New Extra Curricular Club For Amory Students Teaches Hunter Safety

AMORY, MISS. (WCBI) – An extracurricular club for students in Amory is teaching participants about hunter safety while letting students enjoy a popular outdoor sport.

Once a week, Amory Junior and High school students, under the watchful eyes of sponsors and instructors, gather on a range, to shoot skeet.

Amory formed its skeet shooting club this year.  The club is part of the Mississippi Scholastic Shooting Sports program.  MSSP is part of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.  Beth McArthur is one of the club’s sponsors.

“I believe it provides discipline, structure, along with an outlet to be able to broaden their horizon on different sports, you have some kids into more physical sports, and all of that where this kind of provides an outlet for the ones that are more into the outdoor sports with hunting and fish and game,” McArthur said.

When Amory started its skeet shooting club, sponsors expected about ten students to participate.   Instead, thirty-seven signed up and the club’s popularity is growing.

“I like watching the kids excel, start from the beginning and go to the end with skeet shooting, it’s just a wonderful thing we have going on in Amory,” McArthur said.

Safety is the top priority.  Participants must pass MDWFP’s hunter safety course and game wardens are at each session.  Students say skeet shooting is a fun way to improve their skills and encourage each other.

“I’ve always enjoyed going hunting and stuff, and outdoor sports have been in my life, I just thought it would be fun to do,” said Amory High School Freshman Anna Belle Holman.

“I thought it would be a cool thing to do, something a little different, than the usual sport, as you think, but it’s been enjoyable so far,” said Amory High School Junior Will McComb.

There are also scholarship opportunities available for students who compete in MSSP qualifying tournaments and championships.

Amory’s skeet shooting team heads to competition in Canton next month.  There are currently 54 schools with skeet shooting clubs in the state, twenty-six of those are in Northeast Mississippi.