Tournament Rules

Team & Athlete Registration

Only League teams and student athletes that participated in the conference season and completed the tournament registration are eligible to participate. No athlete registrations or substitutions for non-attending registered athletes are allowed after the registration deadline.

Spectator Admission & Parking 

Admission to the event and parking for all attendees is free.

Shotgun Labels

As there are many similar shotguns at events. To avoid lost or misplaced shotguns, the League strongly suggests that student athletes affix a label that includes the name, school team, and contact information to their shotgun.

Spectator Area, Tents, and Chairs

Any and all spectators are welcomed to attend the event. Team setups including tents and chairs are allowed BEHIND the field sidewalk.

If permitted by the host shooting range, vehicles are temporary allowed to drive to the spectator and assigned field area prior to competition to unload gear. The area in front of the spectator sidewalk must remain clear at all times for event officials and maintenance vehicles. There is no cost for spectators and parking is free.

Food and Beverages

Food and non-alcoholic beverages can be brought to the event or purchased (if available) on event grounds and consumed in spectator or camping areas. Grills are only allowed to be used in designated parking or camping areas so the smoke is not disruptive to spectators and participants.

Pets

Friendly, obedient and socialized pets are permitted at the event. Pet owners, who bring their pet, are at their own risk and agree to accept full responsibility for any physical damage or personal injury caused by the owner’s pet or to the pet while on event property. Pets brought to the event must be current on all vaccines and must be able to provide proof of a current rabies vaccination upon request. Flexi-leads are not permitted. At all times, pets must be kept on a 6′ or shorter leash while on event property. As a responsible pet owner, please clean up after your pet.

For safety reasons, the owner of any pet showing aggression or disruptive behavior may be asked at any time to remove the animal from the event.

No Alcohol or Tobacco Use Allowed

Please refrain from the use of tobacco on event property during event hours.

Alcohol consumption is not allowed by any athlete, coach, parent, or spectator at any time during the event practice/competition or awards ceremony.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Drone) Use

Drone use is not allowed on event property without prior written approval from event officials. Approved use of a drone must fully comply with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and guidelines as well as any other applicable laws.

Roadway Construction

Check the department of transportation’s website for current construction projects that may affect your travel.

Student athletes shoot their assigned number of targets to compete in BOTH individual and team events. Student athlete classifications are determined by the athlete’s conference season-ending average score. Classifications include:

• • Novice:  0-14.99 average per round
  • Junior Varsity:  15-18.99 average per round
  • Varsity: 19-25 average per round

Team events for each classification (Novice, Junior Varsity, and Varsity) require a minimum of five athletes in the same classification. Team classification competitions are determined by larger registration numbers and may not be available for all tournaments.

Targets and Ammunition

Competition targets are included with the participation fee. All athletes will shoot 100 targets. All teams and athletes are responsible for providing their own ammunition, which must adhere to shooting range policies. Please contact the host shooting range for questions regarding ammunition.

Voice-released targets will be used on all fields where applicable.

Individual Competition

All athletes will participate in the “High Score” (highest number of targets hit) competition in their respective classification. If a tiebreaker is required for any places, the longest reverse run of hit targets by the athletes will be used. The longest reverse run score will start from the last target and count backwards until a missed target is reached to determine the tiebreaker score. If there is a tie after the longest run is totaled, then a tie for that place is declared.

Team Competition

A minimum of five athletes from the same team in the designated classification will compete. There is no maximum amount of team members in a classification. The top five student athlete scores from a team will be used to determine the overall team score for their designated classification. No squadding is required. If a tiebreaker is required for any places, the team member with the highest round score from each team will be used to break the tie. Subsequent score comparisons will be used if the top score is tied.

Competition Guidelines

• • Teams must supply their own scorekeeper and Range Safety Officer (RSO).
  • It is highly preferred that no person act in more than one official role at any time (ex: A coach should not act as a coach and RSO at the same time, or an RSO should not also act as scorekeeper at the same time, etc.).
  • Student athletes will participate an early session (Session 1), and then again after the first session has completed (Session 2).
  • Athletes will shoot two consecutive rounds of 25 targets in each Session.
  • During each Session, student athletes should place the second box of shells on the 24-yard line for easy accessibility after the first round has been completed.
  • Squads cannot take a break between rounds during each Session except to retrieve the second box of ammunition.
  • Squads for Session 2 must be comprised of the same athletes and squad shooting order as Session 1.
  • Squads must be prepared to shoot immediately after the previous squad completes their round.
  • Scoring disputes must be initiated by the student athlete only, and must be immediately after a scorer announces a lost target. Please refer to the League’s Policies and Procedures regarding disputing targets.
  • Coaching is not allowed while athletes are shooting.
  • Coaches may not be on the field while athletes are shooting. Coaches must remain on the sidewalk (if applicable) or a minimum of 5 yards behind the scorekeeper.
  • Coaches may not communicate with scorekeepers during shooting.
  • Coaches may aid special-need student athletes that require assistance while shooting.

