JONESBORO, Ark. — A 17-year-old from Bono is taking aim at the opportunity to join Arkansas’s elite youth trap shooting team, battling a strict deadline and a challenging qualification process.
Hunter Wapole, a regular at the Jonesboro Shooting Sports Complex, spent Saturday firing toward a requirement set by the Arkansas State Trap Shooting Federation. To be considered for the state's highly competitive men's team, Wapole must shoot and register 1,100 targets by Sunday night, keeping his average score high despite the pressure.
“Not many people get to make it,” Wapole said. “There’s several hundred from the state that shoot like we do, and they only take the top 10 for the men’s team. It’s an accomplishment that not many people have.”
The stakes leave little room for error as the Sept. 1 application cutoff approaches. Balancing accuracy with quantity has proven a mental and physical challenge. “The hard part is keeping your average up while doing that,” Wapole noted. “I’m trying to get those targets in, but then also try to keep the mindset of shooting good to still qualify for that team.”
Wapole is not taking on this challenge alone. His friend, Piper Smith, is also dedicating time at the Jonesboro Shooting Sports Complex this weekend, working to complete her own target requirements for Jonesboro’s local trap team. Smith began shooting competitively in seventh grade and said the sport offers her more than competition. “It’s kind of like a relaxer, honestly, because you just like get to sit there, and you’re calm, and it helps clear your mind a little bit sometimes,” she shared.
Joey Glaub, the program coordinator at the shooting complex and a former city trap team coach, spoke about the broader benefits of youth involvement in trap shooting. “The sport teaches respect for yourself, respect for authority, respect for your firearm,” Glaub said. “It’s the main reason I stay involved with the sport.”
Wapole began his marathon shooting session Saturday morning and plans to keep going through Sunday evening to meet his requirements. His determination highlights not only the discipline of competitive shooting but also the growing popularity of the sport among Arkansas youth.