The John Halter Shooting Sports Education Center will host the LaPorte Reagan Five-Stand Winter League Jan. 21-Feb. 28 for a second year inside the heated Drummond Five-Stand Building.
The league is a sporting clays competition, in which participants shoot clay targets coming from various trajectories from each of the five indoor towers each week. Each competitor shoots 50 clays per week, contributing to the total score out of 250, with the lowest weekly score dropped.
“It’s a great way to enjoy the shooting sports and get some practice in even while it’s cold,” said Jonathan Calabrese, clay shooting sports program manager at the Halter Center.
The five-week league is open to any shooter with at least intermediate-level experience with a shotgun for a $25 weekly fee, with a 10% discount for those who pay up front, according to the Halter Center. Those who pay an extra $50 have the chance to receive cash prizes if they place highly at the end of the five weeks. Prizes will be based on the number of participants.
Shotguns can be rented and ammunition purchased for the event onsite. Participants need to have an intermediate level of shooting experience, as no on-site instruction will be provided.
“The request for intermediate experience is due to safety,” Calabrese said. “Intermediate experience simply entails someone who is comfortable shooting clay targets and has the ability to do so safely.”
Final scores for the league will be measured according to the Lewis Class system, which categorizes participants into classes based on their scores and ability levels and ranks them within that class.
The league is a great way for recreational shooters to develop their skills comfortably according to shotgun team captain and junior Madeline Corbin.
“If people are on the fence about signing up, I would recommend doing it, because five-stand is a great way to start shooting clay targets,” Corbin said. “And the five-stand at Halter is heated, so it is perfect for shooting in the winter.”
Shotgun head coach Jordan Hintz added that the sport is safer than is often assumed.
“The fact that the sport has to do with firearms makes a lot of people think that it’s inherently dangerous,” Hintz said. “But it’s really a safe sport, and it’s something you can keep doing your whole life.”
For those with no shooting experience, gun safety and shooting courses are available at the Halter Center, according to Calabrese.
“The Halter Center offers one on one instruction that will teach a shooter how to improve their skills and understand the safety required in shooting sports,” he said.
Participants in the league may shoot from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays or on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for the league is open until the end of the second week of the league, Jan. 31, at 2:30 p.m.
