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Coach gives trap shooting update

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By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

Joe Milewsky, coach of the Northeast Iowa Shooting Club, the trap shooting team MFL MarMac students are part of along with students from Waukon, shared a program update at the MFL MarMac School Board’s Jan. 10 meeting.

 

“I’m here to thank our school board for all the help the last six or seven years. You guys have helped tremendously on keeping this going,” Milewsky said.

 

The club had 45 athletes last season—22 from Waukon and 23 from MFL MarMac. Milewsky has invited students from other schools to participate but understands getting to practices at the Allamakee County Sportsman’s Club near Waukon is a long trek for some.

 

“That was one of the reasons we went with Northeast Iowa Shooting Club instead of something between the two schools. We wanted to get others involved,” he stated.

 

Although the trap shooting season could run from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 the following year, Milewsky said the Northeast Iowa Shooting Club begins in March and wraps up its season at the state meet in early June.

 

“We usually take kids from sixth grade up to seniors. We like them to have their hunter’s safety before we allow them to shoot,” he said. “The kids’ grades are what the school requires for them to be eligible for any sport.”

 

Milewsky admitted one challenge is the rising cost to participate.

 

“Last year, it was $250 for a student to be a member. This year, we had to go up to $400. The cases of shells were going to be $400 for each person, and the clay pigeons $75 to $100, depending on what time of year we get them,” he said, explaining what goes into the dues amount. “You also have to be a member of the Scholastic Clay Target Program, the American Trap Association and the Iowa Sate Trap Association. Those are fees you have to pay for. We have a couple shoots with other teams too, so that’s where the shoot dues and state fees come from.”

 

A school contribution helped drop the dues $100 per athlete, and a benefactor from Postville has bought a pallet of shells (200 cases) the last two years—a donation Milewsky hopes can continue.

 

Shells are the biggest cost for the program. Milewsky said the club had originally planned to purchase over 200 cases, at $90 per case, but the Scholastic Clay Target Program got together with Winchester so they could be purchased for $70 per case. That dropped the total from $18,000 to $14,500.

 

“It’s just hard finding shells,” Milewsky said. “I think we can find shells, but the hard part is finding the same shells for everybody so you’re always shooting the same type of shell. That does make a difference.”

 

MFL MarMac Superintendent Dale Crozier thanked Milewsky and the other coaches for the time they put into the program.

 

“It’s fun,” responded Milewsky. “I enjoy it.”

 

Staff changes approved

The board considered two staff changes at its meeting, including accepting the resignation of Kyle Kirkestue as elementary paraprofessional, assistant football coach and weight room supervisor. The board accepted a contract for Jeremy Kurth for elementary paraprofessional.

 

Vaccine mandate addressed

The board did not take action on a possible COVID-19 vaccine mandate following Iowa OSHA’s Jan. 7 ruling that it would not enforce a federal mandate. MFL MarMac will not create a policy unless required by law or at the board’s direction.

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