Five hundred and thirty-one students from 26 Illinois high school teams are participating in the Illinois State High School Clay Target League's (ILSHSCTL) 2018 spring trap shooting season, which begins April 22. Last year there were 257 students on 12 teams.

“Clay target shooting as an activity for Illinois high school athletes continues to grow by leaps and bounds,” said Jim Sable, President of the ILSHSCTL, “The record-setting growth we‟ve seen shows the demand for alternative high school activities related to Illinois‟ longstanding outdoor traditions.”

The League's co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to high schools in Illinois. The League is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it‟s an "adaptive‟ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.

“We take pride in that athletes of all types are able to participate in clay target shooting,” John Nelson, Vice President of the ILSHSCTL, remarked. “Our True Team® scoring system is also designed so that everyone can compete, not just the top scorers on a team.”

Area teams competing are Effingham St. Anthony, Altamont, Dieterich, Teutopolis and Newton.

Upon completion of the Spring League, all student athletes are invited to participate in individual and team competitions at the 2018 State Tournament. The event is scheduled for June 2 at the Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill.

The Illinois State High School Clay Target League attracts student athletes to participate in shooting sports while creating a "virtual‟ competition among high school teams throughout Illinois at no cost to the schools. Family travel costs are minimal because practice and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school¹s location. The League is also the safest sport in high school, with no reported injuries since the inception of the League in 2001.

Conferences are determined by team size rather than geographic location for fair competition. Athletes earn True Team® scoring points as determined by their performance and ranking against all athlete scores within their team‟s conference. The team score and overall standings are calculated and posted on the League‟s website. Athletes and their families may track their individual and team performance on their computer via the League's website, and by the Shooter Performance Tracker® mobile app.

The Illinois State High School Clay Target League is an affiliate of the USA High School Clay Target League, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The League is an independent provider of shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for high schools and students in grades 6 through 12. The organization‟s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order. Each student is required to pass a comprehensive firearm safety education course prior to participation.   

Nationwide, nearly 22,000 students representing over 800 school-approved teams participate in the League.

  Season Schedule:   Week of  April 1 Practice Week 1    Week of April 8: Practice Week 2    Week of April 15: Reserve Week    Week of April 22: Competition Week 1    Week of April 29: Competition Week 2    Week of May 6: Competition Week 3    Week of May 13: Competition Week 4    Week of May 20th: Competition Week 5    Week of May 27: Fun Week    ILSHSCTL State Tournament: June 2