SCTP National Team Members Compete at Junior Olympic Nationals
Over 200 junior International Trap and Skeet athletes converged in Colorado Springs June 21-29 for the 2018 USA Shooting Junior Olympic
National Championships. Of those 200 young athletes, nine were wearing SCTP National Team vests: Maddy Bernau, Heather Broski, Jack Brosseau, Trevor Evelhair, AJ Nomina, Molly Sheehan, Mark Shields, Madeleine Taylor, and Tyler Theide (Cole Barrett withdrew from Men’s Skeet due to illness). 
After a week of capricious Colorado weather that included extreme heat, strong winds, lightning, and hail, four SCTP National Team members will be trading their SCTP vests for a USA Shooting Junior Team or Junior Squad vest. Consistent with the mission of the SCTP National Team program as a pipeline for USA Shooting’s upcoming junior talent Bernau, Brosseau, and Shields have graduated to the major leagues. Bernau and Brosseau both fought their way to silver medals in Women’s and Men’s Trap, respectively. Their second-place finish places them on USA Shooting’s Junior National Team. Mark Shields, with his fourth-place finish in Men’s Skeet, will be added to USA Shooting’s Junior Squad. Heather Broski also made the Women’s Trap final, taking home the gold medal in the J2 age category (age 15-17). In addition, Broski and teammate Jeff Holguin (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit) finished 5th out of 21 teams in USA Shooting’s first Mixed Team Trap Selection Match.
“All of the SCTP National Team members performed extremely well this week. They displayed great resilience and determination in spite of less than optimum weather conditions. Assistant Skeet Coach Joe Buffa and I could not be prouder of these athletes. All of them represented our program with integrity and professionalism and I look forward to working with next year’s athletes,” remarked Head Coach Terri DeWitt. 
Next year’s SCTP National Team will be selected at the SCTP International National Championships in Colorado Springs, July 22-27. Photos courtesy USA Shooting
National Championships. Of those 200 young athletes, nine were wearing SCTP National Team vests: Maddy Bernau, Heather Broski, Jack Brosseau, Trevor Evelhair, AJ Nomina, Molly Sheehan, Mark Shields, Madeleine Taylor, and Tyler Theide (Cole Barrett withdrew from Men’s Skeet due to illness). After a week of capricious Colorado weather that included extreme heat, strong winds, lightning, and hail, four SCTP National Team members will be trading their SCTP vests for a USA Shooting Junior Team or Junior Squad vest. Consistent with the mission of the SCTP National Team program as a pipeline for USA Shooting’s upcoming junior talent Bernau, Brosseau, and Shields have graduated to the major leagues. Bernau and Brosseau both fought their way to silver medals in Women’s and Men’s Trap, respectively. Their second-place finish places them on USA Shooting’s Junior National Team. Mark Shields, with his fourth-place finish in Men’s Skeet, will be added to USA Shooting’s Junior Squad. Heather Broski also made the Women’s Trap final, taking home the gold medal in the J2 age category (age 15-17). In addition, Broski and teammate Jeff Holguin (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit) finished 5th out of 21 teams in USA Shooting’s first Mixed Team Trap Selection Match. “All of the SCTP National Team members performed extremely well this week. They displayed great resilience and determination in spite of less than optimum weather conditions. Assistant Skeet Coach Joe Buffa and I could not be prouder of these athletes. All of them represented our program with integrity and professionalism and I look forward to working with next year’s athletes,” remarked Head Coach Terri DeWitt. Next year’s SCTP National Team will be selected at the SCTP International National Championships in Colorado Springs, July 22-27. Photos courtesy USA Shooting
was the last scheduled training camp for the team and team members Madeleine Taylor, Mark Shields, and Trevor Evelhair (not pictured) took advantage of one last opportunity to work with coaches Terri DeWitt and Joe Buffa. Because not all of the SCTP National Team members could attend this 3-day training camp, available training spots were filled with local (and not so local) athletes coming from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Montana. Next up for most of these international trap and skeet competitors is the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships in Colorado Springs. July will see them back in Colorado Springs for the SCTP 
Bernau’s exceptional performance at the 14th International Junior Grand Prix in Porpetto, Italy earned her an individual gold medal in Women’s Trap, as well as another gold medal in the Mixed Team event with USA Shooting teammate Dale Royer. The Junior Grand Prix in Italy was intended as a warm-up event for USA Shooting’s junior trap and skeet athletes headed to the World Championships in Changwon, Korea later this summer. Bernau earned her spot on the junior World Championship Team at the Spring Selection Match in Tucson, Arizona earlier this year. Yet in spite of her recent success, Bernau remains focused. “It felt like everything I had worked hard for paid off, although I have lots of work to do over the summer to get ready for Worlds,” she explains. There’s little doubt that there are many more gold medals in this athlete’s future. The SCTP National Team provides International Trap and Skeet athletes like Maddy Bernau more coaching and training opportunities and is committed to the vision of putting these athletes into the Olympic pipeline. The 2018/2019 SCTP National Team will be selected July 22-27 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.
