical professionals, the SCTP went forward putting on the National Championship on July 9th through the 18th.
Kicking off the event at the Cardinal Center were the SCTP International Championships, which historically had been held in Colorado later in the year.
Encouraging growth and awareness for the International disciplines of International Skeet and Bunker Trap, the SCTP held the International events on the front end of the National Championship in 2020. "This gave the opportunity for more athletes to participate in the International disciplines while relieving families from the burden of additional travel costs from a separate event," said SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. "By having our International events as part of the National Championship, awareness and participation for these disciplines have increased considerably. This year our Bunker Trap entries doubled and we had many athletes who were competing in events later in the week come by to watch the International competitions. Many of those athletes will be coming back to compete in the International disciplines next year! Our International Championship was a wonderful success thanks to Promatic, The Potterfield family, and the Cardinal Center staff. Everyone worked incredibly hard on a very tight deadline to construct the new bunker fields for this event."
Following the International competitions were the familiar 8 days of the SCTP National Championship, where thousands of athletes, coaches, families, and sponsors participated in and supported the disciplines of Skeet (Singles/Doubles), Trap (Singles/Doubles/Handicap), and Sporting Clays.
To accommodate teams unable to travel due to unusual restrictions in the 2020 season, the SCTP held a Virtual National Championship, which was open to all registered teams across the country. Held in conjunction with the in-person National Championships schedule at the Cardinal Center, athletes participated at their home ranges, accounting for over 1,000 event entries. "Many of our teams were very excited and thankful for the opportunity to compete for the National Championship virtually from their home range this year," said Chet Tuinstra, SCTP Eastern Director of Development. "There are many aspects of the 2020 National Championship that had never been done before. We are incredibly proud of how this all came together and are very thankful for the volunteers, sponsors, and Cardinal Center staff who helped make this such a success."
Over 2,000 athletes from nearly 300 teams participated in the 2020 SCTP National Championships, representing 37 states. Youth athletes participating in many other sports throughout the country were faced with disappointment this spring from altered and even canceled seasons. "Our team put in many, many hours considering how to handle an event as large as Nationals in the midst of an unusual season," said Jeff Morrison, SCTP Western Director of Development. "By June, we moved forward with hosting Regional events and the National Championship. As soon we put the word out, we got many excited messages from the teams and even encouragement from our sponsors."
By the close of Nationals, over one-million clays were thrown at the Cardinal Center and all over the nation from team home ranges," beamed Amanda Wondrash, SCTP Administrative Coordinator.
"The SCTP National Championship is an incredibly large and prestigious event, regarded highly by so many teams, families, and supporters who believe in the future of shooting sports.We are so thankful to have received an overwhelming amount of praise and appreciation for not just going forward with Nationals, but for also having the determination to adapt and even expand the event this year."
Media from member-submitted photo and video can be viewed on Facebook or Instagram by exploring #sctpnationals2020
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is proud to announce members of the 2020 All-Scholastic Team! Nearly 300 student athletes from 27 states have been named to the team this year!
The All-Scholastic Team recognizes the top student-athletes in the SSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target and Scholastic Action Shooting Program for their achievements in the classroom, on the range and in their communities. Through an application process, 2020 All-Scholastic Team Members have proven academic excellence by posting 3.0 or better grade point averages, shooting excellent scores in recent competition (95% in trap or skeet, 85% in sporting clays, 80% in international trap/skeet or 65 seconds or less for SASP) and by demonstrating outstanding community involvement.
View and download the 2020 Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program National Team Championships event information book today! Check out all this culminating event has to offer including:
With the SCTP In-Person and Virtual National Championships fast approaching, registration deadlines are coming up quick (Virtual Registration Deadline of July 5 and In-Person Registration of July 7)!
The In-Person event currently has over 5,200 registrations from 28 states but don’t worry, there is still plenty of room for all!
While we have been working tirelessly to give you all the best possible experience we can give you, we will still be following Ohio state guidelines, Morrow County Health Department recommendations and the Cardinal Centers Safety Plan. While some after-hours events like the Banquet and other large gatherings may be pre-empted, we will do everything in our power not to diminish the quality of the National In-Person event! Keeping our teams, families, coaches and staff safe is our #1 priority!!
Whether you are participating in the In-Person National Championships or the National Virtuals, we wish you all the best of luck and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Here are some commonly asked questions and information:
1.) ATHLETES – All athletes registered by the deadlines posted for each event, will be entered into a drawing for prize packages donated by our program sponsors and supporters! These 50-60 packages will include firearms, Ammunition, Shooting accessories, gift certificates and other items ranging in value from $100 - $1,500! Every registered/paid athlete will be assigned a number and we will do a random drawing on or before July 13th. The packages and winners will be posted on the doors of the CEB as well as sent out in text message update to all!
