In the last issue of this column I interviewed Mr. Tinsley with the Art Club. Art Club is a great club to join during Raider Time for students who are interested in learning about new types of art, as well as practicing their own unique artistic styles. This week however I decided to interview students in a very different group; students who like to see things go off with a bang, if you will. 

Trapshooting Team, led by RAHS woodshop teacher Jeff Davies, kicks off in the spring, and has found it’s fair share of success, placing third in the trapshooting championship last season. The team meets from 4-6 pm on Thursdays during the spring sports season at Metro Gun Club. Each student shoots 2 rounds of 25 at 50 targets. The coaches watch and give pointers as the students shoot in groups of 5.

One of the most important components of the Trapshooting team is firearm safety. Firearms can be dangerous if handled incorrectly, so there are a lot of different rules athletes must abide by. The league requires each competitor

to complete a safety training to be on the team, and the range has its own set of rules; things like treat every gun as if it’s loaded, never have your finger on the trigger, always make sure your gun is pointed in a safe direction, and more. “The league likes to mention there’s never been an accident and we’re the safest sport in high school!” Senior Michael Studenski tel

ls me. On the subject of safety Mr. Davies said “The coaches and athletes are all looking out for each other, it’s a real team approach as far as safety is concerned, that’s the number one priority.” When asked if his background in teaching safety as a woodshop teacher helped him know how to address safety as the coach of the trapshooting team, Mr. Davies said “A large part of my job everyday is to be conscious of safety, and that becomes a way of thinking; I think it translates for sure.”

As far as recruiting new members, there seemed to be agreement between the members and coaches alike. On who should join the team, Emily Wraspir said, “anyone can do it, you can do it for your whole life, you don’t need natural skill and you can always improve. Everybody is welcome.” For their upcoming season this spring, they are hoping to improve diversity, attracting more students of color as well as female participants. If you’re interested in the most explosive (but safest!) team at RAHS, the trapshooting team might be for you. You can ask Mr. Davies in the Woodshop about joining for the next season.