Williams Valley Trap Team Coach Thanks NRA Foundation

The Williams Valley Trap Team in Pennsylvania would like to thank all parties who helped make this 2021 season possible: Scott Barry for applying for The NRA Foundation grant, the coaches for all of their time and effort teaching the student athletes how to be marksmen and how to present themselves at tournaments, the parents for supporting them along their journey, and the kids for putting in the time and effort it takes to become great shooters, teammates and young adults.

There are many lessons learned in this sport, but seeing the way the older more seasoned shooters helped the new shooters out this year was amazing. The life lessons these kids are learning will be used for the rest of their lives. To the older generation of shooters out there, thank you for your compliments. When you address the kids and compliment them on their craft or give them a tip, trust me when I say this, it does not fall on deaf ears. The wisdom that you hold is invaluable to them. When you speak, they listen!

To The NRA Foundation and the Friends of NRA, we as a team cannot thank you enough! If it was not for this organization, our season may have been a complete loss. You came through for the kids with a $10,000 grant for ammunition, and everyone knows how hard it was and still is to get. One shoot  alone, a single shooter can use up to 400 rounds a day if they shoot all disciplines- Singles, Handicap and Doubles, and that really adds up to a lot of ammunition. Some families can’t afford it especially during the new COVID-19 era. This organization saved our season and opened the doors for some shooters who really wanted to try but couldn’t afford it. Yes, these are kids and no kid should be left out no matter what, and The NRA Foundation made that possible! I personally wish that everyone would look at The NRA Foundation in terms of what it does for communities and not just Gun Rights! They are out there doing things in the community that have a much greater purpose in everyday lives, such as teaching our youth how to respect the people they are around, presenting themselves in a positive manner, and hopefully becoming teachers themselves one day.

The Williams Valley Trap Team has so far attended 4 tournaments this season. First, we competed in the PA Eastern Zone Shoot in Reading on May 8^th, taking 7 medals. Second was the Keystone Open May 15^th in which we took 11 medals. Third was the Keystone Sportsman’s Association shoot in Muncy on May 29th and we took 4 medals. Fourth was the Colonial Classic/ state shoot in Elysburg June 12^th and 13^th. With more tournaments yet to come, this team has shown so much growth and we are excited to see how we will continue to compete.

To our kids: put your heads down and go get them. Remember, one at a time once you squeeze you can never get it back! On to the next one, short memory, never dwell on the past clay, always look forward and give it your all!

Thank you again to The NRA Foundation and Friends of NRA for your support of the Williams Valley Trap Team. Again, we would not have been able to have a successful season without your grant, and we hope to receive many more grants in the future.

Coach Miller