Did you know that a young lady who lives right here in Murfreesboro is a world champion trapshooter? Allie Grace Watson, a junior at Middle Tennessee Christian School, is a member of the clay shooting team.

In 2023 Watson placed first in the American Trap Handicaps with the American Trap Association.

Along with competing, she writes for Junior Shooters magazine, covering local competitions and delving into the different aspects of shooting. Not only is she a world champion clay shooter, she’s an honor roll student who is currently a part of the Beta Club, Honor Society, Health Occupations Students of America, student council and student work program. She’s currently being recruited by colleges around the country to be a part of their clay shooting team. She is a true Murfreesboro Maker!

Let’s get to know more about Allie Grace Watson.

Mr. Murfreesboro: Tell us a little about your background, where you are from, your schooling and athletic career.
Allie Grace Watson: I attend Middle Tennessee Christian School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I was not raised around firearms, but was introduced to trapshooting in the 7th grade by my uncle. At first, I was terrified at the idea of handling a shotgun, but after my first practice, I was hooked on the sport. My skill quickly developed within that first season, earning me regional, state and national awards as a first-year shooter in the intermediate entry division. I continued to work during the off-season, determined to win more awards, grow my scores and be recognized by the clay shooting community. That mindset got me through to today, six years later, where I shoot three different disciplines—trap, skeet and sporting clays.

Can you highlight some memorable moments or achievements from your life?
Receiving my first belt buckle at the Grand American; shooting my first 25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 straights; winning my first national award; the first time someone recognized me in public for my shooting ability; watching the first rookie I coached win a medal and run to thank me.

What is the most rewarding aspect of trapshooting? What is the most difficult?
The most rewarding is the applause and cheering heard as I walk to the podium to receive an award. The most difficult is persevering through slumps of low scores and readjusting my shooting based on how I have grown.

What is the most important quality of being a great trapshooter?
Optimism, because you have to have the ability to forget about every bad score and lost target and focus on the target in front of you in the moment. Nothing matters besides the current shot. The award already has my name on it in my mind; I just have to claim it.

What advice do you have for aspiring trapshooters?
Nobody shoots the same, and no one can see the sight picture the same as you. Listen to the experts’ advice, but it is highly unlikely that everything they say will work perfectly for you. You must shoot enough to understand how you and your gun work together, understand the basics, and then adjust from there.

What made you want to get into trapshooting?
My grandfather (Stan Benz) was an avid hunter and skeet shooter. He taught my uncle everything he knew. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed before I was born, but my uncle wanted to pass all his information on to me. I like to think I am following in my grandfather’s footsteps in a way, and leaving an even better reputation on the Benz/Watson name.

What is one of the greatest challenges for a student athlete?
Having a balanced life is extremely hard. I’m a very studious person, but there are many times I push schoolwork off to go practice or clean my gun. Almost every conversation I have is about shotguns or some aspect of clay shooting. I have to purposefully surround myself with friends who remind me to balance school, shooting and just having fun.

What does a typical day look for you as a student athlete?
Weekdays begin at 6 a.m. and normally do not end until 11 p.m. to 12. I attend school for seven hours, then head straight to the range for around two to three hours on the days I am not working. I will hang out with friends when I am done shooting, then go home to complete homework.

What activities and hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I am a senior rep for a local photographer and go to photo shoots once a month. I enjoy theater and watching performances at the Center for the Arts, and just hanging out with friends.

What keeps you motivated?
The dream of being recognized by the nation for my skill and love for the sport truly keeps me motivated.

What type of firearm is used for trapshooting?
12-gauge shotguns are the most popular but 20-gauge is also acceptable. I started with a 12-gauge Sears and Roebuck pump action, then a 12-gauge Browning BT-99, and now a 12-gauge Browning Citori 725 Pro Trap.

What is the legal age for trapshooting?
Most SCTP teams begin in 4th grade (rookie division) and go through 12th grade (varsity division); the collegiate division has its own teams. AIM/ATA begins with anyone under age 15 (sub-junior category) and continues to ages 70-plus (veteran category).