2.) VENDORS – We have been informed that almost every vendor will be present at the In-Person National Championships! Actually, we will see several new vendors and sponsors this year as well! PLEASE stop by and say Thank you as well as patronize these fine folks when/if possible. They are a very significant part of what we do and without their support, the SCTP would not be the program it is today. Remember, SCTP is the only Industry started/sponsored program in the country!
3.) DEMO GUNS – Industry firearm dealers and reps love to have you try their guns. With precautions taken this year of special cleaning and wiping down, they will be offering the same opportunity. Please understand that it may take a few extra minutes to sanitize these firearms but you will be able to maintain that experience! Only firearm sponsors and supporters of the SCTP will be allowed to have their guns tried on banks 5 and practice fields in front of the grandstands. You will be required to present a coupon (supplied by the sponsors) to a person at the demo fields. Nonparticipating firearm dealers will not be allowed to have their firearms tried out on these fields. You will be required to purchase a practice round from the Cardinal Center for those trials.
4.) COLLEGE DAY – While social distancing are the words of the day, the College day participants will be located between Vendor buildings 2 – 3. Please stop by and visit College coaches and athletes on Friday, July 17th from 9am – 5pm! If you are a college and want to be part of the College day experience, please contact SCTP National Director Tom Wondrash.
5.) “ALL STATE TEAMS” – Due to the lockdown and restrictions imposed by most states, and only 7-8 states actually hosting a state championship before nationals, we were forced to change the policy for All State Team members this year. All State members will be chosen from their scores shot at the National In-Person Championships in Marengo, Ohio. Each states top 5 scores in Singles Trap, American Skeet and Sporting Clays will make up that states “All State Team” members! Every member will receive an “All State Team” shirt and states placing in the top 3 spots will win custom belt buckles provided by Tilden Trophies!
6.) GAMES – There will be several games available for athletes, parents and coaches to participate in. The Flurry shoot is a great way to blow off some steam and make ink clouds out of those mean clay targets!! Cost is only $5 per person and this is located by the Central Events Building. Make a Break will be available as well and is located next to the Sporting Clays building. This event will see prizes of free ammo to the top male and top female shooters each day as well as a shoot off of those top finishers to be held on Saturday, July 18. Special prizes and a gun will be awarded to the top shooter of that event!
7.) PHOTOGRAPHY – Once again, there will be a professional photographer on site at this years In-Person National Championships. Please contact Hayley Wilson Photography at 262-939-6414. Appointment info, look at pictures and more information is available here: sctp.pixieset.com
8.) INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION – International Ammunition will be available from Sportsmans Den as well as through the SCTP in the Central Events Building. Winchester AA’s and some limited amounts of Nobel Sport International ammo will be on hand.
9.) FOOD VENDORS – Food vendors will once again be available at the food court located next to the CEB. Seating / picnic tables will be provided adjacent to the food court.
10.) SCTP SCHOLARSHIPS – SCTP Scholarship winners will be determined and announced sometime between August 15th and September 15th. We are still collecting funds for this and will have a better idea on the amount available by then. We want to consider and award as many of these as possible! We thank you for your patience.
11.) KIDS AND CLAYS CHARITY SHOOT– The 100-target registered event will be held Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 The event is open to parents and coaches of athletes attending the SCTP, the athletes themselves, as well as the general public. All registrants for the event will be entered in a drawing for a large prize package of firearms, outdoor and shooting gear worth more than $10,000! Registration can be found at: http://kidsandclays.com/product/SCTP/
13.) MISC INFO – Coaches will receive a coupon for each paid and registered athlete attending the in-person nationals that can be redeemed for an SCTP pin. Please stop by the following vendors; Lakewood Gun Cases (Vendor site #15), Hutch Leatherworks (Vendor site #14), Hunters Blend Coffee (Vendor site #16), and Welch Outdoors (Vendor site #18)
Please remember, only 1 coach or representative from each team allowed in the registration building. All team shirt pickups will be at the CEB and should be done by the head coach. Coaches will receive a flyer outlining information normally covered at the coach meetings, due to the large group gathering ban, there will be no coach meetings held this year. All Coaches MUST register at the CEB PRIOR to competing in any event!!!
The SCTP National folks have been working very hard and have had a minimal amount of time this year to prepare for the In-person event, please respect and appreciate everything that went into this along with the opportunity to participate. We are very happy to present to you, an In-person event and look forward to seeing you all in Ohio!
