Penn State Brandywine offers a diverse learning experience to all of its students. In keeping with its diversity, Brandywine also has a large number of clubs for students. One of these is the Brandywine Trap Shooting Club.
The Trap Shooting Club gives Penn State students the thrilling experience of learning about the game of trap shooting and master some key terms used within the sport such as pigeon, traphouse and no-bird.
Each new member is given special instructions on firearm safety and how to properly handle the firearm. Safety is a number one priority with the Trap Shooting Club, which is why they always have trained monitors standing by to assist members with questions or concerns.
The club welcomes members of all skill levels, from novice to expert and does not require that all of its members own a gun.
“It is beneficial if you have your own gun, however, we normally have extras on hand. The officers and sometimes other members allow those without their own gun to borrow theirs for a few rounds,” club president Carlie Swallow said.
Although trap club does not require members to own their own gun, there are only two types of guns allowed. The first is a 12-gauge shotgun and the second is a 20-gauge shotgun. The 12 and 20 represent the size of the shotgun shell; the higher the gauge the smaller the shell, and the smaller the gauge the larger the shell.
Currently, the club does not require members to pay a fee to shoot, but that may change. Members are required to wear eye and ear protection to ensure their safety. Other equipment that members may be interested in purchasing includes a shooting vest or shell bag.
In the past, the club has not competed against other schools. Given the number of members and strong interest, the club hopes that they will be able to compete soon.
There are a few mandatory meetings on campus for both officers and members to discuss upcoming shoots and address concerns. In addition to mandatory meetings, the club takes attendance one week prior to a shoot. The club uses the attendance records to estimate how many people will be there, how much ammo they will need to purchase before the shoot, and if they will need to borrow extra guns from Delaware County Sportsmen.
The trap club meets on the second, fourth and fifth Sunday of each month at noon at Delaware County Sportsmen—just 10 minutes from the Brandywine campus. To learn more or if you’re interested in joining the Trap Shooting Club, please feel free to email the club president Carlie Swallow at CAS6102@psu.edu or call 484-682-8372.
Lions Eye Staff Writer
Tom O’Donnell, two5047@psu.edu
updated by Lion’s Eye Web Staff