Colbinabbin Clay Target Club’s successful junior program drew the eye of the Bendigo Academy of Sport. Photos: Steve Huntley.
The Cobinabbin Clay Target Club has one of the most supportive and accessible junior programs in the sport.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The club recently drew the eye of the Bendigo Academy of Sport, which sent seven of its emerging stars to the club’s monthly shoot last weekend.
“Because of what we’re doing with our juniors, attracting such good numbers and training them, the Academy of Sport brought their juniors over so that they could have competition with peers,” Colbinabbin Clay Target Club president Lee Fitzgerald said.
“Training in a competition environment is probably a better way of training, arguably, so they wanted to come over and be part of what we do.
“I think we had 16 juniors on the day and everyone had a great day.”
BAS junior Roy Davis shot his first 100-target streak at the Colbinabbin meet.
The club allows juniors to shoot free at all of its monthly shoots, increasing the appeal for the academy athletes, the cost effectively subsidised from senior member fees.
“We’re happy to put the money back into the sport,” Fitzgerald said.
“That's a major investment in the future.
“Anyone who’s not putting money back into the sport and putting it in the bank, well, they’re not really investing in the future of shooting and competition.
“What we’ve chosen to do is put the money back into the juniors and that’s worked exceptionally well for us.”
While the Academy of Sport athletes got a chance to take part in a free shooting day in a competition environment, Colbo’s local juniors got a look at some of the top young shooters in the region.
Fitzgerald was keen to emphasise the community aspects of the program, along with the skill development opportunities.
BAS juniors visited Colbinabbin Clay Target Club for its monthly shoot. Photos: Steve Huntley.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just about being super competitors, there’s a whole lot of things that they learn from shooting,” he said.
“They learn respect, discipline, manners, and it just helps them become really well-adjusted, grounded young people, and it’s a great environment for them to learn all of those attributes.
“In saying that, some of the kids go on and become champion shooters as well out of it, so, it’s for us, it’s the whole package.”
Local members were impressed with the skills of BAS prospect Mitchell Wilson.
Club members on hand at the day spoke to the quality of both the local and academy shooters, with academy prospects Roy Davis and Mitchell Wilson identified as particular standouts.
There were some strong performances at the shoot, with Davis hitting 100 straight targets for the first time in his career.
Senior shooter Rory Finch, who travelled from Kyneton for the shoot, also logged his first 100-target streak.
The club’s next meet will be its special Anzac shoot, which regularly attracts more than 100 shooters.
Colbinabbin Clay Target Club lets junior members shoot for free.
Meets are held regularly on the fourth Sunday of each month and, except for the upcoming Anzac shoot, juniors shoot free with coaches on hand.
Fitzgerald welcomed any new seniors or juniors to come down to the club and get started in shooting.
“Anyone, even people who want to start out in the sport, they don’t have to feel that they’re precluded from it because they can come in as an absolute beginner having not even shot before and we can coach them up to pretty much whatever level they’d like to continue at,” he said.
12°C