Round Completion

Scoresheets must be submitted as instructed to scoring officials immediately after a round is complete.  Lost scoresheets will result in a zero (0) score for the entire squad.

Range Safety Officials (RSO)

The League’s first priority is safety.

Each team will provide a Range Safety Officer for the event. Team RSOs are responsible for ensuring that athletes and teams safely follow all policies and procedures. In addition, team RSOs will ensure that athletes and teams shoot at their scheduled time and field in a timely manner.

The shooting range will have Master Range Safety Officers at the event to oversee athlete and spectator safety. Everyone is expected to comply to all instructions of all RSOs.

In the event of a safety issue, teams RSOs are to take action to correct any safety infractions and notify a Master RSO. Master RSOs have the final say in all safety matters.

Suspension of Competition Due to Hazardous Weather Conditions

In the event of inclement weather before or during the event, the League will make safety the first priority. When lightning is observed or thunder is heard, the event must be suspended. The occurrence of lightning or thunder is not subject to interpretation or discussion. Lightning is lightning; thunder is thunder.

Everyone will be asked to take shelter either inside of a building, shelter or vehicle. If, after lightning is seen, and it does not reoccur for 30 minutes, the event committee will review weather reports and the event committee will decide if/or when the event will resume.

If severe weather is forecast, and time or darkness is expected to become a factor to complete the event on the same day, a lesser number of targets may be used as determined by the event committee. If any delay does not permit completion of the event as scheduled, an equal amount of targets that everyone was able to complete (ie: 50) will be used to determine final standings.

If the day’s event gets cancelled the event will not get rescheduled.

Event cancellation and refund policy.

USA Clay Target League reserves the right to cancel an event or reduce the number of competition targets due to inclement weather or any other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. The following refunds pertain to season-ending 100-target events as outlined in the policies and procedures:

• 50-target Session 1 and/or Session 2 cancellation: $10 refund per Session per athlete.
• Change to 75-target single Session event: $5 refund per athlete.
• No refunds are allowed after a Session begins.

An athlete or team that does not to participate for any reason in an event will not receive a refund.

Registrants will be refunded based on the payment selection the team made at the time of registration. All refunds for team events will be processed through the team’s head coach. Refunds will be issued within 21 days after the completion of the event.

Emergency Preparation

Coaches should bring emergency contact information for all their athletes for reference if needed.

Coach Check-In

Coaches are required to check-in at the registration tables located in the clubhouse.

A coach from each team is required to check-in with event staff and obtain tournament materials. Coaches will receive scoresheets, athlete name labels, eent instructions, and athlete event t-shirts for their entire team. Check-ins should occur at least 45 minutes prior to the team’s start time.

Athlete Check-In

Student athletes are required to check-in with their team (not event staff) at their assigned field. Check-ins should occur at least 45 minutes prior to the team’s start time.

Scheduled shooting times and field assignments

Specific time and field assignments for teams are posted on the League’s website and at the shooting range during the event. Athletes will only be able to shoot during their team’s scheduled time on their team’s designated field(s). It is possible that final remaining members of team may be combined with another partial team to create a full squad of participants to maximize time allotment. Teams should arrive at least one hour before their scheduled time to allow check-in, squadding, and setup.

Teams will shoot in two separate Sessions. After the starting time for each day, all starting and completion times are estimated. It is important to be prepared to shoot immediately after the previous team completes their session.

Squadding a Team

Coaches are provided a scoresheets and two sets (Session 1 and Session 2) of pre-printed student athlete name labels at check-in. Coaches must:

1. 1. Apply Session 1 labels on the scoresheet(s) for each preferred squad. Do not pre-squad Session 2 until Session 1 pre-squadding is completed and all athletes are checked-in.
   2. If a team has a short squad (less than 5), coordinate with an adjoining field/team to add student athletes to complete a full squad.
   3. Novice, Junior Varsity, and Varsity athletes may be squadded together.
   4. Members from a different team CAN be included on the same scoresheet.
   5. If a student athlete does not report to the assigned filed by the scheduled time, the student athlete must be moved to the final squad out.

