Building Life Skills Through the Scholastic Clay Target Program
Originally developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Arizona Game and Fish Department sponsors the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), an R3 initiative that encourages the recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and recreational shooters. The program welcomes students ages 9 through college graduation to learn safe firearm use with certified coaches. Through trap, skeet, and sporting clays, it also teaches discipline, safety, teamwork, ethics, self-confidence, and other essential life skills.
Shooting sports play a critical role in R3 efforts, which focus on recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and recreational shooters by introducing youth and families to the skills and values that support lifelong participation. These programs also directly contribute to wildlife conservation, as excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and shooting equipment help fund conservation efforts through the Pittman Robertson Act. By connecting shooting sports with hunting education, participants gain an understanding of ethical firearm use, conservation stewardship, and how their involvement supports wildlife management and the future of Arizona’s outdoor traditions.
There are 20 SCTP clubs statewide that are run entirely by volunteers. Each club is independently organized, setting its own practice dates, times and locations. To find a club in your area, click on the map below. You may contact the SCTP coordinator at 623-236-7305 or by email at AZSCTP@azgfd.gov. You can also contact your local shooting range or gun club to find out if they offer the program.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete an Arizona Game and Fish Department–approved Shotgun Coach Course and background check.
To become an SCTP coach volunteer, contact the volunteer program manager or the shooting sports coordinator of the Arizona Game and Fish Department directly.
The SCTP season runs from Oct. 1 through May 1. Throughout the season, the Arizona Game and Fish Department hosts fun shoots and state championship events that give athletes opportunities to compete and advance. Athletes who participate in a state championship qualify to attend the national championship held at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. For those interested in international shotgun disciplines, additional competitions are offered in conjunction with the State Junior Olympic shotgun competition.
If you are interested in starting an SCTP team at your local shooting club, support is available from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, including clay target machines, firearms, safety equipment, training and funds for new shooters. Contact the SCTP coordinator at 623-236-7305 or by email at AZSCTP@azgfd.gov.
SCTP highlights video
SCTP administrative calendar
AZGFD SCTP New Team Reference Guide
Associated links
Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
USA Shooting
Scholastic Shooting Sports FoundationScholastic Shooting Sports Foundation
Amateur Trapshooting Association
National Skeet Shooting Association
National Sporting Clays Association
Arizona SCTP At A Glance
Youth participation in shotgun sports is growing statewide, creating more opportunities for safe, structured competition.
Athletes
472
Registered Student Athletes
Coaches &
Volunteers
147
Certified & Background-checked Coaches & Volunteers
Teams
20
Teams Statewide
2025-26 Season Shoot Dates
Fun Shoots
Dec. 13–14, 2025: Winter Warm-Up, Ben Avery Clay Target Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
Jan. 31, 2026: No Snow Showdown, Tucson Trap & Skeet Club, Tucson, Ariz.
May 23, 2026: Sporting Clay “Game Walk,” Northern Arizona Shooting Range, Flagstaff, Ariz.
Commissioner’s Cups
Apr. 18–19, 2026: Trap & Skeet Commissioners’ Cup, Tucson Trap & Skeet, Tucson, Ariz.
Apr. 25, 2026: Sporting Clay Commissioners’ Cup, Ben Avery Clay Target Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
Jul. 11–19, 2026: SCTP Nationals, Cardinal Shooting Center, Marengo, Ohio
Discover Arizona’s Scholastic Clay Target Program
Learn how Arizona’s SCTP gives youth safe, educational and competitive opportunities in shooting and teamwork.
Benefits
Joining the Scholastic Clay Target Program provides youth with a safe, structured environment to develop shotgun skills, confidence and teamwork under the guidance of certified coaches. Participants gain lifelong firearm safety knowledge while building discipline and leadership skills. SCTP athletes also benefit from access to additional AZGFD programs and R3 opportunities.
Support from organizations
Wildlife for Tomorrow has donated thousands of dollars to endowment accounts for all Arizona SCTP clubs. These endowment accounts, called the Team Endowment Account, are key to the future of the SCTP.
Midway USA Foundation was created by the Potterfield family and has been a major supporter of Arizona SCTP. The foundation created the Team Endowment Account, and this partnership is key to the future of Arizona SCTP.
The NRA Foundation provides general and range grants for programs such as youth education, law enforcement training, hunter education, conservation, firearms and marksmanship training, and safety. Since its establishment in 1990, the foundation has awarded nearly $398 million in grant funding in support of the shooting sports.
Want to Shoot at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility?
Shoot at the rifle and pistol range, or shoot at the clay target facility, or spend some time at our archery range.
make a reservation for a shoot time
Online reservations are highly recommended.
take a class at basf
Introductory firearms classes, introductory archery clinics, and range safety volunteer courses.