Southern Utah trap shooting team qualifies 2 for nationals – St George News

HURRICANE – While their fellow student-athletes competed on the football field, soccer field, hardwood field and baseball field, five local teens demonstrated their talents at the shooting line.

And two of them qualified for the national championships.

The Purgatory Orange Crush Shotgun Team, a group of trap shooters based at Purgatory Clay Target Sports in Hurricane, had one of its best seasons after qualifying two shooters, Rueger Leavitt and Bowen McClellan, for the Texas National Championships in mid-June.

“We've only been in business for about three years,” coach Brent McFadden told the St. George News during a practice Friday morning at Hurricane.

“They’re a great group of boys and I love spending time with them. They're all good kids,” he added. “This year, I was very proud of the improvements many of our shooters made. Most of all, it's just fun to see them interact and work with each other. others.

McFadden said the team does not allow any negative speech when interacting with each other or other teams.

“We try to always be positive. These guys help each other all the time. They always encourage each other,” McFadden said. “It’s one of those things that I really enjoy, is watching this grow.”

Leavitt, a 16-year-old junior from Crimson Cliffs High School, won rookie of the year honors last season, with the competitive shooting year running from November to May.

“I just like shooting a gun,” Leavitt said, explaining how he got into shooting rather than one of the more popular high school sports. “When we got here, I met these guys and was able to get a lot of good advice from Brent.”

His teammates said Leavitt was laser-focused as he drove to the shooting line.

“Everyone shoots differently,” Leavitt said. “Some people need to focus on where their balls are going. I think you just have to have fun with it. Just shoot. If you hit him, you hit him. I'm not very strategic.

He said he won't really change his mental approach when he faces some of the sport's top competitors at nationals.

“I’m just looking forward to meeting new people and shooting the gun,” Leavitt said. “I usually come in thinking it’s going to be difficult. Everyone shoots very well, especially at the national championships.

His coach said Leavitt has one attribute that helps him more than anyone else on the shooting line.

“I think he’s probably one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever been around,” McFadden said. “He reacts well to adjustments to his shot and he has excellent hand-eye coordination. That's another thing that helps is that he has a lot of natural ability as well.

Coach McFadden's son Cash, a student-athlete at Snow Canyon High School, is one of the team's best shooters as well as its primary recruiter.

Hurricane High School's Isaiah Iverson excels on the Orange Crush's shooting line.

Homeschooled student-athletes Braden McClellan and Bowen McClellan shoot for the team under the direction of their father and coach, Brady McClellan.

Bowen McClellan qualified to compete in the national championships with Leavitt, but had a family commitment already planned so he will not be able to attend the event next month.

Coach McFadden said there are bigger issues in the sport other than just results at the shooting line.

“I think if you teach a child the proper way to handle a gun and what a gun will actually do, and you give them something constructive to do with that gun, you'll find that they meets that expectation and good things happen,” McFadden said. said.

The sport is co-ed and McFadden encourages participation from student-athletes from fifth grade through college.

“Everyone is welcome,” he said. McFadden said anyone looking for information about the filming season or with questions about participating in Orange Crush can call 435-313-5173.

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