Scoring

Teams are responsible to bring a scorekeeper(s) for the event. Scorekeepers must follow the scoring directions found at the top of each scoresheet. Failure to adhere to scoring instructions may result in score adjustments by event staff. Event staff scoring decisions are final.

Scores are recorded on the pre-squadded scoring sheet and tallied in the clubhouse. Scores will be posted on the League’s event “Leaderboard”.

Scoring marks and math are reviewed by event officials to ensure accuracy. Mismarked or illegible score markings will be considered a “lost target”.

The only time a round score may be disputed is on the field immediately after a scorer has announced a lost target. All scores are final upon completion of the post.

It is recommended that each athlete of a squad verify and authorize his/her score on the scoresheet upon the completion of each session before it is submitted to scoring officials. This should include verifying score calculations are correct and each athlete initialing the scoresheet next to their name. In the case of a mismarked target that was not properly called out by the scorekeeper, a squad consensus decision must be made and the marking corrected per the instructions on the scoresheet.

Awards

An award ceremony will be held at the completion of the competition. Awards for conference season competition will be distributed along with awards for event competition.

If teams and/or student athletes cannot attend the event award ceremony, please pickup the award prior to departure or arrange a pickup of the award from event award officials.

The following awards will be awarded for event competition:

• • Novice (if applicable), Junior Varsity (if applicable) and Varsity team: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
  • Novice, Junior Varsisty and Varsity high score male and female: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
  • Individual high score: Highest number of targets hit overall.

25-50-75-100 patches

Patches will be awarded to those student athletes that achieve 25-, 50-, 75-, or 100-straight target hit at the event. Event practice rounds are not eligible.

Official Event T-Shirt

All participating athletes will receive an official event t-shirt as part of their paid registration fee. A limited supply of t-shirts ma be available for purchase.

Media Policy

Working credentials for League events are issued by the USA Clay Target League (League) to media/organizations for the sole purpose of providing sporting event access to an individual who has a legitimate working function on behalf of said media/organization, subject to the following conditions:

• • Credentials are for use solely in connection with news and editorial coverage of the event.
  • Any non-editorial, commercial, or other unauthorized use of transmission, film, picture, videotape, audiotape, writing, drawing or other depiction or description of any participant, event, event information, standings, or other activity, is prohibited without prior specific written approval of the League.
  • The League is the sole arbiter in determining the nature of, and legitimacy, of an individual/organization’s use of League-related content, including transmissions, film, picture, videotape, audiotape, writing, drawing or other depiction or description of any participant, event, event information, standings, or other activity,
  • Any non-editorial or commercial use of any team school name or logo is prohibited without prior specific written approval of the League and/or the school administration.

Working credentials are not transferable, and may be revoked at any time at the sole discretion of the League, and will automatically terminate if any term hereof is breached.  Organizations should contact the League at support@usaclaytarget.com to arrange credentials for League events.

Solicitation Policy

The USA Clay Target League and its state affiliates (henceforth referred as the ‘League’) prohibits third-party solicitation without express written permission at our events nationwide.

Non-Approved Solicitation:
To provide a distraction-free competitive environment for our athletes, team, coaches, and spectators, the League prohibits solicitation and petitioning by any non-registered entity, representative, or individual at League events, regardless of the cause being represented, to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Approved Solicitation:
The League values its relationship with all of its sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors.

The League takes steps to maintain a quality exhibition area with ease of access to booths and displays for all guests. Out of fairness to all, and to provide a distraction-free competitive environment for athletes and spectators, sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors are not allowed to solicit customers, spectators, or competitors outside the confines of their registered booths/areas.

All organizations that wish to solicit – regardless of cause, product, or service – must be pre-approved by the League. Existing approved sponsors, vendors, or exhibitors may not provide non-registered organizations, or their representatives thereof, space and/or access to event services without the express written permission of the League.

Enforcement:
To ensure a distraction-free competitive experience at our event, the League takes the following steps:

1. • The League asks non-registered solicitors and petitioners to respect the League’s policy by ceasing their activities.
   • If compliance is refused, violators will be asked to leave the League’s event premises.
   • The League will partner with local law enforcement agencies to assist the League in having unwanted solicitors and petitioners removed from event premises. In addition, the League may prosecute trespassers.
   • Previously approved sponsors, vendors, and/or exhibitors that violate the League’s solicitation policies, or act in a manner that assists others to circumvent or violate the League’s solicitation policies, may have their own access revoked, all fees forfeited, and be asked to leave the event premises.