To many students at Blaine High School, trap shooting is not your average spring sport. But those who partake in this competitive sport know that trap shooting is a lot more than just shooting a gun at a moving target. Trap shooting begins in the first week of April. Practices are held every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. Trap Meets are held on every Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. as well. Practices are held at the Metro Gun Club, which is located in Blaine. Unlike the usual spring sport, there are no tryouts. Depending on what scores you receive during practices and the meets, will determine whether you’re on Varsity or Junior Varsity. You shoot at 25 different moving targets, and however many you hit, determines your score. The scores then get entered into a database for all the Trap Shooting teams across Minnesota. During the meets, you shoot with your school and your scores are just compared with others that are entered in the database.

Senior Cory Southerton is just one of the six captains for this season. Cory has been on the team since he was a freshman. He heard people talking around school about trap shooting and he decided to go to the informational meeting. This sparked a true passion for Trap Shooting. Little did he know that he would eventually become so good at this that he would receive a perfect 25/25 score. He told our sources, “After I shot that perfect score, I couldn’t stop shaking and it was surreal.” Last season he averaged a 23.5 and is hoping to increase this score in the upcoming season. He went to state last year and is hoping to attend this year as well. Cory told us, “I never really get nervous, because I’m not directly competing against other schools. I have all my teammates and supporters around me.” Cory stated that he is very excited to be captain of the team this year, and hopes that just as many people will come out and join, like last year.

Come out and support the 2014 Blaine Trap Shooting team on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Metro Gun Club!