Here are some of the questions asked by people interested in joining Katy Dusters
Who are our Coaches?
Our coaches are volunteers who love the shooting sports. Most are parents, some of whom their children have moved on from the program. Our coaches are certified, trained and experienced in coaching.
Coaches:
- Ray Purtzer, Head Coach, NRA, NSCA level 1, NSSA level 1
- Kevin Coston, Asst. Coach, SCTP Cerified
- Jason Weber, Asst. Coach, SCTP Certified
- Nathan Fitzgerald, Asst. Coach, SCTP Certified
- Jeff Hieber, Asst. Coach, SCTP Certified
- Kris Givens, Asst. Coach, SCTP Certified
- Shyuemin Pang, Asst, Coach,SCTP Certified, NSSA level 2
- DeeDee Saenz, Asst. Coach 4H, SCTP Certified
We could always use more coaches. If interested, let us know at the next meeting!
Who actually runs the Team?
Katy Dusters has a Board of volunteers who provide guidance on behalf of the team and ensures everything is running smoothly. Most decisions, however, are run through our parent and athlete meetings. We all take part in the direction and decisions regarding team things, and we rely heavily on the input of the athletes, who have their own leadership team.
How do I join Katy Dusters?
We love having new folks join us! If interested, visit our How to Join page on the process for joining.
What age do athletes have to be?
Membership is open to youth from 10 years old to college age. If they can hold up a shotgun, they are good to go!
What experience is necessary?
If they can hold up a shotgun, they are good to go! Haha! All of our best shooters began somewhere. We'd love to help those interested get the hang of it, grow in it, and become a competent shooter. Our athletes' skill levels range from beginner to nationally ranked.
Where do we practice? And when?
Katy Dusters practices at several locations.
Westside Sporting Grounds (Katy) – Home base for sporting clays. Sunday afternoons.
Greater Houston Gun Club (Houston) – Sunday afternoon practice for skeet, sporting clays, trap.
American Shooting Centers (Houston) - Skeet, Trap, 5-stand. Thursday evenings.
All Practices are open to cancellation, so please check TeamSnap before coming out.
What does a season look like?
There is no “season” proper. We shoot year-round – practice and competitions. However, we typically get started in September of every year with practices, rechartering, tournaments. Most of the larger competitions occur during the spring semester. Athletes are free to engage as much or as little as they like, though we try to encourage at least once a week practice. In order to compete in SCTP events, an athlete must practice with the team a minimum of 6 times.
What does it cost?
Memberships in organizations will vary according to participation and experience. ALL of our athletes are required to join SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program; $25 per year). We also encourage membership in 4H ($20 per year per family). We also incur a "Family Fee" of $200 per year for each family in the team. At official practices athlletes typically get 40-50% discount on range/target fees. Other costs include tournament registration fees (which vary depending on participation) as well as jersey and shooting vests.
What kind of shotgun?
There are multiple types of shotguns – pump action, tactical, hunting, sporting, etc. The best shotguns for clay shooting sports are sporting shotguns that allow for rapid fire of two shots in a row. So, semi-automatic or over/under shotguns are best.
Which gauge shotgun should my athlete use?
Most of our older athletes use 12g, but many of our younger athletes (and a couple of our older ones) prefer 20g because of its lessened recoil; it’s a little more manageable for their size. Though 12g is the primary gauge in shooting sports, there are competitions and opportunities to use others - .410, 20g, 28g in competitions or for more practice. By no means do you have to have one of each type!
What if I don't have a shotgun?
No problem! If you are hoping to try it out and see, your athlete can borrow one for temporary use. Just let us know. We do, however, expect each athlete to acquire their own shotgun after getting started.
What are chokes?
Chokes are the tubes that screw into the end of the barrel of a gun. They determine the spread of the shot when the gun is fired.
Skeet = skeet choke (S).
Sporting clays = Improved Cylinder (IC) or Light Modified (LM).
Trap = Improved Cylinder (IC) or Light Modified (LM).
What kind of ammo?
Skeet = 8 or 9 shot for targets (target loads typically have less recoil than game loads).
Trap = 7.5 or 8 shot for targets.
Sporting Clays = 7.5 shot for targets.
What about safety?
Katy Dusters takes safety seriously, and a culture of responsible handling of firearms permeates all we do. We host several safety meetings throughout the year, and all athletes are required to attend one. In addition, at most youth tournaments shooters are required to attend safety meetings prior to shooting.
What are the different types of events in Shotgun sports?
The primary events we do are... Skeet, Sporting Clays, Trap.
Other events may include... Skeet Doubles, Olympic Skeet, Trap Doubles, Bunker Trap, 5 Stand, Whizbang, Flurry.
What organizations are we part of?
4H
National 4H - https://4-h.org/
Texas 4H - https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/
Harris County 4H - https://agrilife.org/harris4h/
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP)
Parent organization is Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) - https://sssfonline.org/
National Skeet Shooting Association (NSSA)
National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA)
For both of these – http://nssa-nsca.org/