RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
For the fifth consecutive year, the Randolph Air Force Base Skeet and Trap Range has earned the "Small Club of the Year" award from the National Skeet Shooting Association.
One reason for winning the award, said Denny Taylor, Randolph AFB Services director of outdoor recreation, is that the club draws a lot of shooters despite it's rather small size when compared to many other skeet and trap clubs in the world.
Phyllis Mills, an administrative assistant to the director of the NSSA, which is based in San Antonio, said it was "really nice" for a San Antonio skeet club to earn the award.
Ms. Mills added in giving the award, 418 skeet clubs based throughout the world were considered in the categories of clubs having one, two and three skeet fields.
"It's an honor to put the plaque in the Randolph club," Ms. Mills concluded.
Mr. Taylor said one of the main factors taken into consideration when giving the NSSA Small Club of the Year award is the number of targets shot per year. Apparently, the Team Randolph club is a busy place. Last month alone, he counted 1,200 targets shot by club members.
Many of those targets are shot competitors who flock to the range in large groups from all over Texas for a monthly three-day skeet shoot which run Fridays to Sundays.
During those weekends, the skeet shooters are competing against each other in shooting flying clay targets with 12-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge and .410-gauge shotguns. Referees grade the shooters' efforts and awards are given at the end of the weekend's competition.
"It's pretty cool," Mr. Taylor commented.
Keeping the club well stocked with ammunition and targets, tending to the grounds and maintaining the machinery which launches targets, as well as providing technical assistance for shooters, is the full-time job of Darrell Goemmer, weekday skeet manager and Tom McLeod, who accomplishes those tasks, but on weekends only.
Mr. Taylor praised the duo's efforts toward making the club a prime destination for skeet shooters. "They know what skeet shooting's all about," he said.
Keeping the club shooter-friendly is a team effort that Mr. Taylor and his managers strive to keep as their most important goal.
"We just treat our customers well and make it feel like home for them," Mr. Taylor observed. "It's their club and they like shooting out here and we've got some good shooters. It's all about making them want to come back here and if the shooters ask for something, I try to get it for them."