"Pops" Squad Competes at Iowa State Shoot

Photo: Back Row L-R: Tucker Schroeder, Andy Carter & Craig Carter all of Ventura, IA
           Front Row L-R: Larry Coe of Ventura & Judd (JD) Schroeder of Clear Lake, IA

Competing this year at the Iowa State Trap shoot is a family squad consisting of long-time trap shooter, Larry Coe and four of his five grandsons.  A rare, first time combination at the Iowa Shoot, Larry says that shooting with his grandsons is a real joy and privilege.

Shooting since he was a young boy, Larry has shot for over 57 years.  Having always lived near Ventura, Iowa, he and his wife, Jane raised three daughters, Patty Jo (PJ), Mary and Connie.  The Ventura Gun Club encouraged the girls to shoot in the youth divisions and they grew up on the trap range beside their father.  The family remembers PJ featured on the cover of Trap & Field magazine in 1986.

Now the girls' sons, Andy & Craig Carter and Tucker and Judd (JD) Schroeder have followed in their Granddad "Pops" and their mothers' footsteps.  Another grandson, Logan Smith, also shoots in South Dakota and doesn't compete at the Iowa shoot.  Logan was deployed with his National Guard Unit to Afghanistan in August.  The boys began shooting at age 8 or 9 at the Ventura Gun Club in the youth divisions.  After shooting for ten to fifteen years, all have class winners and championship trophies to their names.  Results for this year's Iowa State Trap Shoot show that Andy Carter won Event 5, President's Handicap at 22-24 yards with a score of 94 and Event #13, Handicap Championship he earned 6th place with a score of 98.  Tucker Schroeder was the big winner for the family being Junior winner in Event #9, Marlin Weieneth Class Doubles - score 96, Event #10, Doubles Championship - score 95, Event #11, Handicap - score 97, High All Around - score 386 out of 400 and High Over All with a score of 1043 out of 1100 targets.  Tucker was the Junior Runner-up in Event #12, Singles Championship with a score of 197.  A recent graduate of Ventura High School, Tucker was the Iowa High School State Champion.

Starting with Larry, all have broken 100 except Craig, who's been close but he doesn't shoot quite as much.  With the encouragement from this family, Craig is sure to make that accomplishment soon.  When asked how she feels about all the competitive shooting in the family, Janie Gran responded, "I love it!"  Family camaraderie and support is quite evident among Coe and his grandsons.  Lots of kidding and jesting combined with a sense of pride and encouragement means that this year's squad is especially important to Larry.  One could see the sparkle in his bright eyes the more he talked about his grandsons.  Sporting no familiar preference to Browning, Winchester or Remington, this group of shooters will remember the 2011 Iowa State Trap Shoot for the rest of their shooting careers.