Tag: Terri DeWitt

SCTP National Team Conducts Training Camp at John A. Halter Education Center

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Hillsdale, MI - Members of the 2019 SCTP National Team (NT) met in Hillsdale, Michigan over the Columbus Day weekend for their first training camp together. The camp was a short two days but that may have been a blessing as weekend temperatures failed to reach 50 degrees in the face of steady 10-15 mph winds. The 2019 NT athletes attending this camp were: Preston Bailey, Josh Corbin, Madeline Corbin, Kyle Fleck, Ella McLerran, Alexa Paxson, and Jordan Sapp. Also attending were Quinn Schuppner, Hamilton Spieth, and 2018 NT alumni Matthew Wells.

Back row, left to right: Quinn Schuppner, Hamilton Spieth, Jordan Sapp, Josh Corbin, Alexa Paxson, Ella McLerran.
Front row, left to right: Madeline Corbin, Preston Bailey, Kyle Fleck, Matthew Wells.

Utilizing some indoor time, Coach Terri DeWitt introduced the athletes to stretching and circuit training exercises designed to strengthen core muscles and improve stability and SSG Dustan Taylor, member of the US Army Marksmanship Unit Skeet Team, introduced the skeet athletes to new drills and training techniques. Coach Taylor noted that while the high winds made training difficult, it helped build confidence in the end. “I believe the camp was a complete success,” he stated. Skeet athlete Preston Bailey agreed. “I liked working with Coach Dustan and being able to train with the other team members. Most of the time I train by myself, so this was a productive weekend for me,” Bailey said.

“I’d like to thank the staff at the John Halter Shooting Sports Education Center here at Hillsdale College for their generous hospitality in hosting our training camp. Bart, Jim, and Judy made sure we had everything we needed. This is a first-class facility that has some exciting things in store for it,” stated Coach DeWitt.

The SCTP NT will get together again December 28-30 in Tucson, AZ. They will have an opportunity to train on the same fields that will be used to select the 2020 US Olympic Shooting Team at Olympic Trials Part 2 which starts February 25, 2020.

The SCTP National Team is selected from and based on the top 3 finishes for male and female athletes at the SCTP International National Championships (in International Skeet and Bunker Trap) held each year at the end of July. The national team seats from Sept. 1st through August 31st each year and athletes are invited to attend various camps and competitions throughout the year. These athletes receive Winchester ammunition, a Castellani national team vest sponsored by Ultimate Shooting accessories , entry fees and many other support materials entitled to membership on the team!

SCTP National Team Members Compete at US Olympic Trials – Part 1

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

After fifteen hot, dusty days in Kerrville, TX, USA Shooting has completed the first half of its process to select the 2020 Olympic Shooting Team. For most of the SCTP National Team (NT) trap and skeet athletes who took part in the competition at the Hill Country Shooting Sports Center, this was their first experience with an Olympic team selection.

2019 SCTP National Team Skeet athletes with Olympians Kim Rhode and Frank Thompson.

“It’s really hard to recreate the kind of pressure an athlete will feel in a match like this,” explained Head Coach Terri Dewitt. “It just feels different. More intense. Which makes the experience of competing here invaluable. I’m incredibly proud of these athletes and their performances.”

SCTP National Team Trap athlete Peter Meola.

Participating in the U.S. Olympic Shooting Trials Part 1 were current SCTP NT athletes Preston Bailey, Camron Burks, Sydney Krieger, Erin Lokke, Ella McLerran, Peter Meola, Jordan Sapp, and Kevin Whitehead. SCTP NT “alumni” were here as well: Heather Argue, Maddy Bernau, Meredith Bernau, Jay Bible, Heather Broski, Jack Brosseau, Emilio Carvalho, Monica Dale, Chris Freeman, AJ Nomina, Mark Shields, Madeline Taylor, and Matthew Wells.

SCTP National Team Skeet athlete Jordan Sapp breaks his first 25-straight in competition.

Significant results by SCTP NT athletes:

Trap
Heather Broski (2017 NT) – Junior Women, Gold
Meredith Bernau (2018 NT) – Junior Women, 6th
Emilio Carvalho (2018 NT) – Junior Men, 6th; High J2
Maddy Bernau (2017 NT) – Open Women, 5th; High Collegiate

Skeet
AJ Nomina (2017 NT) – Junior Men, Bronze
Gracin Anderson (2018 NT) – High Collegiate

USA Shooting will complete its Olympic Team selection with Olympic Trials Part 2 beginning at the end of February 2020 in Tucson, AZ.

