Can the ATA be saved?

As I read so many old posts in the forum you can see much despair in many of the shooters, especially past shooters. Vitriol in trapshooting seems to be as high as the election. A civil war within a sport.

Can we save the ATA? Will it save itself? Should we just start again?

 

The ATA is doing as well as it's leadership can drive it. The failures are at the lower levels. jmho

 

Stacy,
Please expand upon your comment regarding the failures at the lower levels. Are you are referring to the State Associations and participating gun clubs when you say lower levels? If so, I can understand some of what you are saying. I know some State Associations are much more active than others in helping their member clubs and promoting the sport. I also see some gun clubs that seem to be expanding and others going backwards and many times the difference is in club management and attitude. While I certainly cannot agree with your comment regarding ATA leadership, I am very interested in your thoughts on how we can help drive the sport at the lower levels.

Thanks, Don

 

At one time it was easy to accelerate membership an the lower levels. All the club manager needed to say was how much money could be made in the handicap event at any major trapshoot. It became much harder when the ATA promoted trinket shooting. Simply spending nearly $40 without options for the opportunity to win a pewter plate (at best) doomed recruiting into the ATA ranks!

 

Delegates that did not know the HOF (horse barn) was a $2.1 million building to be given to the state of Illinois.
No delegate cares and we at the bottom put the bottom feeders in life at the top. Then there is the corruption proven by the 2012 Pull. Again, we put the bottom feeders at the top of the fish bowl.

I got the information here. They should have had it before the vote.

The time to drain the swamp was long ago. Way to late.

 

What ATA Member wants to support an Organization that is rum by LOSERS, thatn just want it their way and use your dime so they can get in line for their $20,000 Presidential Trapgun. That is why they are afraid to do anything positive to upset THEIR Applecart

GB.............................DLS

 

Is it time for the GLTA ? Great Lakes Trapshooting Association?

GB.....................................DLS

 

I was thinking American Trapshooting Organization! I know for a fact the computers are in place. You heard it here.

 

Is that good? Shows compassion.

 

Not to worry. The captain of our ship suggested in this months Trap& Field we all get fuzzy about the new reduction in shooters needed to accumulate those valuable All-American points. Gee. 25,000+ ATA members with a few dozen even care if they exist. Appealing to the masses he believes. How many are needed to get a new K-80 or even a Big Mac with cheese?

 

The ATA has many Agents (local clubs) collecting fees on their behalf, these clubs are also the promoters of trapshooting by way of their membership getting other shooters involved ... The ATA can exist as long as they have a sufficient membership and clubs that provide the services to attract shooters ... There are many clubs that are doing quite well by going it alone without the registered shooting and the additional paper work that registered targets entail ... The ATA, ED, EC, BOD, and CHC depend to much on the grand to provide the shooters with what used to be something that was "Special" and that many shooters looked forward to, those days appear to be gone since the relocation to Southern Illinois ... The grand has not supported itself much less been any type of asset overall based on the number of shooters that attend, the ATA made money, the State of Illinois has accumulated losses each year which was going to be problematic sooner or later ... I quit subscribing to Trap and Field since the ATA took control of it so I am not aware of what they are saying about the last grand and the plus's and minus's of it ... The numbers will no doubt surface sooner or later and then we will all know the results ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

The IFPA ranks 45,000 players. ATA 22,000? Think about it.

https://www.ifpapinball.com/

 

Really not a lot to think about, the ATA loses shooters faster than the members can promote others to join ... Before a problem can be fixed , the problem has to be recognized ... The ED, EC, and most of the BOD and CHC do not see where there is a problem, this is a problem ... The ATA has more traps than they have ever had (at the grand) and less shooters attending the grand, major problem detected ... WPT ... (YAC) ...