Clay pigeons quickly become an endangered species whenever Drew Lieske takes aim with his trusty shotgun.
The 20-year-old Oxford resident recently competed in the 2015 U.S. FITASC Sporting Grand Prix and the 2015 World FITASC Sporting Championship, both of which were held at the Caribou Gun Club in LaSueur, Minnesota.
FITASC stands for the French words Federation Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse. It’s a form of shotgun sport shooting that’s similar to sporting clays, but with a higher degree of difficulty.
‘Both the layout as well as the targets are known to be a little more challenging than traditional sporting clays,? Lieske explained. ?(FITASC) targets go farther and faster.?
Lieske earned junior champion honors at the Grand Prix. He hit 179 out of 200 targets, besting 30 junior shooters from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Venezuela and England.
His Grand Prix score was high enough that he placed sixth overall in a field of 300 shooters.
Lieske didn’t fare as well at the world championship. He tied for 19th place in the junior category, hitting 175 out of 200 targets.
‘I was probably about two targets light of where I should have been at each one of those parcours,? he said.
Both the U.S. Grand Prix and World events consisted of eight parcours, or layouts, each containing 25 targets. Each parcour is comprised of three or four shooting positions.
Lieske has engaged in competitive clay target sports since he was 12 years old. He achieved master class status at 15 at the 2011 Michigan State Sporting Clays Championship.
His list of shooting accolades is quite lengthy and impressive for such a young man. It includes numerous state, national and world championships.
Earlier this year, Lieske, who recently completed his freshman year at Hillsdale College, helped his school’s shotgun sports team win the Division III collegiate national championship.
Shooting is part of Lieske’s DNA as his family owns Michigan Shooting Centers, which operates two facilities, the Island Lake Shooting Range in Brighton and the Bald Mountain Shooting Range in Orion Township.
‘My family’s been in the shooting industry since I was born,? Lieske said. ‘My dad (Pat) is the 2014 national champion (for FITASC and sporting clays).?
Pat had nothing but praise for his son’s prowess with a shotgun.
‘Drew has the ability and work ethic to go as far in shooting as he wants,? he said. ‘Drew is a right-handed individual with a dominant left-eye, so early (on) we made him a left-handed shooter. For most, this would limit one’s ability to become a champion shooter. Through lots of hard work and practice, Drew has overcome this obstacle.
‘In fact, by the way he handles the gun, you would never know that he is shooting from his off-shoulder. He is one of the nation’s most accomplished junior shooters and he is currently at a level where he is constantly competing and beating some of the best open class shooters, including me, on the course.?
Pat is ‘very proud? of Drew’s achievements, both on and off the course.
‘When he is shooting well and competing for the win, it makes me more nervous than if it were me competing to win,? he said. ‘However, his shooting accomplishments are far outweighed by his accomplishments in the classroom and in our family business. I couldn’t be more proud of him.?
Drew was the 2014 valedictorian for Davison High School. He manages the marketing and website duties for the family business and coordinates National Sporting Clays Association tournaments at their ranges.
The ‘camaraderie? of the competitive shooting world is one of Lieske’s favorite aspects of the sport. It has allowed him to meet and develop relationships with a variety of different people from around the country and around the world.
‘They’re some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet,? he said.
Lieske has enjoyed competing in other countries including Portugal, England and Canada. ‘You get to travel the world, which is another great perk,? he said.
He would like to see more folks get involved in shotgun sports, which he said is ‘one of the safest? of all sports.
Lieske encourages people to try shooting before they make snap judgments about it and guns in general. ‘Unless you try it, you really can’t say much,? he said.
While working at his family’s shooting ranges, Lieske said he’s seen novices go from being ‘afraid to pull the trigger? to completely hooked on the sport. ‘After a couple shots, they don’t want to leave,? he said.
Pat believes shooting imparts valuable lessons and helps build character.
‘Competitive clay target shooting requires a lot of hard work and dedication that translates to success in other areas of your life,? he said. ‘There is a responsibility and respect that comes from handling firearms on an ongoing basis that transfers well into many real-life situations.?
Whenever Lieske shoots, it’s always with his Kolar 12-gauge over-and-under.
‘It’s one of the very few guns made in the USA,? he said. ‘It’s one of the most durable and pointable shotguns on the market.?
Kolar Arms is based in Racine, Wisconsin.
What advice does Lieske have for his fellow shooters to help them improve?
‘The best thing is to get lessons from someone that knows what they’re doing,? he said.
Having a good instructor helps a shooter eliminate ‘bad habits? right from the start.
‘That’s the fastest way to progress,? Lieske said.
Ironically, Lieske has spent his life around firearms, but does not hunt. ‘I’d like to, I just don’t have enough time,? he said.
Lieske is preparing to return to Hillsdale College in the fall. He plans to major in financial management and minor in mathematics, but isn’t quite sure whether he’ll use his degree to eventually go into the family business or work for a financial management firm.
In October, he’ll compete in the 2015 National Sporting Clays Championship in San Antonio, Texas. His goal is to walk away as junior champion. Good luck, Drew.