Thanks to Hopkin's coach Mark Czech for drafting these rules.

WSTC Members

For the 2010 school year the Western Suburban Trap Conference shall consist of the following schools grades 6-12.

Athlete Eligibility

Any student who has in his or her possession a valid Hunter Safety/Firearm Safety Certification, has met all additional requirements as indicated by his or her school, shall be eligible to participate. This includes all "home-schooled" athletes, who have the opportunity to shoot for the public / private school in which boundaries they reside.

Home-schooled athletes should contact their area coach to register and to complete all eligibility requirements.

Club Sizes

Club size should not exceed 45 athletes.

Coach/Supervisor Ratio

All coaches / club supervisors should work to achieve 1/10 adult to athlete club ratio.

Range Safety Official.

Each school is responsible for providing a Range Safety Official. The officials responsibility is to monitor the safe handling of firearms while in possession of athletes at the range. This Safety Official is also responsible for enforcing the safe gun handling rules, and to immediately inform a coach if a violation has occurred. This official should be an adult designated by the school or gun club.

Background Checks

All coaches and volunteers are required to meet the necessary background check as defined by each school district before being eligible to work with student athletes.

Fair Play Rule

In order to insure that all school trap clubs have equal access to shooting range, each athlete will be allowed to shoot a maximum of two rounds of trap on his or her school practice night. Any athlete wishing to shoot more, should be encouraged to do so on a night other than the designated school practice night. It is important that school clubs do not infringe on another school clubs opportunity to participate by taking up more than their fair share of range time. In addition, school clubs are strongly encouraged to be respectful of all volunteer time and range manager(s) time.

Exception to this rule:

Additional shooting may occur if all other athletes have had an opportunity to complete practice rounds and an athlete has no viable opportunity to shoot during the week.

Athlete has to make up practice rounds from a previous week.

All exceptions must be fully supported by the club/range manager and all volunteers.

All exceptions must be supervised by the schools head or assistant coach.

Safe Gun Handling

Upon arriving at the club athletes should place their guns on a designated gun rack.

ALL guns are to remain on the rack until it is the athlete’s time to shoot or unless directed specifically by the coach. All muzzle direction rules apply when moving from the gun storage rack to a specific trap, or from post to post. Immediately after shooting a round an athlete’s gun should either be placed back onto the gun rack or cased and returned to the athletes vehicle. If this info is unclear for any reason then follow this clear message. If you are not shooting your guns should be on the rack…NO EXCEPTIONS!

Muzzle Direction

It will be standard practice that all muzzles be pointed in a safe direction down range while in the possession of and athlete or adult when walking to or from the trap range, and when walking from one post to the next, or while waiting for a turn to shoot.

Athletes using "Pump" action and "Automatics" should have the actions open and muzzles pointed upwards. Athletes using "Break" action’s, must have the action open with the muzzle pointing down. All coaches and adult volunteers have the responsibility to keep the range safe at all times and therefore should take it upon themselves to speak respectfully with any athlete from any school if they see a violation of this rule.

Penalties

A Two Strike rule will be applied for any student who is found to be in violation of the above rules.

Eye & Ear Protection

All athletes and coaches are responsible for proper eye and ear protection while on any part of the range. Any athlete on the range will not be allowed to shoot without these proper safety items.

Foot Pads

Athletes are not allowed to rest muzzles on their feet and should not use any type of toe pad.

APPROPRIATE DRESS

Each participant in the WSTC, whether Athlete, Coach, or Adult Volunteer, represents not only the WSTC, but also the entire Shooting Sports Program including one’s team, the team’s sponsoring institution (i.e. school), and at the national level, their state. Promoting a positive image is in the best interest of the WSTC and everyone involved with it. Appropriate dress goes a very long way in making a positive impression.

TOPS – Items of clothing that expose any part of the torso are prohibited. These include, but are not limited to, cutoff T-shirts, halter - tops, tank tops, etc. This rule applies to both men & women.

