SFCC Shooting Sports prepares for upcoming season

In the second season, the State Fair Community College (SFCC) Shooting Sports team will have a large group of new competitors. The team will be led by four returners from last season, Justin Duenke, Averi Echoff, Emmi Johnson, and Braiden McEachern.

Head Coach Sarah Manuel likes what she has seen from her team in practice.

"Our first week of practice we had a shootout to determine placements in squads," said Manuel. "With those placements established, we can now practice with focus on our disciplines, which are trap, skeet, and sporting clays."

SFCC will participate in the The National Collegiate Shooting Sports Athletic Association this season.

"The NCSSAA has set qualification scores," said Manuel. "They are more aligned with the NJCAA schools. We will just be competing with schools in our division. If a student qualifies for trap or skeet, they will also qualify for skeet doubles and doubles trap."

The team boasts a 100% retention rate from last season. Manuel has been impressed with NJ McKenzie and Connor Hess who will step into leadership roles on the team and recognized Paiton Williams and  Arthur Sims for all the extra work both put in over the summer.

SFCC will open the season on September 7 at the Sedalia Rod and Gun Club.

"I would like to invite everyone to come out and watch our first shoot off against William Woods University. That will be a nice way to open our season."

Other highlights on this year's schedule will include the NCSSAA Qualifier in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 16. The Roadrunners will take part in another NCSSAA Qualifier in Wichita, Kansas on November 4. SFCC will wrap up the season on March 13 at the NCSSAA Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 2022 team will include 19 newcomers to the program: Xane Anderson, Kaidence Cleveland, Philip Crawford, Wyatt Dereendinger, Sidney Douglas, Ben Engemann, Connor Hess, Lilie Lett, NJ McKenzie, Aiden Meyers, Matthew Richardson, Arthur Sims, Hunter Snow, Will VanVactor, Anthony Walls, Gracy Williams, Paiton Williams, Daniel Younger-Losing, and Blake Zimmerscheild.

Coach Manuel has some goals she would like to see her team accomplish this season.

"We have a very competitive schedule this year," said Manuel. "My team goal is to qualify 15 student-athletes for Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada."

"Repetition will be one of our keys to success," said Manuel. "We have to strengthen our hand eye coordination and reaction time. We have to know the games and know how to shoot and just get in as many repetitions as we can to help us be successful."

David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics