Of the 40 Cleveland trap shooters—the most ever in the Clippers’ nine seasons— Kendra Zimmerman (above) is the younger of only two females on the team.
The freshman doesn’t have a lot of experience. She picked up a shotgun for the first time a few years ago for gun safety training.
But this spring, because of her lackluster results hunting waterfowl last fall, her dad David Zimmerman made her take up trap shooting.
“I went duck hunting twice last year but didn’t get anything, so now he wants me to do this so I can actually hit something.”
Footwork, hold points, eye placement, grip. It's the details that make a trap shooter successful, but—just like in other sports: basketball, softball or golf, for example—Zimmerman is realizing the importance of maintaining a smooth motion…even after pulling the trigger.
“I am learning to follow through,” she said.
In a blustery “reserve week” at Le Sueur’s Caribou Gun Club on Wednesday, when the scores only will count if the shooters miss a subsequent competition session, Zimmerman knocked down six of 25 targets during her first round and improved slightly in her second round with eight hits for a total of 14.
“It’s cold; my hands hurt,” she said. “I didn’t shoot very well, but I shot better than I thought I would.”
This year’s trap team has a solid mix of ages that will make for strong competition, said head coach Jack Zimmerman.
“We have so many young kids with our sixth-grade class last year, and most of them came back, so we have 11 seventh graders. We have a bunch more sixth graders and seven seniors.”
With the higher participant numbers, Zimmerman is glad to have more coaching, including several alumni: Caleb Hankins (2020), Ben Miller (2018), Parker Bonogofsky (2018) and Brandon Ellickson (2018).
Tim Ellickson is assisting Zimmerman. Dave Voss is the range safety official. Parents help keep score.
Despite the cold and gusty conditions, reserve week scores were solid, especially among the experienced shooters.
With rounds of 19 and 24 for a total of 43, senior Riley Tomaszewski led the team. Just two points behind, sophomore Gabe Sullivan and senior Jack Mertens each hit 41 flying clays. Next in line, freshman Nicholas Simonette shot a 40.
Freshman Cooper Arnold, freshman Riley Kriha, sophomore Adam Seeman and junior Martin Gibbs each connected with 39 targets. Senior Jake Anderley and seventh grader Chase Bock each shot a 38. Eighth grader Kaden Schmidt spattered 36 targets. Seventh grader Tanner Simonette shot a 35.
Eighth grader Judd Gibbs shot a 33. Freshman Blake Gibbs and seventh grader Henry Boelter each shot a 31. Seniors Cade Kriha and Jackson Meyer each scored a 30. Just a sixth grader, Jackson Kopp also scored a 30.
Senior Kolby Gens, seventh grader Braeden Smith and sophomore Derek Miller each hit 29 clays. Eighth grader Maxwell Esser, eighth grader Mason Kluntz and freshman Noah Hermel each shot a 28. Seventh grader Zayden Linder and sophomore Dylan Zimmerman each shattered 27 targets. Senior Emma Treanor, the other female on the team, scored a 25.
Seventh grader Aiden Domras scored a 23. Freshman Reid Knish and seventh grader Colton Tousley each dropped 22 targets. Senior Jay Pankratz and seventh grader Cole Stocker each shot a 20.
Seventh grader Marshall Heldberg scored 19. Eighth grader Dylan Thompson totaled 18. Sixth grader Brunson Gibbs improved sharply in his second round for a total of 13. Eighth grader Nathan Seeman scored an 11. Sixth grader Gavin Marx scored a seven. Sixth grader Aiden Giese hit five.
Due to a rainy Wednesday, last week the team had its first practice the following Saturday. The shooters will begin their season in earnest this Wednesday.
Coach Jack Zimmerman instructs a young shooter during a blustery Wednesday at the Caribou Gun Club.
With a 43, Riley Tomaszewski led the Clippers during the reserve week.
Gabe Sullivan shot a 41.
Jack Mertens also shot a 41.