On the North Shore, spring sports come with their own set of challenges, but the Two Harbors High School Trap Team handled them the way they always do: by showing up, lining up, and shooting well enough to finish in the top three of their conference.
“We shoot in all kinds of weather,” coach Ann Hastings said. “We go no matter what.”
The program started in 2014 with 17 kids. Now the roster hovers in the high 20s, with seventh graders through seniors all taking their turn on the line. Boys, girls, first timers, multi-sport athletes, and the kids who never thought they were “sports kids” all fit.
“It’s very inclusive,” Hastings said. “Nobody sits on the bench. They all participate fully.”
This spring, the Agates finished in the top three of their nine-team conference. Senior Josh Johnson led the way, placing ninth in the conference during the regular season. At the state championship in Alexandria, he finished twelfth among varsity shooters on a day with 861 competitors.
In the regular season, three teammates joined him in the top 25: Spencer Olson, Colton Linden, and Cody Dallum.
The full state shoot runs nine days and draws up to 9,000 kids. Minnesota has more than 11,000 student trap shooters out of roughly 40,000 nationwide, which makes the state the unofficial capital of teenagers who can outshoot most adults.
Hastings said the sport’s appeal is simple.
“It’s a lifelong sport,” she said. “I think it builds a lot of character. It’s a very mental game.”
The team is fully self-funded, which means the athletes pay a small fee, and the rest comes from sponsors and community support. The Hunting Shack Scramble, Pheasants Forever, and the NRA Foundation all chipped in this year, including a donated shotgun that the kids were able to use in competition.
The team also shows up for the community. They partner with the American Legion during Heritage Days, place flags at the cemetery, help with team dinners, and assist at the credit union’s paper shredding events, among other volunteer efforts.
“One of our goals is to be visible so people see us and know what we are and what we do,” Hastings said.
The program keeps most of its shooters year after year. They “get hooked,” according to Hastings.
Twenty athletes posted varsity-level scores at the Alexandria championship, averaging 19 or higher out of 25 targets. Seven seniors are graduating, leaving room for new shooters. The team includes several sets of siblings and welcomes homeschooled students.
For anyone curious, Hastings keeps the door wide open. Tuesday nights at the Agate Bay Gun Club are open to anyone willing to bring a shotgun, some ammunition, and a sense of adventure.
“They can come up and try trapshooting,” she said. “They can certainly come up and try it or come up and watch.”
The team posts updates on its Facebook page and on the Agate Bay Gun Club page, with announcements for next season beginning in January and a meeting to follow in February. Hastings said she expects the momentum to continue.
“I look forward to another good season next year,” she said.
