Is ATA trapshooting dieing?

I have shot registered ATA trap now for close to fifty years. This past weekend our club hosted the State Zone 2 Championship which includes about all of the Northern lower peninsula. We had a total of fourteen shooter's! I have never witnessed a poorer attended Zone shoot in that fifty year period, despite the generous offer made by our state association to pay for the state singles championship targets if they were one of the five class champions in their zone. Despite the fact that our youth shooters are being hailed as " our future" we had only one shooter under the age of 20. Wondering if anyone else is seeing the same in their area or is this just an odd occurrence that just happened in our area. The weather was ok, so a rainy day could not be blamed.

 

Yes ATA shooting is almost dead, if it wasn't for big 50's a lot of clubs wouldn't shoot ATA-in Fl its too damn hot to shoot for the next 3 months--cleaning my gun and putting it in the same to mid Sept. Also very difficult to get a punch if their are less than 15 shooters. ATA shooting is a boring grind--Sporting clays is booming there are 100's of shooters every weekend @ a club close to where I live

 

The ATA needs new leadership. sad but true, the present leadership is in a loosing rut.
WE NEED NEW BLOOD TO MAKE THE ATA THRIVE AGAIN. Get younger more oppen minded
younger men and women leading with renewed ideas on how to appeal to the shooters. The present
leaders are to self serving to relate to the shooting public. the time has long passed for the change.
wake up competitive minded shooters, before it is to late to save the sinking ship.
ROGER COVELESKIE

 

Definition of insanity-keep doing the same thing & hoping for a change