Hunting Hills registration set
The Hunting Hills Hawkeyes, Greene County’s Scholastic Clay Target Program team, will hold an open registration for its fifth season from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at Hunting Hills in Dilliner.
The Greene County Department of Recreation will host the sign-ups for students in grades five through 12 who are interested in clay target shooting and have the physical, mental and emotional maturity to participate in a team sport. Category levels consist of rookie (grade 5), intermediate entry and intermediate advanced (grades 6-8), junior varsity and varsity (grades 9-12).
Two safety and training sessions for new team members will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, and Sunday, Feb. 24, at Hunting Hills. Practice sessions for all members will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3, and will be held every Sunday through June 9, except on March 31, May 12 and June 2. May 12 may serve as a make-up practice day if needed.
Registration and consent forms must be completed before a student begins practice. Membership and certain other fees may apply. All students are required to bring a 12- or 20-gauge shotgun, semi-automatic or over-and-under and shells for each practice session.
Head coach Chuck Mallory, assistant coach Randy Coss and several volunteer coaches will instruct the students on gun handling, mounting, stance, lead and shot and prepare them for the state competition, scheduled for Saturday, June 15 at Hunting Hills.
This past June, 47 members of the Hawkeyes competed in the Pennsylvania Scholastic Clay Target Program Sporting Clays Championship in Meshoppen, Pa., with 15 members receiving medals for their performances.
The Hawkeyes formed in February 2009 as part of a pilot Scholastic Clay Target Program in the county. More than 40 students have participated in the program each year.
The team’s home base of Hunting Hills is owned and operated by Sally and Roy Sisler, who first approached the Greene County Commissioners in 2008 about starting a Scholastic Clay Target Program.
Nationally, the programs are sponsored by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation. Locally, the Greene County Commissioners, Hunting Hills and the Department of Recreation sponsor the program with support from the Friends of the National Rifle Association , Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Big Covey Quail, Energy Corp. of America, Atlas Energy, Elite Oil Field Services and Penneco Oil Company. The program’s mission is to promote and teach young people the fundamentals of gun safety, team work and outdoor sports.
For more information on the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes, call Mallory at 724-998-2967, Coss at 724-627-8666 or the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.