MISSION STATEMENT - The mission is simple and straight forward. It is to introduce school-age youths in grades 12 and younger to the clay target sports and to facilitate their continued involvement in the shooting sports.

PURPOSE -  Provide a positive and supportive program for assisting young Athletes in their growth and development as they tread life's pathway toward becoming productive and contributing members of society. The Scholastic Clay Target Program is the vehicle used to make this happen. The SST is focused on providing, promoting, and perpetuating opportunities for young Athletes to safely and enjoyably participate in a high-quality, team based sport led by trained and dedicated adult coaches focused on helping their Athletes to become the best they are capable of becoming.

The SST's YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM providing young people with a positive experience in sports. The program is designed to instill in young people a set of personal values or character traits for fair play, compassionate understanding, individual responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline and personal commitment -- qualities that will serve them well throughout their lives and will be instrumental in helping each SST Athlete to reach his/her full potential.

Competition is clearly a part of the SST, an indispensable part; but it is not the underlying principle. The "win-at-all-costs" philosophy has no place in the SST. Striving to win while playing by the rules does. Honoring the game, exhibiting good sportsmanship, and being a responsible Team Member, these are the bedrock values the SST strives to instill. It is the DUTY of everyone involved in the SST -- Coaches, Parents, and Athletes - to set good examples for SST Team Members to emulate by upholding high moral and ethical standards of personal conduct.

SST activities are designed to incorporate two indispensable elements -- SAFETY AND FUN. Safety is incorporated into every facet of every SST activity. The learning environment at Team practices and at competitive shoots is designed to include the element of FUN for all participants. SST participants learn the safe and responsible handling and use of firearms. They discover the joy of contributing to a shared Team goal and the commitment that goes along with it. During this self-discovery process, Team Members develop proficiency in a sport that can be shared and enjoyed with family and friends for a lifetime.

Youth from the elementary grades through high school are eligible to participate in the safe, educational and enjoyable SST clay target sports of Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, ISSF Trap, and ISSF Skeet. It is ideally suited to be a school sponsored Title IX sport. There is no other sport that offers such an absolutely "level playing field" for gender integration as does the shooting sports. The SST is a perfect fit for youth organizations such as Boy Scouts, 4-H, F.F.A., P.A.L., Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, et al. Any youth organization is welcome to participate in the SST.