WHAT
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Minnesota Trap State Championship.

WhoYouths in grades 12 and under from Albertville, Alexandria, Annandale, Ashby, Big Lake, Brandon, Buffalo, Chanhassen, Deephaven, Delano, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Excelsior, Garfield, Golden Valley, Greenfield, Greenwood, Hanover, Hopkins, Lewisville, Medina, Michael, Milaca, Minnetonka, Monticello, Montrose, New Hope, Osseo, Otsego, Plymouth, Rockford, Rogers, Shorewood, South Haven, St. Michael, Tonka Bay, Truman, Wayzata, Zimmerman and other cities across Minnesota.

WHY
Shooting sports teams in five divisions will compete for SCTP state titles in trap. Teams also earn a chance to represent Minnesota at the SCTP National Championships. SCTP trap, skeet and sporting clays national champs will be crowned July 31-Aug. 5 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Ill.The best of these shooters could be selected to attend an Olympic development camp in Colorado Springs, and some will go on to compete at the collegiate level.

WHERE
Alexandria Shooting Park, 6533

WHEN
July 12, 2008

FACTS

SCTP is a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, managed in partnership with the national governing bodies for shooting sports: USA Shooting, Amateur Trapshooting Association, National Skeet Shooting Association and National Sporting Clays Association.

SCTP, experiencing remarkable growth over the past eight years, is considered “the Little League of shooting sports.” Some 8,000 to 9,000 students from over 45 states are expected to compete this year.SCTP teams compete in the sports of trap, skeet and sporting clays as well as the Olympic versions of trap and skeet.

Trap is a clay-target competition, also an Olympic sport, named for the device that throws targets into the air. Targets are thrown at random angles at five different shooting stations. One round consists of 25 targets per shooter.

Skeet is another Olympic sport where targets are thrown from two trap houses. Shooters move in a semi-circle between the two houses. Depending on station, targets are singles or doubles. Each round consists of 25 targets.

Sporting clays is designed to simulate field shooting. Courses are set in a natural surrounding, much like golf, with shooters moving from station to station. Targets are typically presented in pairs, consisting of rounds with 50 or 100 targets.