About the SCTP NATIONAL TEAM
The SCTP National Team is made up of 15 athletes chosen annually from the SCTP International Championships. Twelve athletes, 3 girls and 3 boys from Bunker Trap and 3 girls and 3 boys from International Skeet plus 3 additional athletes chosen by the Head Coach and National Director make up the 15 SCTP National Team members.

The 2019/2020 SCTP National Team is sponsored by Winchester Ammunition.

Each SCTP National Team Athlete receives:

  • A custom made Castellani Shooting Vest (Castellani is the official vest supplier of the SCTP National Team)
  • Winchester “Goodie Bag” including hats, towels and other items
  • 2 Winchester Ammunition Shirts, 1 Polo and 1 T-Shirt
  • 7 cases of Winchester Ammunition
  • Fall Selection Match Fees paid and Ammo provided
  • Invitation to participate in 3-5 Training Camps lead by National Team Head Coach, Terri DeWitt.

SCTP NATIONAL TEAM TRAP ATHLETES CONCLUDE U.S. NATIONALS AND JUNIOR OLYMPIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

It was a test of endurance, patience, and positive attitudes - it was the USA Shooting Trap National Championships back-to-back with the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Trap Championships in Colorado Springs. This was the test that the SCTP National Team has been “studying” for all year and the Trap Team was first in the blocks.

 In spite of lightning, rain, wind, dust, cold, heat, and long days (30 squads of competitors) the determination and resilience of these athletes shone through. The first week saw Matt Wells (WI) battle his way to a Junior Men’s silver medal at the USA Shooting National Championships, earning a spot on the Junior National Team. Wells will now trade his SCTP National Team vest for a USA Shooting Junior Team vest.

“I have trained very hard to get this vest and position on the National Junior Team but my work as a competitive athlete is not done. I definitely think that being on the SCTP Team has helped me grow as a shooter. I would like to thank SCTP for the opportunity they have given me. I am excited to continue my journey on the Junior National Team,” Wells stated.

 15-year-old Emilio Carvalho (CA) lead the way during the second week of competition at the Junior Olympic Championships, claiming the top of the leaderboard the very first day. But not far behind Carvalho was his teammate Matt Wells again. When both Carvalho and Wells collected their bib numbers for the final, Carvalho was still in the number 1 spot and Wells was in number 4.

Emilio Carvalho, Men’s final, Junior Olympic Championships.
Photo courtesy of USA Shooting.

When the dust finally settled, Wells remained in fourth place while Carvalho did not relinquish his lead until nearly the end of the finals round, when he finished in third place. His bronze medal podium finish places him on the USA Shooting Junior Squad, meaning that Carvalho will also trade his SCTP National Team vest for a USA Shooting vest.

 “The SCTP camps and the mental training exposed me to new insights about the game. I feel grateful about my success and the opportunity that SCTP has provided to me to pursue my Olympic dreams. Thank you for an amazing year SCTP National Team!” beamed Carvalho.

Junior Men’s final, USA Shooting National Championships. Photo courtesy of John Thompson.

 Coach Terri DeWitt said with a laugh, “I’ve been out here so long, I don’t even know what day it is anymore.” She continued, “But I do know this - without exception, these trap athletes performed beyond expectations. They should be proud of themselves - they came out here prepared; they came out here with a mission and they gave 100% effort to that mission. I’m extremely proud of the efforts put forth by this team, not only on the firing line, but behind the line as well. They were there for each other during these two long weeks, truly coming together as a team. I could not be prouder of these young adults,” she smiled.

Next up are the Skeet events: USA Shooting National Skeet Championships, June 16th- June 19th and USA Shooting Junior Olympic Skeet Championships, June 22nd – 23rd.

