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November 5, 2024
Amateur Trapshooting Association Success with First Shots: A Call to Action for Shooting Facilities
Providing shooting opportunities to non-shooters, eliminating their fears about firearms and empowering them to learn safe shotgun handling and the joys of trapshooting are at the core of the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s (ATA) mission. These elements are also key components among ATA member ranges facilities attracting new shooters.
Challenges in Getting New Shooters Into Trapshooting
“Continually bringing in and educating new shooters is critical to ATA and the shooting sports industry,” acknowledges Lynn Gipson, ATA’s Executive Director, who’s been involved in trapshooting for five decades. “Unfortunately, there have been barriers to getting new shooters into trapshooting. One challenge was offering new shooters firearms so they could try out trapshooting. While we’ve eliminated that barrier, you can’t just give somebody a shotgun and box of shells and send them out to the trap line.
“Instruction on safe firearms handling, shooting basics, rules of the sport, ethics and on-range instruction are critical. Every shooting facility must offer instruction and they do. However, the time, staff and educational materials required to offer new shooter events causes many facilities to steer away from offering more opportunities for folks to get involved.”
How First Shots Helps
Start hosting NSSF’s First Shots® program. First Shots provides shooting facilities with everything necessary to plan and host events. From promotional materials to video instruction, printed educational materials, equipment and ammo donations, a complete curriculum outlined and bonuses to participants that bring them back to the facility, everything needed for a successful event is already in place. It’s basically a turn-key operation.
Why ATA Partnered with NSSF’s First Shots
“We’ve always supported NSSF® and its programs, “Gipson says. “But, with First Shots, we immediately saw it was a perfect fit for our member facilities to reach new shooters. That’s why ATA decided to become a program partner. There’s no need for our facilities to reinvent the wheel when attracting new shooters. NSSF has done all the heavy lifting.”
ATA Hosts a First Shots Event at the World Shooting Complex
Although ATA doesn’t own a shooting facility, Gipson and his staff wanted to put on an event to show ATA members how terrific the program is at reaching and teaching new shooters. So, in July of 2024, ATA held a First Shots event at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Ill. The complex hosts the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s Grand American Trapshooting Championships each year.
Admittedly, ATA decided to hold the event and partner with First Shots for organizational reasons – to bring new shooters into the sport and hopefully members into ATA. Beyond that, however, ATA saw First Shots as a chance to expose trapshooting to folks who may not know much about the sport, let them know what ATA does and give them hands-on opportunities to share the excitement of trapshooting and building lifelong friendships, as well as offer folks who love to compete an exciting alternative to sports that require great physical prowess.
Trapshooting: A Sport for Everyone
“Folks who love sports and competition but who are not involved in activities like basketball, football, baseball, wrestling or other highly physical sports, are intrigued by the shooting sports, because they know they can compete, given an opportunity to learn and enjoy competitive success,” Gipson says.
“From a youth standpoint, this is critical. Through ATA, trapshooting and First Shots, kids who don’t participate in physically grueling sports have an outlet to learn and enjoy a sport they can participate in today and for a lifetime. Once the kids, and their parents, are exposed to the sport, their excitement level is apparent. They go home and tell their friends shooting is okay, fun and safe. Even if they don’t continue shooting, which most do, they may share their experience with someone else who may be inquisitive and want to learn.”
The Success of ATA’s First Shots Event
The ATA First Shots event sold out quickly. Twenty-six shooters participated, which was well beyond the 20 participants expected.
“As I observed at the event, a few things really struck me,” admits Liz Lloyd, ATA Marketing Director. “The attendees definitely had a good grasp on what they were doing before they hit the line, which was exciting for all of us. Understanding the safety aspects, rules of the game, etiquette and more is critical. These are elements we care deeply about and watch closely.
“The instruction also gave participants a sense of confidence that they were able to walk out to the line together, in their groups, with side-by-side instruction, feel comfortable and succeed. One participant who stood out was a gal who attended with her boyfriend. He was a shooter, she was not. When she hit her first clay, she was so excited. You could clearly see the bond that was built immediately between the couple. That was a big thing for me.”
Lloyd also remembered a grandfather/grandson duo. The elder gentleman was able to share his love of trapshooting with his teenage grandson in a safe, supportive and stress-free environment. They were able to build life-long memories and extend their family’s shooting heritage to a new generation.
The other aspect that struck Lloyd was the camaraderie among participants, who before the day of the event didn’t know one another. They cheered for each other, lifted high-fives and made quick friendships. They experienced all the joys of trapshooting beyond breaking clays.
Why More Facilities Should Host First Shots Events
“With everything NSSF offers through First Shots, our facilities have everything they need to bring in new shooters, get them into the game, engage new customers, spread the word that the shooting sports are fun and gauge the success of the program,” Gipson sums up. “We encourage our member facilities to check out First Shots and host an event. We believe the benefits are substantial. We also encourage anyone who wants to learn to shoot to attend a First Shots event. You’ll be glad you did.”
About the Author
Laurie Lee Dovey is an award-winning writer and photographer, media consultant and owner of LLD INK, LLDInk.com. Also, find her on Facebook and LinkedIn @lldovey.
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