by Dylan Sanders

A PCM Skeet Shooting Club seemed like distant possibility a few years ago. There were too many uncertainties that came with it. Now the uncertainties of the skeet shooting team have been taken care of by a group of students and community members led by Chad Wood. There will never be any firearms or ammo on school grounds at any point in time. The coaches of the team will keep all of the ammo and firearms on a trailer, so it is kept off school grounds. The team will hold practices at the Newton Shooting Range during the spring months. The Skeet shooting team was approved on Nov. 16 after being proposed on Oct. 16.

Head coach Wood said, “Practice will be held at a time that gives students ample time to get home and get their gun to get to practice. If they cannot do this, then a coach will take it for them. We will do this to keep PCM a gun free zone. The other coaches of the team will be Joel Wilkerson,Travis Block, Cory Sanders, Kevin Steenhoek and any other parent that has been certified by a course put on by the DNR. “

Trap shooting is a competitive sport in which a clay target is thrown to simulate the flight of a bird. The sport has existed since the early 1900s. Skeet shooting has become very popular in Iowa mostly because many high schools are embracing it.

Wood said, “I feel that the trap shooting team will allow all students the chance to participate for their school. It doesn’t matter what their size or gender is. Skeet shooting is a sport that anyone can succeed in with practice.”

The skeet shooting team would give kids that aren’t in sports or other PCM activities a chance to really be involved. It would also help distract them and stay focused during school, and it would help them stay out of trouble. The team would be completely self funded, providing their own firearms and ammo. The team will start practice in the spring.