ORANGE BEACH — The Orange Beach Shooting Team is in Childersburg this weekend for the 2026 Alabama Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) championship.
The Makos brought home 14 medals in 2025 and are hoping for more wins this year.
The competition is being held at the Red Eagle Skeet and Trap Club, a location that is dear to skeet shooting coach Tim Harry’s heart.
“I grew up shooting skeet. My mom took me to skeet range when I was 12, and I grew up in Childersburg, where the state championship is held,” Harry said. “So, I get to take the team back and show them the grass that I used to cut that bought my first skeet.”
The team of 41 is led by head coach Matt Parker, Harry, a sporting clay coach, a trap coach and a safety coach. The team has won several state titles each year, including team skeet and team sporting clay.
“That means our shooters’ scores averaged higher than any other team in the state of Alabama in the SCTP," Harry said. “We have 21 total state championships after three years.”
Coaches say the sport is about more than championships and medals.
“The whole purpose of shooting is giving our youth a discipline that gives them confidence that they wouldn't have otherwise,” he said. “Not every kid can be a pitcher or a linebacker, but I can teach any kid to shoot skeet.”
Harry said shooting also teaches kids to respect firearms and how to be safe with them.
Being a member of the shooting team also gives students opportunities. Ella Floyd recently accepted a shooting team scholarship with Auburn University. Harry said those opportunities are priceless.
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