Southwest Trap-Shooters Mean Business
Shown above, left to right, is the Southwest Middle School trap-shooting squad: Bailey Stephens, Devin Hall, Sam Lawrence, Colton Phillips, and Case Jennings.
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Above, siblings Olivia and Caleb Ayer celebrate after a shoot.
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Southwest Freshman, Caleb Ayer, above, took first place at the state trap shooting competition in Linn Creek on May 22.
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Shown above are Southwest Trap Team coaches Larry Hicks, Staci Day, and Mike Vining.
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June 16
Heather Ayer & Lacey Reeves
On May 22, the Southwest School sent three squads to compete at the ATA and AIM zone state shoot at the Missouri Trap Shooters Association in Linn Creek. The Missouri Trap Shooters Association offers 60 traps, and is the 2nd largest trapshooting facility in the world.
The rain did not seem to affect the Junior squad consisting of juniors Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, and Samuel Jennings, as well as freshman Caleb Ayer and Alex Ramirez as they shot their first 100 rounds.
Freshman Caleb Ayer shot his first 100 straight during a rainy morning.
After about a two hour break, the sun came out and a breeze made conditions completely different for the squad’s second 100. The squad had little trouble adjusting to the different conditions.
Caleb Ayer walked off the line dropping only four birds all day. He had a final score of 196/200. Fourteen year old Ayer out-shot all the Missouri Sub-Junior competitors and walked away with the championship.
Howard was runner up for the Class B Junior Shooters; Jennings was runner up for the Class D Junior Shooters; and the Junior squad ended the day with a 4th place win.
In other highlights, Teresa Tobey Thompson shot a personal best.
In Barry County, trap-shooting is unique to the Southwest school district. The team practices once a week and competes at shoots twice a month from January to August. Teams fire at round, orange clays for targets facing all kinds of competitors. Southwest faces high school, 4H, and FFA teams, as well as shooters of all ages. High school members are Caleb Ayer, Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, Sam Jennings, Alex Ramirez, Teresa Tobey, Kaizer Slinkard, and Lilly Wolf. Middle school members are Levi Carden, Devin Hall, Samuel Lawrence, Hunter Patterson, Colton Phillips, and Bailey Stephens.
Competitors fire a total of 125 rounds at each shoot. They rotate through five different stations, shooting at five clays at each one. The rotation is completed five times, with the first 25 shots considered a warm-up. The clays are shot in squads, with five shooters in each. Southwest has three squads where high school and middle school shoot together.
Shooters are placed in different divisions and classes according to their age and skill. The age groups are categorized as: Pre-sub, 5th grade and under; Sub-Jr, 6th through 9th grade; and Junior, for fifteen-year-olds and above. There are other groups for shooters of every age, including adults.
The different classes according to skill are: AAA for the highest skill, followed by AA, A, B, C, and D.
One of Southwest’s squads shoots together almost perfectly in-sync. As soon as one member fires, the next in line immediately brings their gun to their shoulder, with no hesitation. The group has even been told to slow down at times. Those members are Caleb Ayer, Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, Sam Jennings, and Alex Ramirez. Caleb and Olivia Ayer are brother and sister and have a unique bond on the team.
Olivia and Caleb began their trap journey when they were invited to a meeting by Southwest Coach Mike Vining. They had started shooting in 4-H. The duo has only improved since then, with younger brother Caleb shooting his first 100 straight in a row and winning Sub Jr., overall, as well as the entire Class C in the Missouri State Trap Shoot. The siblings agree that shooting trap is a game of mentality and muscle memory. To them, a successful shooter forgets a bad shot, isn’t stubborn, seeks ways to improve, and doesn’t over-think.
The perfect conditions can improve performance as well. Caleb’s favorite time to shoot is in the first group of the day. He enjoys the quiet and isolation and shoots best when the sky is overcast. Caleb credits his success to God, and prays over every shot. He also keeps a lucky, pink shotgun shell in his shooting pouch.
Caleb Ayer’s previous shooting record was 74 straight. When he reached 75 on May 22, he was happy, but his luck continued until he reached his 100th straight shot.
The Ayer brother-sister duo believes trap shooting takes a specific kind of person.
Upcoming Southwest Senior, Olivia Ayer, tells how it is: “Any old boy can get a gun and shoot at those orange birds, but, at the end of the day, when you’re on your 100th bird and the sun’s beating on your back and your arms are worn out, it comes down to what’s in your head. Once you miss (a shot), you just have to get back in the zone, because if you’re down (over a missed shot), then it’s over with.”
The Southwest trap team has been led by Mike Vining since 2001. His retirement will leave his daughter and former shooter Staci Day taking over. Day shot for the team for three years until her graduation.
Her coaching style will be similar to her father’s.
