What do you remember about high school?

Chances are you, like most people, don’t remember the day-to-day classroom activities of your high school experience. Instead, you remember the interactions you had with teammates, bandmates, and friends. Those experiences are what formed you, and what gave you the life skills necessary to succeed in life.

Countless studies have shown that students who do participate in school activities gain a wealth of benefits to their academics, self-esteem, and future careers, but not everyone can play a musical instrument, not everyone is built to play high school sports, and not everyone is interested in the typical activities schools provide.

The USA Clay Target League helps young students by providing a unique participation opportunity. For thousands of students—nearly 40 percent of League athletes—the League is the one and only school-based extracurricular activity they participate in. The League gives them a chance to interact with other students, develop life-long friendships, and learn the value of teamwork, cooperation, and dedication.

The impact of clay target teams also extends beyond the students involved. Few things bring communities together like high school sports, and the same is true for clay target teams that participate in the League. The pride that local communities have in their students is always a force for good, and the importance of a sense of community belonging cannot be understated. From coverage in the local paper to participating in summer parades, high school clay target teams are embraced by their local communities.