If you have any other questions, please reach out to anyone of us!
SCHEELS, Red Diamond Sponsor of the SCTP has continued their support for the 2020 season.
"SCHEELS is proud to partner with SCTP as we both share a strong commitment to grow the interest in shooting sports among student-athletes in a positive and safe environment," said Marcus Thornton, Chief Marketing Officer.
"We are thrilled and fortunate to have renewed support from SCHEELS this season," exclaimed SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. It is fantastic to see a household name such as SCHEELS enthusiastically support our youth shooting sports program year after year. Many of our families shop at SCHEELS and express their gratitude for the unwavering support."
About SCHEELS Today, SCHEELS is one of the largest sporting goods stores in America with over 115 years of retail experience to discover your passion with a superior quality of customer service and philanthropic support. Currently, SCHEELS has 28 locations in 13 states, including North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Nevada, Illinois, Utah, Kansas, Texas, and Colorado.
Iowa is considered by many to be one of the premier white-tailed deer hunting destinations in the United States. Dreams come true in the Hawkeye State every year as hunters consistently harvest mature, corn fed bucks that reach well over 200″. Getting a tag, however, is easier said than done. Now you can guarantee your tag and promote state and local conservation efforts through the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program Non-Resident Deer Tag Auction, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
This auction is for One Iowa Special Non-Resident Deer Tag, good Statewide for Archery, Gun season one, Gun season two, or the Late Muzzleloader season during either 2020 or 2021 Iowa deer season (hunter’s choice). The deer tag includes 1 ‘any sex’ deer and 1 ‘antlerless’ deer. For seasons and hunting information, go to: http://www.iowadnr.gov
The auction for this tag begins on Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00PM CST and ends on Friday, July 17 at 7:00PM.
The winner of the auction receives a tag that includes 1 any-sex deer and 1 antlerless deer. This non-resident deer tag is good statewide; however, Landowner Permission is required before hunting on private land. The winner of the auction is required to purchase an Iowa nonresident hunting license and pay the non-resident habitat fee.
The tag may be used either in the coming 2020-2021 season, or next year in the 2021-2022 season. The hunter must declare which year and one of the following standard seasons at the close of the auction and no later than September 25th, 2020. 2020-2021 season dates can be found at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting. 2021-2022 dates have not been confirmed at this time but will be similar to 2020-2021 dates.
WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS AUCTION? The Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program, Inc. is committed to supporting organized youth, high school and collegiate clay target shooting programs across the state of Iowa. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the primary functions of Iowa SCTP, Inc. are to raise money and provide funding and financial support to Iowa programs and their coaches. With support provided by our sponsors, Iowa SCTP, Inc. and its volunteer board of directors has been able to provide funding and therefore more opportunities to new school-based teams, coaches and shooting athletes.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program in Iowa and across the United States. SCTP is a youth development program in which adult coaches and other volunteers use shooting sports to teach and to demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork, and other positive life skills.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is also Iowa’s leading state conservation agency who works hand-in-hand with the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program to promote youth shooting sports and wildlife conservation across the state. Their programs enhance all of Iowa’s conservation and outdoor recreation opportunities.
A literal ground-breaking announcement out of Ohio comes in the form of an initiative between the SSSF/SCTP and the Cardinal Center to further the support of International Shotgun Shooting Sports in the SCTP. Along with outstanding support from Promatic and an incredible donation from the Potterfield family for range development, work on four new Bunker fields at the Cardinal Center has been underway to accommodate this year's SCTP International-Style National Championship. Equipped with state of the art Promatic systems, these fields will allow us to support International shotgun sport opportunities for SCTP athletes like never before!
On the front end of the National Championships schedule, we will be holding the “International Style” National Championships July 9-12. Open training will take place July 7-8 with International Skeet Championships taking place July 9-10 and Bunker Trap Championships taking place July 11-12. Registration for the International Style National Championships is currently open and closes July 6th.
On or about the 22nd of June, our project partners, Promatic will be installing their advanced target throwing equipment to make these fields ready for the International Style National Championships. Without the incredible support of the Cardinal Center, Larry and Brenda Potterfield, and Promatic, this would not be possible!
“Promatic is very excited to see the SCTP support International shooting and its athletes in this manner! They are definitely making a difference and filling a pipeline of athletes for tomorrow’s Olympians,” commented Jim Moses, CEO for Promatic. “The SCTP is proof that through hard work and dedication to youth shooting, they can make a difference and offer real opportunities for our young athletes. We couldn’t be prouder to be involved!” “We are very proud to see this dream come true for the SCTP and its athletes, teams and families," said Tom Wondrash, SCTP National Director. “Promatic, The Potterfield family and the Cardinal Center staff and family are all directly involved with this exciting opportunity.
