TRAPSHOOTING TRAINING. The 2023-2024 Trapshooting team trains during their spring season. Students gather to begin practice, each wearing the proper protective gear for gun usage. “Trapshooting is a precision sport. It’s unlike a lot of other sports, it sort of has a uniqueness,” Fratzke said.

Equipment is arguably the most important part of trap shooting and hunting, with athletes using recoil vests, hats and belts for ease of comfort; however, the most important item by far is the shotgun itself.

Sophomore William O’Brien first picked one up at eight years old, with his dad and brother teaching him how to handle firearms in the wilderness or at the Metro Gun Club.

“I like hunting because it’s pretty rewarding, and I’m also better than my brother so that’s a big factor … it’s sort of a family thing,” O’Brien said.

Joining in on the family activity, junior Franny Wagner also picked up trap shooting by joining the O’Briens on trips to the gun club.

Feeling inspired, she later joined the SPA team. “William O’Brien … and my brother were doing it, and I really just wanted to try it,” Wagner said.

In contrast, junior Louis Fratzke was compelled to join the team after taking an American Legion firearms safety class and learning the basics.

“[Trap shooting is] a precision sport … it’s unlike a lot of other sports; it sort of has a uniqueness,” Fratzke said.

O’Brien is used to seeing firearms in his everyday life from his frequent trips to the range, however, he has also noticed their increased presence in the news due to rising gun violence incidents. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 385 U.S. mass shootings in 2024 alone, with around 50 taking place in schools.

Firearm policies were also raised into the spotlight after the two attempted assassinations of former President Donald Trump July 13 and Sept. 15. In light of these events and the upcoming election, many voters are discussing the candidates’ stances on gun safety.

“I think that [gun safety] has been too politicized. [There needs to be] more bipartisan support for enforcing more gun laws, because I think right now, it’s just become an us versus them issue,” Wagner said.

Explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution, the Second Amendment gives citizens the right to “keep and bear arms,” effectively ingraining gun culture into the fabric of America. Fratzke has come across this normalization in his daily life. “Like say in a Walmart … you just walk in… and there’s the gun aisle,” Fratzke said.

The Federal Firearms Act of 1938 is the first instance of legislative restrictions on gun sales, requiring owners to obtain gun licenses. In 1964, restrictions became tighter with the Gun Control Act, prohibiting ineligible individuals from purchasing a gun based on age, criminal background or incompetence. Since then, many debates, particularly surrounding background checks, have been tossed around without substantial change.

“More background checks or more mental stability checks should be necessary,” O’Brien said.
Fratzke agrees that more regulations are needed and proposes that consistent check-ins with gun owners could be a solution. “Almost like a driver’s license, where … it’s not a one-time thing, you sort of have to keep … renewing it,” he said.

Gun access is not a problem for the trap shooting team, with either family members or SPA’s trap coach providing many of the shotguns.

However, even if students don’t directly deal with the purchase of these firearms, they still want to see a change in the requirements to acquire guns.

“I don’t think that people should be able to buy military-grade weapons … but I do think that people should be able to buy firearms, like shotguns that aren’t meant for killing people,” Wagner said.

With nationwide outcry for new legislation regarding firearms, hunters and athletes whose sports involve firearms are starting to feel stigmatized and condemned. Fratzke and Wagner believe public sentiment should focus on tackling the actual issue instead of shifting blame onto gun owners.

“I’m pro-hunting … not pro-gun,” Wagner said.