Trap shooting is a sport where athletes shoot clay pigeons released by a spring trap. In recent years, the sport has grown exponentially in popularity.

Fort Leboeuf's head coach Stephen Shallenberger tells us the sport attracts many different students and allows for everyone to be a part of a team.

"It is an all-inclusive sport. Every kid competes 50 birds. It's not the best are out there on the field while the rest are sitting on a bench," said Shallenberger. "Everybody's shooting. Everybody's having fun. Everybody's a part of the team."

At Fort Leboeuf, interest in the sport has grown each season. The team was first formed in 2018 and had about 20 kids interested. Now, they are 2x state champs and have over 50 kids registered to compete.

 Kaitlyn Riley has been on the team for several years. She says that trap shooting is a fun activity and gives students an interactive learning environment for firearm safety. Riley tells us that she is proud to see the sport growing, especially among women.

"When I started, there were a lot less females in this sport than what there is now. So, it's great to see that growth," said Riley. 

Anyone that participates in a high school state clay target league is required to complete safety training. The athletes must wear ear protection and only load their guns when they are on the line and ready to shoot at a clay target.

"The motto of the whole league is safety first and that is taught through and through," said Shallenberger. "No kid can even go out with a gun or ammo until they go through a safety training."

The fall season is just around the corner. No experience is required. To learn more about the team, visit their Facebook page.