We are happy to officially announce that the National Championships will take place as scheduled on July 11-18th at the Cardinal Center in Ohio. The National Championships are a tradition for many families not only to compete against the best in the nation, but also to share the sport and spend time together as a summer trip. Though this year will certainly be different, we hope that having our annual event in-person will be welcomed by the majority of our members.
This decision took careful consideration to a number of factors. This spring we kept a very close eye on how COVID-19 affected our communities and youth sports as a whole. It took time to get our bearings on the situation in a way we could confidently evaluate the logistics and safety of holding a large sporting event.
The safety of our members, staff, volunteers, partners, and spectators is our first priority. Our national staff has been carefully utilizing information from the state of Ohio, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morrow County (OH) Department of Health, and representatives from the Cardinal Center. We were also lucky to have advisement from some of our members that are medical professionals who deal directly with COVID-19 in their communities. Additionally, we surveyed our coaches across both programs to get their feedback. With over 400 responses, this survey helped give us important member-driven data that helped shape our decision to host a physical National Championship event.
We as a community are fortunate to participate in non-contact sports, which makes operating this event much easier than others during this time. Although the spirit of the SCTP National Championships will still be alive, some aspects of the event may be modified to act in accordance with all safety standards put in place by the Ohio Department of Health, as well as Federal and state guidelines at the time of the event. We understand that side events and experiences are part of what makes nationals so special. Some of these traditions are scheduled to continue as planned, such as the Make A Break and Flurry Fun shoots. We have also received feedback from many of the organizations that make up vendor row. They are eager to be part of the Nationals experience and plan to be there.
Cardinal Center staff are enthusiastic to help run SCTP events and are going above and beyond to make that happen in a safe and responsible manner. While the spring of 2020 saw postponements and cancellations, the SCTP Ohio Regional will take place as planned at the Cardinal Center June 19-21. During the same weekend, the Upper Midwest Regional will kick off in Iowa.
Preparations are currently underway at the Cardinal Center on four, state of the art International Skeet and Bunker field overlays. These new additions to their grounds will allow us to host all of our SCTP Nationals under one roof in July. On or about the 22nd of June, our project partners, Promatic will be installing their advanced target throwing equipment to make these fields ready for the SCTP “International Style” National Championships, running from July 9-12. Registration for the International Style National Championships is currently open and closes July 6th.
The SCTP will also be adding a Virtual National Championship event which gives those who cannot yet travel due to local mandates or those who are uncomfortable with the thought of doing so the opportunity to compete at the national level. If the logistics of your team traveling to Ohio was previously a barrier to compete, you now have the opportunity to participate in a national championship this year. This virtual component of the SCTP Nationals consists of five events of trap and skeet and will be run in conjunction with in-person national events to give the closest representation of the Nationals experience. Registration for the Virtual National Championship begins June 3rd and closes July 6th. This virtual tournament is a separate event from the in-person nationals and will have separate prizes and awards.
The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) will be holding their National Championships in a virtual format over a three-week window, July 5th-July 26th. This three-week window also allows for teams who participate in both the SASP and SCTP, the ability to participate in both National Championship events and the opportunity to compete in the CZ-USA Top Gun Challenge. Athletes competing in the CZ-USA Top Gun Challenge will shoot trap, skeet, a rifle discipline of choice, and a centerfire pistol (iron, optic, or 1911), with their scores from each event being compiled to calculate the winners.
Registration for the 2020 SCTP National Championships in Ohio is currently open and available to team coaches in the SSSF’s SHOT system. Teams registering for the event will receive additional health and logistical information regarding event requirements, procedures and best practices based on the most current information available from the Ohio Department of Health and local authorities. Teams and athletes (parents) will be required to sign a waiver to compete.
Schedule of Events
July 7-8 – Open Training for International Events / Squads posted for International Skeet
July 9-10 – International Skeet
July 11-12 – International Trap (Bunker Trap)
July 11-12 – American Skeet / Trap Doubles / Trap Handicap
July 13-14 – American Skeet / Sporting Clays / Trap Doubles / Trap Handicap
July 15-16 – American Skeet / Sporting Clays / Trap Doubles / Trap Handicap / Trap Singles
July 17 – Skeet Doubles
July 17-18 – Trap Singles
Make A Break and Flurry side games will be available throughout the week starting at 11 am each day.
More detailed information about the 2020 SCTP National Championship to follow.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to providing shooting-sports education and opportunities to school-age youths around the United States to encourage young athlete personal growth and development. Tax-ID number 20-8484121.
