Teenage Girls Taking Up Shotgun Sports–In Record Numbers

I didn’t know much about what interested teenage girls, even when I was a teenager myself—except that most of them were not interested in me. No doubt, I know even less about them today. That’s why I was quite surprised by a press release that arrived recently from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). According to the release, surveys have shown that the number of teenage girls participating in shotgun sports has risen dramatically over the past five years.

Between 1999 and 2004, in the sports of trap, skeet, and sporting clays, participation by females ages 12 to 17 has increased 56 percent, from 133,000 to 208,000, according to a National Sporting Goods Association report. The upward trend also has been seen in the NSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), which in 2005 alone saw an 84-percent increase in participation by girls from elementary through high-school age. "Nationwide, over a third of all female participants in shotgun sports today are under 24.

There’s a growing youth movement in shooting, and it’s a credit to the many programs that are opening doors and creating opportunities for women of all ages to enjoy outdoor lifestyles," said Cyndi Dalena, NSSF director of shootingsports development. In a 2005 SCTP survey, 94 percent of parents said the competitive shooting program is a positive influence in their child’s development. Overwhelmingly, parents observed improved responsibility, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership skills.

In fact, 98 percent of SCTP parents believe shooting is just as important as other sports, and 94 percent say they would support shotgun sports as a school-based athletic program. SCTP, now in its fifth year, provides school-age girls and boys nationwide with the chance to compete as a team for state and national championships in trap, skeet, and sporting clays.

Other youth development programs like 4-H Shooting Sports and the Boy Scouts of America’s Venturing Program are also opportunities for youths to get involved in shooting sports. "Part of the attraction and uniqueness of trap, skeet, and sporting clays is that girls can compete with boys. Shooting is not about strength or speed; it’s about coordination and concentration—and more and more girls are discovering that those skills are great equalizers," said Dalena.

Overall, there were 1,309,000 total female participants of all ages in shotgun sports in 2004, up 11 percent from 1,177,000 in 1997. Growth is also being documented in hunting. In 2004, 2,426,000 women of all ages hunted, up more than 20 percent compared to 2,018,000 in 1997. Editor Keith Lawrence Technical