SCTP National Team Competes at USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted members of the SCTP National Team attending USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match in Tucson, Arizona. While the weather was a respite for competitors arriving from the more frozen parts of the country, these athletes did not have vacationing on their mind; they knew that the results of this match would be used to determine who would be traveling to this year’s Pan American Games, World Championships, Junior World Cup, and the two remaining 2019 ISSF (International Shooting Sports Federation) World Cups.
SCTP National Team – trap athletes: (left to right) Jack Olsen, Peter Meola, Matthew Wells, Monica Dale, Heather Argue, Meredith Bernau, Emilio Carvalho (back right)
“There are two ways to look at these last 11 days of shooting,” Coach Terri DeWitt began, “One way is to consider that we that didn’t place an SCTP National Team athlete on one of the World teams this year. But that’s not really the big picture. Another way to look at the past two weeks is to see the really stellar performances we did have! I’m so proud of all of these athletes for their perseverance, their positive attitudes, and their commitment to this journey. We will build on this experience and we’ll be back.”
SCTP National Team men’s skeet athletes randomly squadded together: (left to right) Chris freeman, Josh Corbin, AJ Nomina
A couple of those stellar performances came from Matthew Wells and Erin Lokke. Matthew Wells was one target short of earning a spot on the Junior Men’s trap team which will travel to Lonato, Italy for the Shotgun World Championship and to Suhl, Germany for the ISSF Junior World Cup; Matt finished in third place after the junior men’s final concluded, but because of the point system selection process which uses an athlete’s qualification score as well as finals placement, he actually finished fourth overall in Junior men’s trap. Only the top three are selected. On the skeet side, Erin Lokke posted her first ever 25-straight in an International Skeet competition, her new Winchester hat taking the brunt of that success. And to top that off, she’s been invited to attend the ISSF World Cup in Al Ain, U.A.E. as an MQS athlete. This essentially means that, while Erin will be competing at the World Cup as a U.S. athlete, her scores will not be eligible for a medal finish. “An MQS is the Minimum Qualifying Score that every shooting athlete must achieve at least once at an ISSF event sometime in the three years leading up to the Olympic Games in order to be eligible to go to the Olympics. Right now, a Women’s Skeet MQS is 92 out of 125 targets,” explained Coach DeWitt.
Erin Lokke wearing the brand-new Winchester hat that was shot in celebration of her first 25-straight in International Skeet competition.
“I am very blessed to have this opportunity to go overseas and shoot at my first World Cup. It has been thrilling to see how the training has been paying off and knowing that I can go much further,” Erin comments. “Coming off of a challenging event at (USA Shooting) Nationals (last year) pushed me to try new things and train in conditions that have been both mentally and physically difficult. At Spring Selection, I put my hard work to the test and learned new things to prepare for my next step.”
SCTP National Team – skeet athletes: (left to right) Josh Corbin, AJ Nomina, Jay Bible, Chris Freeman, Erin Lokke
Erin is the second SCTP National Team athlete to travel overseas as a U.S. National Team member; Maddie Bernau, 2017 SCTP National Team member, won gold at the Junior Grand Prix in Porpetto, Italy last year. About the SCTP NATIONAL TEAM The 2019 SCTP National Team is made up of 15 athletes chosen from the SCTP International Championships. 12 Athletes, 3 girls and 3 boys from Bunker Trap and 3 girls and 3 boys from International Skeet plus 3 additional athletes chosen by the Head Coach and National Director make up the 15 2019 SCTP National Team. The 2019 SCTP National Team is sponsored by Winchester Ammunition. Each SCTP National Team Athlete receives:
  • A custom made Castellani Shooting Vest (Castellani is the official vest supplier of the SCTP National Team)
  • Winchester “Goodie Bag” including hats, towels and other items
  • 2 Winchester Ammunition Shirts, 1 Polo and 1 T-Shirt
  • 7 cases of Winchester Ammunition
  • Fall Selection Match Fees paid and Ammo provided
  • Invitation to participate in 3-5 Training Camps lead by National Team Head Coach, Terri DeWitt.
You can follow the 2019 SCTP National Team including training progress, match schedule and results by clicking on the SCTP tab of the www.sssfonline.com website and on SCTP Social Media.

