Students shoot in state Scholastic Action Shooting competition

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — All weekend long, teens from across our state and the country have been in Huntingdon competing in one of the fastest growing sports in the area.

“This is a really big deal,” said State Director of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program Lacey Lane. “This is probably one of the largest state championships for pistol and rifle in the nation.”

More than 150 students have been in Huntingdon to compete in the state championship for scholastic action shooting.

Middle and high school students filled the Carroll County Shooting Sports Park for the competition where shooters are graded on speed and accuracy of firing their pistol or shotgun at the targets. “I really enjoy the shotgun part, but now I’m beginning to enjoy the pistol part even more,” competitor Drew Beeler said.

According to Lane, shooting is a unique sport for kids to learn. “It gives them some discipline, teaches them gun safety and just how to work well with others,” Lane said.

Some may be scared about safety when it comes to guns, but Lane says shooting can fix that. “But if you get out here and learn, it helps you to learn safety and you’re not as scared,” Lane said.

Although recreational shooting is often stereotyped as a male sport, organizers say about a third of competitors this weekend are female.

“It’s not something that everybody does, so it’s unique,” competitor Emily Bell said. “You do get a lot of attention. It’s just nice when you get to surprise everybody, especially when you beat the guys.”

According to Mayor Kenny McBride, the Carroll County shooting facility is the only one of its kind in the Southeast, which is great for the county’s economy.

“We bring so many people to our county who never have been here before,” McBride said. They come in, they spend the night, they will eat here, they will shop here, so it’s an economic driver for us.”

The students who are victorious this weekend will go on to the national competition this summer in Ohio.

To learn more about the Tennessee Scholastic Action Shooting Program, visit the program’s website.