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.
The SCTP has run several national banquets in March only to see some huge returns and support by teams and the general public! The largest banquet to date was held Friday, March 16th in Waterford, WI. The Wisconsin banquet completed its 5th year running, raising funds for programs and scholarships administered by the SCTP National organization.
This year’s banquets featured a Henry Rifle with the SCTP logo engraved into the stock. The funds raised from those 2 live auction items (Wisconsin and Iowa) will be given out to lucky recipients of scholarships in those 2 states. The Wisconsin banquet raised $1,300 and will be recognized as the “Scherrer Construction” scholarship while the Iowa banquet raised $1,050 and will be named the “Bobby Wood“scholarship and awarded to a deserving Iowa athlete! The Wisconsin banquet had not only local representation but SCTP team representation as well. Coaches and families from 10 local teams (representing about 700 athletes) in Wisconsin attended the festivities! The local team (BHS Demons Shooting Team) was the host of this year’s banquet securing silent auction items and donations from various local businesses in support of the National organization. In Iowa, the BGM Shotgunners took the lead for their 2nd annual SCTP National banquet to date! Both teams raised some much needed funds for themselves as well as local support of their programs. 
The 2nd annual Iowa banquet was held at the Manatt Center in Brooklyn, Iowa and was also well attended and supported by local businesses and people in the community. While this banquet was the first one run by the current team members and coaches, they did an exceptional job in securing help and support by the team, parents and others! In running these banquets, the SCTP also raised funds in support of its foundation, the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF). Promoting and supporting foundation memberships also helps secure the future of the SSSF’s programs! “We couldn’t have been happier with the results of this year’s banquets!” Said Tom Wondrash, SCTP’s National Director. “These funds are used 
for several things including new programs and team support. Scholarships given out to SCTP athletes utilizes the biggest portion of the funds raised and we absolutely appreciate the help by the teams and families in making this possible”
The 2017 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championships brought together competitive shooters, ages 8 to 23, from 32 states to compete for national titles in the shotgun disciplines of American Trap, Handicap Trap, Bunker Trap, Trap Doubles, Skeet, Skeet Doubles and Sporting Clays. Pistol and rifle competitors competed for steel shooting titles in Rimfire Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, Iron Sight Rifle and Optics Rifle divisions. “Go545.com is our website and our motto,” said David Richman, coach of the Lake Country Action Shooters and father to two of the team’s top shooters, Dylan and Teagan. “We encourage our shooters to focus on control and accuracy in order to improve their overall speed. We want them to hit 5 targets with 5 bullets…as in Go 5 for 5!” “Our team has been very fortunate and successful over the past five years, said Richman. “Part of the foundation of each of those championship teams were Dylan and Teagan Richman along with the contributions of other excellent athletes. These athletes have graduated and are no longer with us but they were part of our success. Currently there are 3 athletes part of our team since its inception (2012-13 season) they are: Dylan Richman, Teagan Richman and Alex Matson. Two athletes, Dylan and Teagan have been part of every varsity championship win. Alex was part of the varsity team for this year’s win. We currently have new athletes that are working on building their own future on the LCAS team.” The Lake Country Action Shooters had two squads compete in four disciplines at the 2017 SASP National Championships. 
Varsity Squad: Dylan Richman, Teagan Richman, Alex Matson, James Van Gilder
Junior Varsity Squad: Tarek Powell, Jonathan Steffel, Dylan Lenz, Jack Gerstmeier The LCAS Team results were as follows:
Centerfire Pistol
LCAS V CP 177.83 1st
LCAS JV CP 297.21 1st 1911
LCAS V 1911 188.05 1st
LCAS JV 1911 426.46 2nd Optics Rifle
LCAS V OR 151.6 1st
LCAS JV OR 209.75 1st Iron Rifle
LCAS V IR 164.37 1st
LCAS JV IR 223.07 1st Individual CP Awards/ placements:
CP Men
Dylan Richman - 2017 Senior Division Pistol High Male Centerfire
1st Dylan Richman
5th James Van Gilder
6th Alex Matson
36th Dylan Lenz
38 th Jack Gerstmeier
41st Jonathan Steffel
55th Tarek Powell CP Women
1st Teagan Richman - 2017 Senior Division Pistol High Female Centerfire
When combined with all shooters Teagan placed 3rd overall. Individual Rifle Awards/ placements:
IR Ladies
1st Teagan Richman 39.26
OR Ladies
1st Teagan Richman 39.46 Teagan Richman - 2017 Rifle High Female Overall" According to Richman, the team got together for weekly practices during the two months leading up to the SASP National Championships. “Sometimes we shoot live rounds and sometimes we get together for dry-fire practice in one of the kids basements or garages. The parents and families are as big a part of this team as the athletes themselves,” said Richman.
“It wasn’t easy to find a place to get together to shoot live rounds for the first year or two,” stated Richman. “But two shooting clubs in our area took us in and gave us a place to practice. I’d like to thank the Oconomowoc Sportsman's Club and Stonebank Sportsmen's Club for giving us that opportunity.” “We’re also extremely appreciative and thankful for the major support from the ACME Bullet Company and Jagemann Sporting Group for their sponsorship and dedication towards our team year after year.” I asked Richman how he felt about his team winning its 4th consecutive National Title and what he had this to say, “I have been coaching for over 30 years in different sports. I am extremely proud of my athletes that I have been able to coach over these past five short years. Each athlete has made an impact and contributed in the direction and success of the Lake Country Action Shooting program. The hard work, dedication, and camaraderie that these athletes exhibited this year were outstanding. With all of these components together it has made this year very special for me. The results truly speak volumes of this team.”
The Wisconsin Scholastic Clay Target Program will be holding it’s fourth and final State Championship from 
