HOT SHOTS

HAYDEN — Shooting sports aren't all about firepower and the boom of guns.

They're about marksmanship, mentorship and family tradition.

"My uncle did it, and I started doing it with him," Lakeland High School sophomore Christian Davis said Saturday. "I decided I wanted to do it. I was decent at it so I kept doing it."

Taylor Izzard, a Coeur d'Alene High School junior, has been shooting since eighth grade.

"Right here is a Browning Gold Evolve Sporting Clay, semi-auto, best gun ever," Izzard said. "My grandfather actually took this to world's in England. He was a light Olympic shooter. He's put so many rounds through it and I'm continuing to do it."

Davis and Izzard were two of 120 students from across the Gem State who participated in the Idaho State Youth Shooting Sports Championship, held Friday and Saturday at the Coeur d'Alene Skeet and Trap Club in Hayden.

The spirit of camaraderie and competition were not dampened by the rain that intermittently poured on the young trap shooters as they yelled, "Pull!" and aimed for fluorescent orange clay pigeons that sailed through the air. The participants were scored on hitting or missing the target.

"Today's pretty good, besides a few gun malfunctions, but after that, we cleaned it up so it's all good now," said Twin Falls Hot Shots team member Alexis Nachtman, who rocked a sweet belt buckle and leather pouch for coming in first place in a previous shooting competition.

Nachtman, 18, has been shooting since she was 8.

"I fell in love with it instantly," she said. "It's just kind of the thrill of competition that makes it really fun. We get to travel, shooting in different scenery is really cool and just meeting a bunch of new people."

Of course, firepower does have its place.

"I like the loud sound — that's really cool," Nachtman said with a grin.

Timberlake High junior Jerod Murinko of the Hayden Long Shots team shot trap while his dad, Vaughn Murinko, watched from the fence.

"It's an amazing program," Vaughn said. "It gives these kids real good clean competition. It's a team sport and it's an individual sport. It keeps them busy; it consumes their time. They practice all the time, they're not on the streets, they're not writing graffiti. They're doing something they love, just like any other sport."

Jerod, who has been shooting since age 12, said he felt pretty good after a 92% round.

"You can just go outside and shoot things; it's pretty cool," he said. "I really like the sport. It gets me out of the house and it's something I really have fun with."

Club spokesman Tom Bosenko said safety is always No. 1.

"Of course, just like any other sport, this builds on sportsmanship, teamwork, responsibility," he said.

He said youth shooting sports are among the fastest-growing in the nation. Shooting sports teach youths hand-eye coordination and reaction time, Bosenko said, as well as earn scholarships for dedicated students.

"It's just been very popular, and it's great that it is," he said.

The top shooters earned awards and bragging rights at the close of the competition.

The shoot was sponsored by USA Youth Education in Shooting Sports.