Michigan State High School Clay Target League continues growing at rapid pace

UTICA — The Michigan State High School Clay Target League reported that 2,378 students across the state are participating in the league this spring. Those athletes are from 131 different schools in Michigan as more schools are being represented every year.

Created in 2001, the USA Clay Target League has become prominent across the country with branches in nearly every state. The league is a nonprofit and is the largest clay target shooting organization.

“From three teams and 30 students, we’re now at just under 2,000 teams across the nation with about 54,000 participating over the year,” USA Clay Target League marketing manager Drew Tri said. “The league has facilitated growth on all sides of clay target shooting sports.”

One of the biggest reasons why is the outlet that it has created for students who might not be interested in anything else.

“The students that participate in our league … about 40% of them are not part of any other activity in school,” Tri said. “They’re students that wanted to find a place to participate and be a part of their school activities, but the schools had yet to provide that for them.”

In Michigan, the league branch is now 10 years old and has expanded at a rapid pace.

“In 2016, we had seven high schools and 97 students,” Tri said. “It just shows you that the demand for this exists.”

Among the growth that Michigan has seen, the expansion into the metro Detroit area has been the most noteworthy. An area that due to accessibility has historically had limited interest is now adding teams every year. Schools like L’Anse Creuse, Lake Orion, Oxford, Romeo, St. Clair and more are all participating in the league. One of the local schools that’s seen a lot of growth throughout the years is Utica High School.

“About nine years ago me and my dad started it, and I was the very first person on the Utica High School team,” coach Nathan Kosanke said. “I left for college and then came back and this will be my first year officially running it. It’s grown a lot.”

Kosanke said that in his first year, the team, which draws students from Eisenhower High School and Romeo High School as well, had around 45 kids. Last year, the program was 145 kids strong.

“When we started off, there weren’t very many schools doing it; we were kind of one of the first ones to start doing it,” Kosanke said. “And now I feel like every school in Michigan has a team.”

Utica has grown to such a large size because of the team’s mindset on what it wants to accomplish. Ultimately, the program exists to help teach kids firearm safety and to help them learn how to properly handle and shoot.

“Every year we have kids that the first time they even held a gun is when they showed up here for the first time,” Kosanke said. “We’re open to anyone who wants to join and learn. … At least half, if not more, of our students don’t shoot outside (of our season).”

Ultimately, the league has a perfect safety record and has become a way for boys and girls to represent their school when they might not have been interested in any other school activities. The team members get varsity letters, the team gets a place in the yearbook, and they are recognized as athletes, all while learning important lessons along the way.

“This is opening up new horizons for students. … Part of the reason it’s growing so much is anyone can do it,” Kosanke said.

The regular season will conclude on May 25 with state tournaments throughout the month of June. The USA High School Clay Target League National Championship will be held in Mason, Michigan, from July 9 to July 14. Registration for the national championship will begin on May 27.

For more information on the MISHCTL, visit mi.usaclaytarget.com.