Did you follow along with the Guinness World Record shoot sponsored by CZ-USA? During the 12-hour marathon, 5 shotgun shooters tried to see how many clays they could break. The night before the big day, I sat down with the 2 female athletes to find out why they think the shotgun sports are a great choice for young athletes.
Seventeen-year-old Jessica Strasser’s interest in shooting began around age 10 when she started to hunt with her older brother and father. Her passion in the shotgun sports came after trying many other sports. She’s now been shooting competitively for 5 years as a member of the Waterford Wolverine Shooting Team. “There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than shooting,” said Jessica.
Sixteen-year-old Makayla Scott failed at virtually every sport she tried. Then, one day her father and brother introduced her to a shotgun and she fell in love. “I never knew 1 broken clay could change my life,” said Makayla. “Shooting sports introduced me to a world I didn’t know existed! I’ve met so many amazing people that have helped me along the way.”
Both girls are involved in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP). The motto of SCTP is “to help young athletes reach their potential of becoming the best athletes—and young adults—that they can be.” This motto appears evident in the attitudes of these young ladies.
As for the shooting event … they set a new record! After just a little past 4-hours of shooting, the team broke the original Guinness World Record of 4,602. When the 12 hours of shooting ended, the team had broken 14,167 clays, a new Guinness World Record.
Find out more about the SCTP program here.
Learn more about Project ChildSafe here.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and FASTER Saves Lives. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
