Shaffer enjoys coaching and competing in trap and skeet

In 2016, Jared Shaffer was asked to become a coach for the Fox Township High School trap team.

With so many studentathletes joining the St Marys Area High School, it was split into two teams, the north, and the south. Shaffer was placed on the north team as they have lots of student-athletes and not as many coaches.

Shaffer accepted the position and for the past six years, he has coached the athletes to become the shooters they are now. Shaffer first was introduced into the shooting world in 2007 when a couple of his friends, who were shooters, convinced him to try it. He said he really enjoyed shooting and has been competing and for the past 15 years.

But he said he like both aspects of shooting.

“I like them both equally,” he said.

Though they both may be equal, he certainly puts a lot of effort into coaching and making sure that the members of the teams get what they need.

“Everything that I do I make sure that it is for the student-athletes. They are the future of our sport,” Shaffer said.

He started as just a regular coach but is now one that many students turn to when they need something. He treats all of the competitive shooters equally. However, because Shaffer is a coach both for the high school trap league and the head coach for the Fox Township Scholastic Clay Target Program Skeet team, a few of the students will receive more help in their shooting. Many of these student-athletes compete for both the trap team and also for the skeet team but both are coached by Shaffer.

On Saturday, the skeet team competed at the Scholastic Clay Target Program Skeet Championship or the SCTP skeet championship. Shaffer was responsible for coaching the kids at this event and helping them in any way that he could.

“The day was awesome, and all the student-athletes shot really well,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer is one of the coaches that will also go to shoots such as the SCTP trap shoot in Ohio and many others so that the shooters have a coach that they can depend on during these events.

“I really like working with the students,” Shaffer said.