Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Shotgun team at ACUI Clay Target Championships in Texas
3/23/2021 12:00:00 AM | Shooting, Shotgun
Eleven members of Liberty University's shotgun team are flying to San Antonio this afternoon to compete in the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships, set for Thursday through Saturday at the National Shooting Complex.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, which canceled last year's national event, the field is limited to 500 competitors, coming from 51 universities and colleges across the United States, shooting in four categories — skeet, trap, sporting clays and super sporting clays.
Liberty debuted at the 2018 ACUI Collegiate Championships with a third-place overall showing out of 14 schools in Division 4, reserved for first-year programs. It followed that up with a top-10 team performance in Division 2 in 2019.
"This year, we will be competing in Division 3 and are hopeful for a top-three finish out of 27 schools," Flames second-year Head Coach Roger Johnson said, noting that the team was incorrectly categorized in Division 2 last year. "We've put the time and effort and work in this year and have refined our discipline and approach. I have faith in them and now they have the chance to show the country what they can do."
He said Division 3 comprises 75 percent of the field this weekend, with only 10 schools shooting in Division 2 and fewer than five in Division I.
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| Flames senior Cade Schindel reloads in practice at the Liberty Mountain Gun Glub's shotgun range. |
All 11 of the Flames and Lady Flames will shoot in all four categories, with the top five scores in each discipline factored into the combined High Overall total score that determines the team placings. Individually, the top three men's and women's shooters in each category are honored with podium finishes.
Liberty features four returning members from the 2019 team that traveled to nationals — graduate Chloe Sterner, senior captain Jacob Davis, junior John Britton, and sophomore captain Justin Johnson.
Aside from sophomore Victoria Hendrix, a 2018 Junior Olympic champion, Coach Johnson said Britton, Justin Johnson, senior Cade Schindel, and sophomore Austin Applegarth are among the favorites this weekend.
"Those four shooters are shooting lights out above all, actually," he said. "They have been absolutely phenomenal in practice."
Johnson said Sterner and Britton are serving as spiritual leaders this season and will take on the role as team chaplains this weekend.
"Throughout the semester, they have been preparing words of wisdom and encouragement, and will take that to a life study, to use that as a podium to invite others at the competition," Johnson said.
"This event is a great witnessing opportunity as we have the ability to not only compete on a national stage, but to be a witness of all that Liberty is doing in our community and in our country," he added, noting that the Flames and Lady Flames take that responsibility as seriously as the competition itself.
"It's very important to show a good moral center, to be a positive role model to the community with our character, and by offering a helping hand to others in a sport and community that is not always God-centered," Johnson said. "It's more about compassion than competition. It's not confrontational, making others feel inferior. It's making everyone feel welcome, showing compassion to teammates and competitors, and sharing the love of the sport."
That will open doors for team members to communicate the Gospel message to those who will listen.
"That is why this is such an amazing witnessing opportunity, because we can use our common love for this sport as a platform to leverage our position to witness and evangelize, to tell of His love for us and to share His love for them," Johnson said.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the Flames and Lady Flames will not be competing on the same platforms with other teams' shooters. They all tested negatively before traveling and have and have practiced social distancing as required.
"We are taking extra precaution as far as wearing masks during travel, maintaining extra distance with additional travel vehicles and spacing in lodging and during competition to reduce chances of exposure," Johnson said. "We are trying to do team meals and discipleship, in common areas where there is outside seating, and to use that as an opportunity for other teams to participate in a public forum."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Kylee Ligle/Club Sports Video & Media