SCTP Conducts International Trap Development Camp At Ben Avery Shooting Facility

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

While winter storms swept across the northern tier of the country, it was relatively warm and sunny in Phoenix, Arizona the weekend of February 9-10, 2019. Perfect weather to conduct an international trap development camp for twelve shotgun athletes intent on learning a new game and/or honing some basic skills.
Front row, left to right: Wyatt Pizinger, Samantha Witty, Loretta Christian, Victoria Hendrix, Coach Terri DeWitt.
Back row, left to right: Matt Killeen, Jack Gallagher, Jayden Wiemer, Axel Kinder, Nathanial Pizinger, Coach Brian Witty, Isaac Smith, Nick Sallee. Not shown: Tomi Ownby.
These twelve athletes proudly represented their local SCTP teams and schools during two days of live fire and classroom training: Jack Gallagher, Victoria Hendrix, Axel Kinder, Tomi Ownby - Ben Avery Clay Crushers; Nathanial Pizinger, Wyatt Pizinger, Nick Sallee, Isaac Smith, Samantha Witty - Prescott Bird Busters; Loretta Christian, Jayden Wiemer - Arizona Outdoor Sports; and Matt Killeen - Arizona State University. Topics covered in the classroom included mental and physical skills while also touching on basic goal setting, attentional focus, and tactical breathing. Technical skills, such as stance, mount, and look point were discussed and applied on the range over the course of two days and 2500 targets. “These athletes learned a lot in two days, but I think they had fun doing it. It was a pleasure working with them,” said Coach Terri DeWitt. “They are very talented and tenacious athletes and I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing some of them again either at the SCTP International Championships or at the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships this summer. I look forward to seeing them again,” she smiled. SCTP would like to thank the Ben Avery Shooting Facility and Coach Brian Witty for their help in making this camp happen.

SCTP National Team Kicks off the New Year in Gainesville, Florida

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Gator Skeet & Trap Club once again played host to the SCTP National Team for their first training camp of the year, January 3rd – 5th.  The emphasis of this camp was technical training, i.e. pulling the trigger and breaking targets, in preparation for USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match, February 25th – March 9th in Tucson, AZ. Athletes were on site for three days with coaches Terri DeWitt and Joe Buffa who put them through drills, finals practices, and a few pressure scenarios. With reference to the athletes, Coach Dewitt remarked, “They came to work and that’s what we did. Not only did they break a lot of targets, but they started to incorporate the mental training techniques they learned at last month’s camp with Dr. Jason Selk.”

SCTP National Team Members Sharpen Their Mental Game

Written by SSSF Staff on . Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

In the pause between finishing their finals and finishing their Christmas shopping, members of the 2018/2019 SCTP National Team gathered at Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association in Cincinnati, Ohio to take advantage of an extraordinary opportunity to work with sport psychologist, Dr. Jason Selk. These International Trap and Skeet athletes alternated classroom time with live-fire training; in other words, learning, then applying, the fundamentals of Dr. Selk’s mental workout.
Dr. Jason Selk shares his mental workout with SCTP National Team members
“Our intent was to give these athletes the tools to develop a strong mental game before next year’s competition season begins. For most of them, that will be USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match at the end of February,” shared Coach Terri DeWitt. “Jason Selk is a dynamic speaker and his mental workout program is rock solid. We’re extremely grateful that we were able to have him here. I’m really excited for these kids next year,” she smiled. Assistant Coach Joe Buffa adds, “I really think Dr. Selk brings a different outlook on how to attain mental strength. He makes his students understand that they can train themselves to be mentally strong. I feel that if our shooting athletes implement his techniques, we will see their level of competition rise!”
Mental training camp – December 14/15, Cincinnati, OH
A little over 3000 trap and skeet targets were thrown over two days in spite of a persistent, bone-chilling rain on Saturday. But the weather was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of these athletes. Skeet team member AJ Nomina was pragmatic, saying, “Training your shooting mechanically is always a must before the next match. Everyone needs practice. However, this was the first time I learned what I can do to prepare myself mentally before a match. The mental preparation aspect of this camp was what I’ve been looking for.” Peter Meola, Trap team member, seemed to give voice to what everyone was feeling as the camp drew to a close on Saturday afternoon. “It was a great experience and I was happy to have the opportunity to participate in it,” he said.
Jay Bible, Josh Corbin, and AJ Nomina (left to right) training on the skeet range at Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association
The SCTP National Team will meet again in just two short weeks, this time in Gainesville, Florida in preparation for USA Shooting’s Spring Selection Match in Tucson, Arizona.  