Not only was this particular camp an opportunity to train on the home range of USA Shooting’s National JO Championships as well as the SCTP’s International National Championships, it gave National Team members a chance to test their training under true match conditions. Coach DeWitt explains, “You can never quite replicate match pressure in a training environment, which is what makes ‘practice’ matches like these so valuable.” The results speak for themselves. All four SCTP National Team athletes made the finals in their respective events and two of them came away with medals; AJ Nomina took home a Bronze medal in Skeet and Tyler Theide battled his way to the Silver medal in Trap. National Team (NT) athletes earned their spot via participation and placement in the 
Members of the SCTP National Team gathered in Tucson, AZ last month just prior to the USA Shooting Spring Selection Match for some fine-tuning before the competition. Head Coach Terri DeWitt and Assistant Coach Joe Buffa worked with team members making minor adjustments where needed but mostly providing some major encouragement. “The days just prior to a competition is not the time to be making big changes,” stated Coach Terri, “Joe and I were there to put some polish on their performance. And that’s all they needed - these athletes were ready to perform.” And perform they did. Congratulations go to AJ Nomina, Madelynn Bernau, and Heather Broski for finishing top six in their respective Junior categories and earning the chance to compete in those finals. When all was said and done, Maddy not only captured the Junior Women’s silver medal but secured her place on the 2018 World Championship Team going to Changwon, Korea later this summer. “I would also like to thank Coach Tom Slaughter for bringing some of the Arizona Outdoor Sports, Inc. athletes to train with us. We really enjoyed having them and we look forward to seeing those young athletes on a future SCTP National Team,” said Coach Terri. National Team (NT) athletes earned their spot via participation and placement in the 
training camp of 2018 at Gator Skeet and Trap Club in Gainesville, Florida January 3-5. Winter Storm Grayson, however, had other ideas. In spite of pouring rain and freezing temperatures, these athletes accepted the challenge, layered up, and shot just over 5000 targets in three days. SCTP athletes in attendance included Mark Shields (NT/Missouri), AJ Nomina (NT/Colorado), Sarah Schwacher (NT/Wisconsin), Jack Brosseau (NT/Florida), Tyler Thiede (NT/Wisconsin), Madeleine Taylor (NT/Alaska), Jay Bible (walk on/Florida), Abbey Wigh (walk on/Florida), Scott Schuldt (walk on/Florida). “It was pretty miserable the first day, but they put their heads down and went to work. Goals don’t wait for the weather to clear up,” said head coach, Terri DeWitt. She and assistant skeet coach Joe Buffa will host another training camp in Tucson, Arizona prior to the USA Shooting Spring Selection Match in March. Other training camps are planned for 2018, but not yet finalized.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Terri and the leadership she is providing for the SCTP National Team!” Said SCTP National Director, Tom Wondrash. “This practice and training is one of many to come that will help these team members surge in the International disciplines. People like Terri and Joe Buffa out there working with these athletes is a very welcome addition to our program!” National Team (NT) athletes earned their spot via participation and placement in the 
“The SCTP National Team will provide young shotgun athletes an amazing opportunity to enter the Olympic pipeline with support and guidance!” Said Terri DeWitt, Head Coach – SCTP National Team. “I’m tremendously excited to be a part of this program and look forward to working with these talented and highly motivated athletes. Congratulations to the SCTP, its sponsors, and to 
