On May 11, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sponsored the SC Youth Shooting Foundation’s State Sporting Clays Championship at Rocky Creek Sporting Clays in Richburg. Four hundred fifty-six (456) male and female students from around the state competed in a variety of age brackets. DNR also gave $6000 in college scholarships to the top three male and female graduating seniors thanks to a grant from the Harry Hampton Foundation. The top graduating senior male and female both received $1500; 2nd place received $1000; and 3rd place received $500 each.

The first place graduating senior in the male division was Lewis Warr from Wilson Hall School in Sumter. Second place in the graduating senior male division was Jake Nidiffer from Hammond School in Columbia. Third place in the graduating senior male division was Adam Willey from the Pendleton 4H Shooting Club. The first place in the graduating senior female division was Victoria Chapman from Newberry 4H shooting Club. Second place was Haylea Carter from Rocky Knoll Shooting Club in Abbeville. Third place in the graduating senior female division went to Mary Anna Mason from Laurence Manning Academy in Manning. For more of the competition results, check out
http://www.scysf.com/2013-state-championships/.

The non-profit SC Youth Shooting Foundation was formed to promote shooting sports in the Palmetto State as well as the Scholastic Clay Target Program. The foundation promotes all three regimens of clay target shooting: Sporting Clays, Trap, and Skeet. Teams were initially formed from gun clubs, 4-H clubs and private schools. North Central High School was the first public school to form a high school shooting team. There are now six public schools with shooting teams in SC including Lugoff-Elgin HS in Kershaw County and Hillcrest HS in Greenville County.

DNR has assisted the growing program by off-setting costs for shot shells and targets, as well as providing training for coaches and students in firearms safety and hunter education. All youth shooters are able to participate in the state championship which is totally sponsored by DNR. Shooter qulify to attend the state championship by successfully completing Hunter Education and attending at least one prior event held by the SC Youth Shooting Foundation. Funding for this effort is provided through Federal Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) Funds.