Aiming for success is a key goal for club sports. Trap Club is starting as a new official club sport this semester, looking to go all out and kick off its career with a bang.
“Trap is fun for competitiveness and recreation,” vice president Casey Milbauer said. “It’s a niche sport that has been featured in the Olympics. We plan to educate people both in the sport and gun safety.”
Milbauer has been trap shooting since high school and fell in love with the sport. He had the opportunity to be involved in trap at home, and wanted the university to have that sense of community within the sport.
“My favorite aspect of trap is the sense of camaraderie as I met a ton of guys at the clubhouses, getting both advice and forming friendships,” Milbauer said.
Milbauer was not the only person involved in forming trap club, as his good friend helped him establish the new club sport and took the role of president for this semester.
“Trap is a way to get outside, and the best thing about the sport is that you don’t need to have any athletic ability,” president Jeremiah Carlson said. “I wanted to start something since I will be graduating this May. Creating this club would fulfill this, and I know Casey will take good care of it after I leave.”
Trap is hoping to do future tournaments in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), where middle school, high school and collegiate players join to compete. This experience will not only provide a discount for ammunition but will also help the club gain connections with coaches to help out, as they are very experienced and have insurance tailored to the sport.
“My current goal is to grow members, try to have a practice every week when weather allows, have a hunter’s safety, and have the comfort level with the guns being used,” Carlson said.
The current club issue is talking with the school to allow guns on campus, as it is a touchy subject regarding safety. They have been storing the equipment in the appropriate place. The club could use bows, but aren’t the best for competitions.
The club highly advises members to have their own gun, but the club can provide help. The only concern is to respect the guns with care, as they are personal to the members.
Both Carlson and Milbauer want students to join because of the fun provided, gaining experience in firearms and being educated on safety. The sport is outside-based, so it’s a great opportunity to be outdoors, as many of the other club sports on campus do not practice and compete in an outside setting.
As trap club goes through its first semester as a part of recreational sports, they are continuing to adjust, plan and build the camaraderie that comes with trap. The hope is to get the club aiming for tournaments, which will lead to a national level for all of their members to enjoy.
