by Sentinel Staff

For the first time ever, the Custer County High School Clay Busters team has set their sights on a fall season. Traditionally, the Clay Busters as part of the USA Clay Target League compete in the spring and summer, but this year the fall season is offering student shooters another chance
to compete.
The Clay Busters team, made up of Matthew Burgdorff, Lincoln Wingfield, McKenna Marietta and Kaleigh Mintz, practice Thursday’s after school at the Custer County Sheriff’s Range. The team is led by volunteer coaches Doug Burgdorff, Jerry Tracewell, Alan Prudic, Russ Benson and Steve Betton.
For Coach Doug Burgdorff, the program started as a way to spend time with his son. “Matthew likes to shoot, and unlike other sports, trap and sporting clays practice is just one day a week, so I have the ability to help coach,” Burgdorff explained. He continued, “The best part of coaching the Clay Busters is seeing the kids’ confidence increase. Once they learn the basics and start hitting targets, their desire to get better just grows. It’s an outlet for them to be individually successful.”
Safety is at the heart of every practice and competition. According to the USA Clay Target League, which has grown into the largest youth clay target program in the country, student athletes have recorded millions of shots fired nationwide with a perfect safety record. That record has held true for 4-H shooting sports as well, which trains thousands of youth annually in archery, rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader programs. Both organizations emphasize safety, responsibility, and respect above all else.
The benefits of shooting sports go well beyond the range. Studies and surveys from 4-H and other youth programs show that students who participate build stronger focus, responsibility, and self-confidence. Shooting sports require concentration, breathing control, and focus which are all skills that parallel stress management techniques. The sport also opens the door for college scholarships, particularly for trap and skeet shooters, which are among the fastest-growing collegiate sports in the U.S.
The Custer County Clay Busters offer a unique opportunity for students who may not be drawn to traditional team sports. Each year millions of student athletes are injured playing high school sports. Not so with shooting sports. Zero injuries to date according to the USA Clay Target League. Shooting clays allows athletes to compete against themselves, track their personal improvement, and take pride in steady progress.
As the fall season unfolds, the Clay Busters are proud to represent Custer County with steady hands, sharp eyes, and a commitment to safe, responsible sportsmanship.