BOTTOMS – Short shorts and low riding shorts or pants revealing undergarments or buttocks are prohibited.

Foot Wear – Shooting in flip-flops or opened-toed shoes/sandals is prohibited. Violation of this rule may be grounds for disqualification.

Toe Pads – The use of toe pads is forbidden. It is a violation to rest the muzzle on the foot. Violation of this rule may be grounds for disqualification.

Magnetic Muzzle Rest - The use of Magnetic Muzzle Rests is allowed as long as said rest is not placed on an athlete’s foot.

Clothing Adornments – Shirts, hats, pants – any clothing – and any other associated items carried, worn, etc., with pictures, caricatures, designs, messages, writings, or other embellishments with direct or indirect references to alcohol, tobacco, sex or sexual connotations, drugs, gambling or profanities are prohibited.

Conduct

Acts of using abusive or profane language, displaying unsportsmanlike conduct (includes but not limited to: arguing with referees; unsafe handling/use of firearms; disrupting a competitor; cheating, etc.) consuming alcohol or using proscribed drugs before or during any WSTC activity are prohibited, will not be tolerated, and are grounds for disqualification, suspension, and expulsion from the program.

Inclement Weather

In the event of inclement weather coaches should make "athlete safety" their first priority. In the case of nearby lightening a mandatory 15 minutes waiting period without lightening in the sky will be the standard before any competition or practice may continue. If there is any indecision among coaches a majority rule vote will take place and all coaches are expected to abide by the decision made. In the event of a split decision the facility manager will have final say.

Classifications

The following classifications will be in place for the 2010 season

Varsity – Average 19 – 25

Junior Varsity Average 15 – 18.9

Novice Class Average 0 – 14.9

Calculating Averages

All averages will be based on an athletes six most recent scores. Averages will begin to be calculated at the end of week three if possible.

Makeup Rounds

Makeup rounds cannot be counted as part of an athletes average once the competition begins. All scoreable makeup rounds must be completed prior to the first week of scheduled competition. Athletes may continue to make up missed rounds but the rounds cannot be factored into the athletes overall average.

Shot Size

No shot size larger than 7 1/2,

Maximum load not to exceed 3 drams

Velocity not to exceed 1200 FPS.

Shot must be lead.

Pre - Squadding

Coaches should make every possible effort to come to each meet with their athletes’ pre-squadded. Squad sheets should be completed with student names, averages, and coach’s signature. Upon arriving at the meet coaches should give squad sheets to the director of competition. The director of competition will transfer the information to the meet sheet for each school. At the end of the meet each coaches should verify with the director of competition that all information on the sheet is accurate. Upon this confirmation the coach should sign the meet sheet thereby making the meet scores official.

Bump Up Rule

All school are required to shoot a full five-athlete squad for competition. In the event that a coach cannot fill a complete squad, the coach may "bump up" an athlete from a lower classification. i.e. Junior Varsity to Varsity, or Novice to Junior Varsity in order to fill a squad for competition.

No Shows

In the event of a no show a coach has three options

1. Re-squad with athletes from a like classification (ex. varsity – varsity)

(An athlete cannot be placed on more than one squad.)

2. Bump up an athlete from a lower classification (junior varsity to varsity)

3. Shoot Short (4 athlete squad)

4. Forfeit the match

There will be no disqualifications for the 2010 season as a result of a "no show".

Coaches are encouraged to invite their top junior varsity athlete to varsity competitions and their top novice shooter to junior varsity competitions to help eliminate any potential squadding issues.

Ties

In the event of a tie the top two shooters from each squad will participate in a shoot off.

Meet Scoring

All competitions will be school vs. school, squad vs. squad using total raw score by squad to determination wins and losses.

Squad Leaders

It is the squad leaders responsibility to give the scoring sheet to the director of competition upon the squad completing their round. Squad leaders along with the coach are responsible for the verification of the squad’s scores.

Shell Buckets

Shell buckets will be placed at each Trap field. Shooters are required to pick up their shells after each round.