The Chardon Schools Board of Education approved the establishment of the Chardon High School Competitive Shooting Club — but not before asking some questions about safety.
The Chardon Schools Board of Education approved the establishment of the Chardon High School Competitive Shooting Club — but not before asking some questions about safety.
Superintendent Michael Hanlon told the board designating a team as a club for the spring 2024 season only allows the club to use the Hilltoppers logo and name, but it otherwise operates independently of the district.
So far, about 35 students expressed interest in the club, which will practice at Weslaco Sportsmen’s Club in Hambden Township.
“Clearly, we all acknowledge the history of our school district and a club is not being brought forth for the board’s consideration that would in any way create an unsafe environment for any of our students or staff members,” Hanlon said, referring to the 2012 school shooting that killed three students.
Two other schools in the county have teams, club advisor and Chardon parent Mark Jonovich said.
After playing a video from oh.usaclaytarget.com that emphasized the safety of the sport — reporting zero injuries in the sport since 2005, compared to baseball injuries in the tens of thousands and a half-million football injuries in the same time period — Jonovich said the league is focused on safety.
“Obviously, the primary focus on this club is safety. The league that we shoot through, that is in their mission statement,” he said. “Everything we do is based on the safety.”
Firearms and ammunition would not be present on school property, Jonovich said, adding students and instructors are insured through the U.S. Clay Target League.
“It will be a spring and fall sport,” he said, adding the spring season lasts 10 weeks and the fall season 12. “That (time) includes their practice, their education, their tournament shooting and then there’s state tournaments and national tournaments that they can attend, that they would all be involved in.”
Jonovich added colleges often offer scholarships for shotgun sports.
Howard Guerin, a range safety officer and club coach, said the club in Hambden has been active for over 50 years.
“We’ve never ever had an accident out there,” he said. “It’s a very safe environment. We work very hard to keep it that way.”
Guerin said he is excited to introduce students to a sport he has loved and cherished for 50-some years.
“When Berkshire (Schools) signed up last year with us, and I saw all these great kids out there participating in the safety aspect and how mature they were, that was really exciting,” he said.
Board member Andrea Clark asked Hanlon about the logistics of student participation, including whether there would be enough time between the end of the school day and the start of practice for students to bring firearms or ammunition from home.
“Are we going to have enough time for students to go home, get their gear? They’re not going to throw it in their trunk that morning so that it’s on school grounds?” she asked.
Bringing firearms onto school property, even in the trunk of a car, is still a violation of the student code of conduct, Hanlon said.
“(It) carries a very serious consequence, which is consideration of a one-year expulsion from school, or potentially permanent expulsion from school, depending on the severity of the offense,” he said. “So that will be covered extensively and repeatedly with the students to make sure they understand that.”
Some students will provide their own firearms, while the club will provide loaners for others, he said.
Only certified ammunition will be provided at the club, which Hanlon said would give students no reason to have firearms or ammunition in their vehicles.
Currently, practices will tentatively be scheduled for Thursday evenings, although Jonovich said it’s possible that time slot would change, or another may be added, due to the number of students who expressed interest in the club.
