Eagan, Minnesota – April 2024– The season is underway for 37,158 student-athletes participating in USA Clay Target League (USACTL) programs this spring. Those athletes are competing on 1,795 high school, college, and homeschool teams nationwide, supported by over 10,400 coaches, team staff, and other volunteers.
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“The League provides youth an outlet to develop their confidence, sportsmanship, and teamwork without the high costs and limited playing opportunities of traditional sports. Clay target shooting sports are accessible to everyone, and the opportunity to participate on their school’s team influences athlete’s lives for the better,” said John Nelson, President of the USACTL.
“This school year (’23-’24) over 13,000 new athletes joined the League through their school’s teams thanks to the efforts of the shooting ranges, coaches, and parents that make teams flourish.”
For high school athletes, their nine-week spring season is already underway and will conclude on May 25th. Tens of thousands of athletes will participate in State Tournaments in June, with the top athletes in the country eligible to compete at the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship in July.
College athletes compete in a shorter season in the spring and then return to compete in the fall to cap off the year at the USA College Clay Target League National Championship in early November.
About the USA Clay Target League
With nearly 52,000 participating athletes in the 2023-24 school year, the non-profit USA Clay Target League is America’s largest clay target shooting organization. The League offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, and 5-stand leagues to secondary and postsecondary schools across the country.
The League is the only 100% school-approved clay-target shooting sports program in America. Every team must have school approval to participate. Most participating schools have lettering programs as well as yearbook inclusion for the teams. In addition, tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships are provided to qualifying seniors by the League and post-secondary institutions each year.
The League’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to schools nationwide: it’s fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team, and it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.
The League’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.
The League is the safest sport in school, with not one reported injury since the inception of the League in 2001. Each athlete must complete firearm safety certification before participation.
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