Scholastic Clay Target Season Underway Shotgun sports are gaining popularity among male and female youths, and there's no better evidence than the Scholastic Clay Target Program, NSSF's national shooting league now active in more than 35 states, with nearly 7,000 participants. State championship shoots have begun and will continue through August. By the end of summer, national champion teams will be crowned in trap, skeet and sporting clays. Winners will receive scholarship awards, trophies and more. "SCTP is experiencing phenomenal growth nationwide," said Zach Snow, who coordinates the program for NSSF. "Last year alone, we saw a more than 50 percent increase in participation, not to mention an 84 percent increase in female competitors." SCTP skeet and sporting clays national championships will be held in Rush, N.Y., in July while the SCTP national trap championships are slated for Sparta, Ill., in August. To qualify for these national events, youngsters are competing in SCTP events all over the country.