LHS Trap shooting team enters fifth year

The Luverne High School Trap Shooting Team is entering its fifth year of existence, coming off a spring conference victory.
“We won the conference with the kids that originally started the program,” Scott Loosbrock, the head coach said. “Those kids did a shortened season due to COVID.
He said they would have gone to state, had it not been for pandemic restrictions.
“We had some disappointment there. They worked really hard during the four years that they were into it,” Loosbrock said.
“We had some kids that really improved. It was nice for the kids that started the program that they were able to finish their careers out. They were excited to be able to shoot. It was fun to see the kids grow and come out and win the conference.”
Fast-forward to the fall season and the trapshooting team in Luverne is looking to reload after the departure of those seniors. Loosbrock said 32 kids signed up for fall.
“The fall division is more for fun,” Loosbrock said. “It’s just a chance to get some new kids and get them involved.”
In this shortened fall season, the trap team will shoot five times. They’ve already recorded three shooting events, with two more to go, all at the Rock County Sportsman’s Club near Luverne.
The Cardinals will look to defend the conference title when competition resumes in the spring.
With so many new faces on the squad, Loosbrock and his staff will focus on the fundamentals.
“The biggest thing that I look at is it keeps the kids active,” Loosbrock said. “It keeps them going if they aren’t into a fall sport. It also brings a bunch of new kids in that maybe haven’t shot before.”
He said it gives coaches more time to help the newcomers to the sport.
“We get to help them on their form, how they hold their gun, how they stand. It just helps them understand how all this works, so when spring comes, it’s a little less chaotic,” Loosbrock said.
“We focus a lot on their fundamentals. It’s not about how many birds they hit, but more about the fundamentals.”
He said it’s also important to follow through with the seasoned shooters.
“With the older kids, we make sure their form is right and (look at) what they’re doing wrong,” Loosbrock said.
“As kids grow, their bodies change, so it changes the way they are looking down the gun. It’s just fun for the kids.”