History of local trap and skeet league
The St. Marys Trap and Skeet League, Incorporated first began in the 1950s and has continued to thrive since then.
When the league first began they did not shoot at the different locations like they do today, but instead, they shot at Trout Run.
The league founders had very different teams that slowly evolved into today’s league. Some of the older teams were North Fork Stackpole Lodge, Emporium, Pennsylvania Powdered Metal (PPM) lodge, and many others that as time went on would either disband or morph into another version.
There are six teams in today’s league that shoot both trap and skeet. They are Morgan AM&T, St. Marys Sportsmens, Camp Owners, Hot Shots, Timberland, and Fox. The remaining three teams that only shoot trap are Kane, Challengers, and Wild Side. Morgan AM&T, St. Marys Sportsmens, and Challengers are the three oldest teams. The next oldest teams are Camp Owners and Hot Shots.
The newest additions to the league are Kane and Wild Side. It had originally started as an all-girls team known as Topshelf but as time went on the name changed into Superior and then more recently to Timberland.
“The league has changed a lot over the years but I think that this league changed for the better,” shooter, Lonnie Riegle said.
Not only did the teams within the league change, but the people and customs did as well.
In the very beginning, it was customary for specific squads to have an order in which they would shoot, even if they were late to the match. Now it is first come first serve and everyone is welcome to shoot wherever they want.
There were also fewer young shooters that competed, but with the creation of the Fox Township High School trap team in 2009, there was a major influx of young shooters into the league.
Shooters said they enjoy the addition of the kids as they are the future of the sport.
Shooter, Mike Tamburlin, said, “It is a good opportunity for the kids and lets us veterans be mentors and help them out.”