“Why try to fix what isn’t broken,” she asked. “Dad has done so much. I’m so proud to have had this opportunity to teach and coach with him his last year at the district, and my first.”
The Southwest squads will compete again June 26th at the Missouri State AIM Shoot in Linn Creek.
Heather Ayer & Lacey Reeves
On May 22, the Southwest School sent three squads to compete at the ATA and AIM zone state shoot at the Missouri Trap Shooters Association in Linn Creek. The Missouri Trap Shooters Association offers 60 traps, and is the 2nd largest trapshooting facility in the world.
The rain did not seem to affect the Junior squad consisting of juniors Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, and Samuel Jennings, as well as freshman Caleb Ayer and Alex Ramirez as they shot their first 100 rounds.
Freshman Caleb Ayer shot his first 100 straight during a rainy morning.
After about a two hour break, the sun came out and a breeze made conditions completely different for the squad’s second 100. The squad had little trouble adjusting to the different conditions.
Caleb Ayer walked off the line dropping only four birds all day. He had a final score of 196/200. Fourteen year old Ayer out-shot all the Missouri Sub-Junior competitors and walked away with the championship.
Howard was runner up for the Class B Junior Shooters; Jennings was runner up for the Class D Junior Shooters; and the Junior squad ended the day with a 4th place win.
In other highlights, Teresa Tobey Thompson shot a personal best.
In Barry County, trap-shooting is unique to the Southwest school district. The team practices once a week and competes at shoots twice a month from January to August. Teams fire at round, orange clays for targets facing all kinds of competitors. Southwest faces high school, 4H, and FFA teams, as well as shooters of all ages. High school members are Caleb Ayer, Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, Sam Jennings, Alex Ramirez, Teresa Tobey, Kaizer Slinkard, and Lilly Wolf. Middle school members are Levi Carden, Devin Hall, Samuel Lawrence, Hunter Patterson, Colton Phillips, and Bailey Stephens.
Competitors fire a total of 125 rounds at each shoot. They rotate through five different stations, shooting at five clays at each one. The rotation is completed five times, with the first 25 shots considered a warm-up. The clays are shot in squads, with five shooters in each. Southwest has three squads where high school and middle school shoot together.
Shooters are placed in different divisions and classes according to their age and skill. The age groups are categorized as: Pre-sub, 5th grade and under; Sub-Jr, 6th through 9th grade; and Junior, for fifteen-year-olds and above. There are other groups for shooters of every age, including adults.
The different classes according to skill are: AAA for the highest skill, followed by AA, A, B, C, and D.
One of Southwest’s squads shoots together almost perfectly in-sync. As soon as one member fires, the next in line immediately brings their gun to their shoulder, with no hesitation. The group has even been told to slow down at times. Those members are Caleb Ayer, Olivia Ayer, Ty Howard, Sam Jennings, and Alex Ramirez. Caleb and Olivia Ayer are brother and sister and have a unique bond on the team.
Olivia and Caleb began their trap journey when they were invited to a meeting by Southwest Coach Mike Vining. They had started shooting in 4-H. The duo has only improved since then, with younger brother Caleb shooting his first 100 straight in a row and winning Sub Jr., overall, as well as the entire Class C in the Missouri State Trap Shoot. The siblings agree that shooting trap is a game of mentality and muscle memory. To them, a successful shooter forgets a bad shot, isn’t stubborn, seeks ways to improve, and doesn’t over-think.
The perfect conditions can improve performance as well. Caleb’s favorite time to shoot is in the first group of the day. He enjoys the quiet and isolation and shoots best when the sky is overcast. Caleb credits his success to God, and prays over every shot. He also keeps a lucky, pink shotgun shell in his shooting pouch.
Caleb Ayer’s previous shooting record was 74 straight. When he reached 75 on May 22, he was happy, but his luck continued until he reached his 100th straight shot.
The Ayer brother-sister duo believes trap shooting takes a specific kind of person.
Upcoming Southwest Senior, Olivia Ayer, tells how it is: “Any old boy can get a gun and shoot at those orange birds, but, at the end of the day, when you’re on your 100th bird and the sun’s beating on your back and your arms are worn out, it comes down to what’s in your head. Once you miss (a shot), you just have to get back in the zone, because if you’re down (over a missed shot), then it’s over with.”
The Southwest trap team has been led by Mike Vining since 2001. His retirement will leave his daughter and former shooter Staci Day taking over. Day shot for the team for three years until her graduation.
Her coaching style will be similar to her father’s.
“Why try to fix what isn’t broken,” she asked. “Dad has done so much. I’m so proud to have had this opportunity to teach and coach with him his last year at the district, and my first.”
The Southwest squads will compete again June 26th at the Missouri State AIM Shoot in Linn Creek.
