Achievement Unlocked

No, not me, but the SandCastle Son.  The small blob near the top of the frame below and tracked by eight 12 gauge shotguns at the bottom of the frame is the SCSon's hat.  

Photo credit to the pink hatted shooter's mom.

A tradition among the Scholastic Clay Target Program* is to shoot the hat the first time a shooter scores a perfect round of Trap.  (Normally they let the shooter take if off first).  

Some come down full of ragged holes and in need of repair before wearing.  One young man showed me his with shot pellets still under the fabric of the bill.  These shot up hats are worn as badges of honor at tournaments.  Here's the hat after the event:

This is the SCon's hat.  There are many like it but this one is his.

With 8 shooters, you'd hope for more than just one solid hit but that's about all that scored.   Then again,  shooter's are used to tracking a target.  The first shooter to connect interrupts that tracking.  It's likely the first shot spoiled the tracking of the next 7 shooters.  Such is the game.  

Dang!  I wish I'd brought a shotty along for this one event.  Called it last year and now, sigh, moment passed.


Starting this season back in September 2013, The SCSon voiced his goal this year was" to shoot his hat".  Today was the day!  Congratulation bud!  You earned it!

* The tradition probably has other roots as well but that's where we learned of it