DUKE CENTER -– The O-E BirdDawg Trap Team took its first steps in kicking off the season on Jan 12., at the Otto Township Fire hall. The student athletes from both Otto-Eldred and Port Allegany assembled there for with their parents for the mandatory league safety meeting. The safety course was instructed by Rick Price, President of the Eldred Conservation Club.
The host club is also proud to announce that there are now two lighted trap fields thanks to SB Consulting, Jack and Jeff Bell along with both the BirdDawg coaching crew and members of the Eldred Conservation Club.
New this year, student athletes will be donning team ball caps along with hooded sweatshirts made possible by many donations for the team uniform. The season will mark the entry of an additional team in the Far Eastern Division of the Southern Tier Scholastic Trap League. Competing teams will consist of the defending champions, Bolivar-Richburg, along with Portville, Oswayo Valley, Cuba-Rushford, Coudersport and new this year: Genesee Valley.
Plans are underway also for the Tri-County trap competition to be held at the Bradford Gun Club.
O-E will once again be holding the highly anticipated pancake breakfast with a date to be determined where the athletes serve the patrons at the Eldred Twp. Fire hall. The athletes are currently offering 12 inch hoagies that they will make themselves on Feb. 23 and our parents will be selling raffle tickets on a 12 gauge Beretta over/under shotgun.
Our 7-12 grade athletes are eager to start our sixth season of competition which has included some of our members going onto and winning one National Championship (2017) and back-to- back state championships held in conjunction with the PSSA Colonial Classic in Elysburg.
Home meets this year will be against Cuba-Rushford (Mar. 12), Portville (Mar. 26) Genesse Valley (Apr. 9) with away meets at Bolivar-Richburg (Mar. 5), Coudersport (Mar. 19) and Oswayo Valley on (Apr. 16).
This season could not be made possible without our twelve trained coaches and the fantastic community support from all the individual and corporate sponsors along with the support of the Eldred Conservation Club and the Friends of the NRA.
