I am almost 13 and am in the 7th grade at George Whitell Jr/ Senior high school.   At school I carry a 3.83 grade point average, while taking advanced math and playing on the seventh grade basketball team.   While shooting for my youth club, the Carson city hot shots, I have participated in American trap, skeet, sporting clays and bunker international trap.  Shooting the discipline of international trap has driven me to want and plan to shoot for the USA team in international competitions and the Olympics.

 The money I raise from this fundraising event will help allow me to work towards making the junior Olympic team. This year's plans are for me to shoot 5000 to 7000 practice targets and local competition,  1000 to 2000 targets at national competitions in Colorado and Tucson Arizona. My expected cost for this program for the year with travel is $15,000-$17,000. Raising this money allows  me to practice more, compete in national events, and learn how to raise support while helping my family with the cost. 

 I started shooting clay targets when I was nine years old in the Carson city hot shots, 4H and club program. We mainly shoot American trap and I shot my first perfect 25 just before my 10th birthday. The demand of competition and drive  to shoot for perfection was evident early on for me. In 2014 I won the pacific international trip association (PITA)  Nevada state handicap champion and pita Nevada rookie of the year. Later that year at the Pita grand Pacific tournament I won the sub Junior handicap grand championship title with a score of 99 out of 100 targets. At the 2015 Nevada state tournament I became PITA sub Junior singles champion with a 198/200 score. At the 2015 grand Pacific championships I competed in a browning shoot out challenge with adults from all over North America and won a browning 725 shotgun. Since 2014 I have won many local PITA and ATA  events, but one of my proudest accomplishments is shooting a perfect 50 out of 50 in doubles trap. 

 My first youth competition was in the spring of 2013 in a CYSSA trap event. In 2013 at a NYSSA state shoot I won the rookie division,which was my first state youth title. In 2014 and 2015,  I won a NYSSA( Nevada youth) and  CYSSA( California youth )  State titles for my age division and went on to win national YSSA US open  championships for my age divisions.   In between came many local youth trap and skeet  and one international trap competition.  

  I went to my mom and stepdad in the fall of 2015 talking to them about the desire I had to compete in the CYSSA bunker international trip season in the spring of 2016. My stepdad and I had been shooting international trap  when ever we could, but with the closest trap being 150 miles from our home this was a real commitment. This is where I first met young adults and youth that had been or were on the path to US shooting team and the Olympics at these practices.  At my first international trip competition I shot a 44 out of 50 and was high gun for all shooters ages 12 to 17. During the season I won each event for my age and was in the top six with the highschooler's in  each event. 

 Then came the junior Olympic qualifier at Livermore California, my home practice field for international trap, and where my coaches Marty and Nello work with me. Even though conditions were rough during the shoot,I was able to shoot  a qualifying score and was in the top six  shooters. Because my training requires my family and I to travel almost 1000 miles a month, it has also become very important for me to stay self motivated and self disciplined in my schoolwork while on the road. My parents and coach always say "Education first!"

 Along the way there have been many people and clubs that have made all this possible. Capital city gun club where it all started and the hot shot program, my coaches there,my trap coach Greg Wright, Marty and Nello my international coaches and life coach, and the Livermore gun club international shooters who I practice with, stay with and who are always willing to come open the trap for extra practice. 

 Here is where our journey starts, come and be part of my team, enjoy my success and accomplishment made possible by your support of money and prayers. We want you all to join us as I pursue a spot on the junior Olympic team and on from there. Find me on my Facebook at Jackson Ellender. Thank you ! On my way to shoot, hope you can join me!