Students Give It Their Best Shot

For now, there’s no denying the best young trap shooters in Arkansas hail from Huntsville and Harrisburg.

For the second consecutive year, Huntsville High School and the Harrisburg Hornets junior team won their respective divisions at the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program State Championships last Saturday at Remington Gun Club. Huntsville won the senior division, and Harrisburg won the junior division. They are the only schools that ever have won Arkansas state shooting championships.

Sponsored and organized by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the AYSSP is arguably the state’s most popular and fastest-growing outlet for youth competition. In 2007, 918 schoolchildren from 23 schools participated, said Chuck Woodson, the AGFC’s shooting sports coordinator. This year, the ranks swelled to 2, 405 children, who represented 54 schools.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Woodson said. “We already have 15 to 20 schools that want to join next year, and we’re hoping to double again. There’s always room for growth. It just depends on how much money will be available, but the commission is going to talk it over in the next couple of months.”

There’s no doubt that the kids have embraced the program. Woodson said the quality of the shooting is a lot better than last year, as evidenced by better scores all the way across the board. The kids seemed a lot more serious about it, and they conducted themselves with a definite air of professionalism.

“A lot of people are leery of letting their kids shoot on a firearms team until they come to one of our practices and see how safe it is,” Woodson said. “Some of the parents who have never picked up a gun have started shooting because they’re no longer intimidated. A lot of them said they’re buying a hunting license for the first time this year so they can take their kids dove hunting this year.”

One of the perks for winning the state shoot is a dove hunt in September hosted by AGFC vice chairman Freddie Black of Lake Village. The winning senior team also won $ 7, 500 in scholarship money.

“I think that’s more important to them than the scholarship money,” Woodson said of the dove hunt with Black.

It is a tradition that when a shotgunner posts his first perfect round of 25, his peers shoot his hat. A lot of hats got shot during the state tournament, including that of Zac Nead, 13, of Pocahontas. In fact, Nead shot two straights Saturday. His grandfather Gary Cole, an AGFC wildlife officer in Randolph County, said that Nead predicted his good fortune. After peppering the hat, Nead’s teammates gathered to admire it. He was especially pleased that several pellets had lodged in the bill.

Also wearing a shotgun-shredded hat was Alex Kieffer, 14, of Pocahontas. His mother, Rhonda Difani, said the Pocahontas shooting team was a life-changing experience for both of them.
“Both of my parents died of gunshot wounds, and I was not ever going to let my kids do it,” Difani said. “It’s important for me to know the Game and Fish Commission emphasized safety above all.”

After just two years, a handful of celebrity shooters have emerged, as well. One is Jordan Harper, 14, of Harrisburg. He is the only subjunior ever to qualify for the Amateur Trap Association’s state shooting team. In that capacity, he has competed against adults in Heber Springs, Memphis and Sparta, Ill. Harrisburg won the ATA state junior championship in 2007 and finished 11 th nationally.

“Jordan represents a lot of what this program is all about,” Woodson said. “He was one of those kids that used to get lost in the halls. Since he’s gotten involved with the shooting team, he gets written up in his local newspaper, and he gets on TV. He’s a big man in his community.”
Pat Turnage, Harrisburg’s coach, said the team is the pride of the community, and that’s why it is so successful. “We have a lot of dedicated parents, and that’s what it takes,” Turnage said.

Competitive shooting requires a lot of personal discipline, as well as intense focus. Hitting a fast target breaking away at unpredictable angles requires near-perfect coordination between mind and body. Excellence in this sport translates to better performance in the classroom. Randy Riley, an assistant coach for Huntsville, said his son, Cord Riley, is a perfect example.

“My son used to come in every evening practically begging me to homeschool him, he hated school so bad,” Riley said. “Now, he can’t wait to get to school, and it’s all because of this. It’s unbelievable for all these boys. They worked their tails off to accomplish what they’ve done.”
Scott Harper, Jordan Harper’s father, said shooting embodies the traits that produce great adults.

“This is a spirit and honor sport,” Harper said. “It’s on the honor system. If somebody chips a bird and the scorekeeper doesn’t see it, you’ll call that bird for your opponent, and he’ll do the same for you. It comes back to you full circle. The only other game like that is golf. It teaches kids focus, and it improves their grades in the classroom.”