Youth Clay League Forced to Close Due to New Law

Youth Clay League Forced to Close Due to New Law

Eagan, Minnesota– July 2022– Due to recent legislation from the California State Assembly, and signed into Law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the USA Clay Target League, DBA USA High School Clay Target League/California State High School Clay Target League, has been forced by law to suspend all operations within California.

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California Assembly Bill 2571 provides for a civil penalty of $25,000 for any and each instance of firearm-related marketing to persons under the age of 18. That includes the “…use, or ownership of firearm-related products…” as well as “… events where firearm-related products are sold or used.”

As a school-based activity serving students from 6th-12th grade, these provisions serve to outlaw the very name and existence of the California State High School Clay Target League (CASHSCTL).

“The League is the safest sport in high school,” said John Nelson, President of the USA Clay Target League. “Over 1,500 schools across the nation have approved our program. Hundreds of thousands of students have participated, and there has never been an accident or injury.”

“This misguided new law is detrimental to law-abiding and very responsible students from across California as it will prohibit students from representing their high schools by participating in this safe and fun school-approved activity.” Nelson continued. “Preventing participation, stripping high schools of their teams, and robbing students of opportunities for college scholarships hardly seems reasonable or common sense.”

Effective immediately:

• The CASHSCTL will not offer any future seasons for teams to participate in.

• The CASHSCTL website and CASHSCTL Facebook have been shut down.

• All informational emails regarding starting a team, joining a team, or other recruitment/marketing efforts to existing or prospective California-based high school athletes are ceased.

• CASHSCTL-participating clay target coaches, shooting ranges, or past student-athletes will no longer receive PullUSA Magazine.

• Past CASHSCTL student-athletes will no longer be eligible to receive college and university recruiting information through the League.

• California high school student-athletes will no longer be eligible for League scholarships.

This law has been challenged in court. The League is closely watching all developments regarding the new law and is eager to return to providing California’s high schools and their students with the safest and fastest-growing sport in America.

This law does not affect any teams participating in the USA College Clay Target League.

The USA Clay Target League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The League is the independent provider of clay target shooting sports for secondary and postsecondary schools. The League’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.

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