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32 PULLUSA MAGAZINE WINTER 2026 THE FIELD C OAC H K ELV IE'S C ORNER ke et s h o ot i n g h a s b e e n a p o p u l a r a d d i t i o n t o t h e League's clay target shooting sports offerings. It pro- vides a much different experience than other shooting disciplines, and can be quite the challenge to athletes that are just picking up the sport. One of the biggest differences that skeet has is that, unlike like other sports, each post has targets coming from radically different directions relative to the athlete. This requires athletes to change their stance regularly in anticipation of the direction the targets will travel for each shot. HISTORY OF SKEET SHOOTING Originally created in 1923 by Charles Davis and William Harden Foster of Andover, Massachusetts, the modern sport of skeet shooting evolved from a game originally called "shooting around the clock." The field was set up like a clock face with a single trap thrower set at the 12-o'clock position with targets being thrown in a variety of directions. This became a challenge to shoot safely around spectators and neighboring homes, so Foster had the idea to cut the field in half and set a second trap at the 6-o'clock position. Just like that, the game of "skeet shooting " was born. SKEET STANCE STATIONS 1 AND 7 Stations 1 and 7 give the athlete a straightaway presentation with tar- gets that fly towards or away from the athlete. In addition, the targets can either be rising or descending. In this situation it's common for the athlete to align their body with their shoulders square facing the trap house opposite of them. Feet should be shoulder-width apart and the athlete should be leaning slightly forward with their nose over their toes. STATIONS 2 THROUGH 6 One of the key aspects in skeet shooting, and why it's often compared to bird hunting, is that targets are presented in a crossing pattern relative to the athlete. High targets thrown over the left shoulder and low targets from the right challenge the athlete to use a full range of motion. Your stance at each station should allow for you to track, lead, and follow-through each target. For stations 2 through 6, a general rule is to align yourself so that your belly button is pointed at the low house (for S SKEET STANCE TIPS FOR ONE OF THE LEAGUE'S MOST CHALLENGING AND FUN DISCIPLINES by JASON KELVIE illustrations by TOM RICHMOND JAS O N KE LVIE / USACTL C OACH EDUCATION AND SUPP ORT MANAGER DANCE