Improved Shooting Percentage

Izzy Worrall has become one of the top trap shooters in the state for Charles City/Nashua-Plainfield coed team

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

NASHUA — When Izzy Worrall first tried her hand at trap shooting, she hit the flying targets about as frequent as the Philadelphia 76ers win basketball games.

In other words, not very often.

“My freshman year, I was in the single digits,” Worrall said. “Not just in rounds of 25, but for 50 targets.”

Until a friend convinced her to come out for the Charles City/Nashua-Plainfield coed trap shooting team, Worrall had never picked up a shotgun before. Soon, she was picking up two … three … four … five …

“I went through six shotguns my first year,” said Worrall, who finally settled on a Remington 870 Wingmaster.

The clay pigeons didn’t have much of a chance after that.

At the State Shoot last June at the Cedar Falls Gun Club, Worrall — then a junior — hit 96 of 100 targets on way to winning the Girls Individual title.

Worrall was also one of the top shooters at the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) shoot also held that week at the Cedar Falls GC, and placed third in the All State Girls Division.

“Ninety-six out of 100 is the best I’ve ever done,” Worrall said. “Shooting a perfect 100 for 100 is always going to be a goal of mine until I achieve it. I’m not going to let up until I get it done.”

Obviously, Worrall has come a long way since her freshman year. Even without factoring the dramatic improvement, you have to give her credit for sticking with the sport despite her humbling beginnings.

“Even when I wasn’t shooting well, I still thought it was fun,” Worrall said. “Plus, I just had a drive to want to get better.

“It took a lot of practice and a lot of repetition. I still have a ways to go.”

Though Worrall had never competed in trap shooting until high school, she wasn’t necessarily a “babe in the woods” when it came to shooting.

“I’ve shot a pistol before, and I bow hunt,” Worrall said, “but that’s nothing compared to shooting a shotgun.

“During the (trap) season, I don’t pick up or even look at my bow because it will mess me up.”