U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- The circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have challenged everyone this year, but they have been especially difficult for students and school-based activities like the non-profit USA Clay Target League, which operates clay target shooting sports programs in 30 states. To help overcome financial challenges, the League has launched the “Double Shot Donation” campaign to raise funds to continue its mission.
In the last decade, the USA Clay Target League has grown from 30 student-athletes on three teams in Minnesota to more than 34,000 registered athletes across over 1,000 teams nationwide last year. League participation has allowed high school and college students of all backgrounds and abilities to experience a safe, fun, community-oriented sport that they can participate in for the rest of their lives.
As schools across the nation began shutting down this spring, hundreds of clay target teams and tens of thousands of students were not allowed to participate in their favorite extracurricular sport. The pandemic shutdowns forced the USA Clay Target League to take extraordinary steps to continue to provide remaining teams and student-athletes the opportunity to participate.
“Extending the season was our first move,” said John Nelson, President of the USA Clay Target League, “but as the shutdowns continued it became clear that we were going to have to make some hard decisions that were going to be tough on teams, athletes, coaches, shooting ranges, and the League.”
Faced with a substantial decrease in operating income and ongoing school shutdowns due to the pandemic, those tough decisions included the cancellation of all League tournaments and championships, including the world’s largest shooting event in Alexandria, MN, and the National Championship in Mason, MI.
“The League has had a tough year this year, but we remain committed to providing a safe and fun clay target shooting program to schools across the country for many years to come.” Nelson said. “To do that we need financial help to ensure that our operations can continue through the year.”
In order to support the League through the current difficulties, the League has launched the ‘Double Shot Donation’ GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the continued operation of the League. To help the League, former All-American trap shooter and longtime USA Clay Target League board member Mark Zauhar has generously committed to match every donation through October 1st, up to $100,000.
Individuals that wish to assist the League to continue their important school-based shooting sports programs can visit their GoFundMe page.
About USA Clay Target League
The USA Clay Target League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the independent provider of shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for secondary and postsecondary schools nationwide. The organization’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.
Nationwide, over 45,000 student-athletes representing over 1,200 school-approved teams are expected to participate in the League in 2020.