Scholastic Clay Target Program and USA Shooting announce 2019 dates

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The SCTP and USA Shooting would like to announce dates for next seasons events including the Junior Olympic Development Camp and the SCTP International National Championships! The SCTP’s JODC will be held from May 21st – May 27 for interested coaches and from May 23rd – May 27th for chosen athletes! Up to 10 SCTP coaches wanting to learn more about coaching the International disciplines of International Skeet and Bunker Trap along with 24 lucky athletes will be invited to stay at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. and learn from the nation’s top coaches and team USA members! Applications will be available about February 1st. Also, the dates for the SCTP International National Championships will be held from July 22 – July 27, 2019. July 22/23 will be open training, July 24/25 will be set for International Skeet Competition and July 26/27 will be slated for the Bunker Trap competition with an awards banquet to follow on the evening of the 27th at a location to be determined. The top placing athletes in Trap and Skeet will be chosen to be members of the SCTP’s National Team coached by Terri DeWitt! “We appreciate all the folks at USA Shooting for working hard with us to get these dates set for the 2019 season” said SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. “This will give families, athletes and coaches plenty of time to make plans for attending these great events and learning more about the International disciplines. Opportunities like these are what the SCTP is all about!” These opportunities are available exclusively to members in good standing with the Scholastic Clay Target Program. If you are interested in becoming a member or starting a team with the SCTP, please contact SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash to learn more at twondrash@sssfonline.com

Dr. Jason Selk Mental Training Camp, Harrison Ohio

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Join the SCTP National Team for a December mental training camp with Dr. Jason Selk, Director of Mental Training for the St. Louis Cardinals. We are very fortunate to have been able to schedule Dr. Selk to come work with us. Dr. Selk will be presenting a half-day seminar based on his book, 10-Minute Toughness. This book combines all of the concepts including breathing, visualization, task-centered focus, goals, etc. A copy of this book will be provided to all athletes attending the camp. At this time the only openings remaining are for coaches. What: SCTP NT mental training camp w/ Dr. Jason Selk Who: SCTP NT members and NT alumni (and walk-ons as determined by available slots) When: Friday, December 14th, 12:30 - 4:30 (Dr. Selk’s seminar with some live-fire) Saturday, December 15th, 9:00 - 4:00 (range training with Coach DeWitt and Coach Buffa) Where: Fairfield Sportsmen’s Association, 6501 River Road, Harrison, OH 45030 How: Download the application form and return with payment before November 28 *Ammunition will be available for purchase on site, to include Winchester AA #9 for Skeet. You may also bring your own ammo. *Lunch will be provided for Saturday only. Friday afternoon we will have light refreshments, but no meal. Plan accordingly. *Hotel suggestions (in no particular order): Hampton Inn Cincinnati Northwest/Fairfield Comfort Suites Springhill Suites by Marriott Cincinnati North/Forest Park Quality Inn & Suites Holiday Inn Express Cincinnati West Holiday Inn Express & Suites Harrison

SCTP National Team Members Compete at USA Shooting Nationals

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Packing guns and homework, ten members of the SCTP National Team made their way to Colorado Springs last week for USA Shooting’s 2018 National Championships. Meredith Bernau, Heather Broski, Emilio Carvalho, Monica Dale, Peter Meola, Jack Olsen, and Matt Wells were on the ground first for the International Trap championships. The weather was mostly cooperative, and the trap scores reflected accordingly.
Junior Trap Women medalists: Victoria Hendrix, Gold; Ryann Phillips, Silver; Heather Broski, Bronze (Photo courtesy of USA Shooting)
Heather Broski, finishing third in the Junior Women’s final, attained a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team and will now wear a National Junior team vest. “The intent of the SCTP National Team is to prepare these athletes to take the next step to the national level. Heather has done that. I’m very proud of her performance in this match,” declared head coach Terri DeWitt. Emilio Carvalho posted a solid performance as well, narrowly missing the Junior Men’s final by one target. He did, however, take home a silver medal in men’s Class A.
Junior Skeet Women medalists: Katie Jacob, Gold; Gracin Anderson, Silver; Karsyn Ross, Bronze (Photo courtesy of USA Shooting)
In what came as no surprise to Skeet competitors, the weather took a dramatic turn for the worse during the second half of the competition. Gracin Anderson, Erin Lokke, and AJ Nomina battled for four days through gusting winds, freezing rain, and falling snow. “Even though conditions were tough, we adapted and fought through challenges that were not normal. I learned a lot this week and plan to use this experience to train for future events,” pledged Lokke.
SCTP National Team member, Erin Lokke
In spite of the weather conditions, Gracin Anderson secured herself a National Junior Team vest with her silver medal finish in junior Women’s Skeet. AJ Nomina and Erin Lokke both took home Skeet medals as well - Nomina a bronze in men’s Class B and Lokke a silver in women’s Class B.

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