What type of safety devices do you wear while trapshooting?
“Eyes and ears” are always required when on the range and encouraged when near the range. Shooters must always have a pair of safety glasses and earplugs or molds. This can range from sunglasses and orange earplugs from Walmart to light-effective lenses and frames from Pilla or Ranger and noise-canceling, voice-sensitive ear molds from Tetra.

What is the device called that launches the trap into the air?
“Houses” are stationed in front of the shooter, which are cement buildings with an opening in the front allowing the trap machine inside of them to throw targets out.

What type of ammunition should be used when trapshooting?
There are many things to consider when choosing ammunition, but nothing to get overwhelmed with. The shell size will always be 2¾ inches long and the gauge will always match the size of the gun (12-gauge or 20-gauge). The basic velocity (speed) for shooting trap singles at the 16-yard line would be 1145fps or 1200fps; the further back in yardage you go, the faster speed you need. 1⅛ oz is the best fit for this speed (the higher the speed the lower the oz to reduce recoil). 7½ or 8 shot (pellet size) fits this speed as well.

What goes through your mind before you pull the trigger while trapshooting?
I have a specific pre-shot routine I follow before every shot, and one of the most important steps of this routine is “quiet mind.” Before I even lay a finger on the trigger, my mind is quiet and I am listening to my breathing. The world is blocked out and my mind is blank, allowing for ultimate focus and concentration on the target.

What are the maximum targets allowed while trapshooting?
One hundred targets are shot in for rounds of 25.

How often do you practice trapshooting?
During the season (March through August) I try to get to the range every day, normally shooting four boxes (100 targets). During the off-season, I am at the range two to three times a week shooting four to six boxes (100-150 targets).

What is the minimum distance a shooter should be from the trap?
Trap singles are shot from the 16-yard line (doubles are shot here as well). Handicaps start at the 19-yard line and work all the way back to the 27-yard line.

What type of Olympic events include clay pigeons?
International Bunker and International Skeet are the only two clay shooting disciplines currently in the Summer Olympics.

Are you the only female on your trapshooting team?
I am not the only female on the team, but I am the only one on my squad of five.

What’s it like being a world champion trapshooter?
The idea of winning that buckle is still insane to me. The fact that all of my work, sweat, tears and time paid off gives me the greatest feeling of accomplishment, but the idea that I can go even further and be even better still drives me. I have not won the entire World Title yet, but it is a dream I hope to soon make a reality.

Who are the major influences for you over the years?
Every day I thank God for blessing me with this special talent, and ultimately do it to glorify Him. But, my uncle is also my greatest source of inspiration. He is the man who introduced me to the sport. My uncle, Robert Benz, spent time with a younger me who knew absolutely nothing about firearms or shooting, and patiently taught the basics—and most importantly, firearm safety. He has always been one of my biggest supporters and I aim to make him proud every time I step out on the field.

Do you plan on getting a scholarship and trapshooting in college?
All of the colleges I am interested in have noticeable clay-shooting teams that will hopefully recruit me. I have recruitment pages as well as my Instagram page @shes.the.clayshooter set up to be seen by colleges around the nation.

Where do you want to go to college?
At the moment, there is no “dream school.” Just so long as I can get scholarships for academics and/or shooting, be recruited for clay shooting and major in animal science (or related majors) with hands-on experience, I will apply.

Is there a professional league of trapshooters?
The Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) and Youth Academics, Integrity, and Marksmanship program (AIM) is a nationwide trapshooting organization that allows all ages to participate in the sport and compete with fellow shooters of the same skill level. The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is a shooting organization specifically for youth shooters in elementary, middle school, high school and college.

Where do you practice trapshooting?
I practice at Cedar City Gun Club in Lebanon during the weekdays, and Nashville Gun Club or Big Springs Clay Targets (located in Christiana) during the weekends. Although, I travel all over Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama and Ohio for competitions and lessons.

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I bet we are all going to know the name Allie Grace Watson in the near future. Who knows, maybe in the Olympics or the movies . . . ? Stay tuned.

Remember to go out and do something nice for somebody!