Coaching Youth Champions: Oklahoma Dusters at the AIM Grand

Trap Talk From The Back Fence – Episode 145 | October 10, 2025
Host: Zach Nanini & Ricky | Guests: Paul, Monty, and Brad (Oklahoma Dusters Coaches)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the heart of youth trapshooting, focusing on the Oklahoma Dusters and their coaching approach at the AIM Grand. Zach and Ricky sit down with coaches Paul, Monty, and Brad to discuss what it takes to grow, lead, and mentor a large youth shooting team—covering certification, logistics, parent involvement, and the vital personal lessons the sport instills.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Getting Started as a Youth Trap Coach

• Paul's Journey ([02:06]): Paul entered coaching through 4H in 2016, growing the team from 2 to 20 kids. By 2020, he took on a leadership role with AIM, relying on NRA or 4H certifications.

  • “To become an AIM coach, you have to have the certification either through NRA or 4H. So my 4H allowed me to come on into it along with these two guys as well.” (Paul, [02:24])

• Certification Details ([02:55]):

  • Free to obtain, requires a dedicated weekend and written tests focused mainly on gun safety and handling.
  • “It's I believe, a 12 hour a day course … safety, gun handling and all of that.” (Paul, [02:59])
  • Emphasis on safety as the foundation, especially for youth ([03:12] Zach and Paul).

2. Team Size, Structure, & Parent Involvement

• Team Makeup ([03:57]):

  • 5 coaches for ~50 kids, aided by parents and coaches' spouses to manage logistics.

• Age Range ([05:14]):

  • Youngest shooter: 10 years old

  • Oldest: Junior Gold, aging out at 23

  • “Clancy's my son actually. ...He shot his first registered HPA target at eight.” (Monty, [05:40])

• Importance of Parental Support ([04:25], [28:08]):

  • Parents help with transportation, food, and all support tasks.
  • “We're not babysitters. The families need to be involved … which helps bond families and relationships.” (Monty, [28:08])

3. Coaching Beyond the Range – Logistics, Data, Team-Building

• Logistics Over Line Coaching ([07:58]):

  • “90% of our work is the leg work, the footwork, the logistics… It's not so much, hold a little higher gun.” (Brad, [08:33])
  • Coaches manage scheduling, entries, travel, hotels—key to running a large team.

• Data Tracking and Classification ([11:17]):

  • Paul tracks student scores, uses Excel for averages/classification.
  • “Thank the Lord for myself, soft Excel. I can sit there with dual monitors and grab that data off ATA site …” (Paul, [11:19])

4. Athlete Development – Well-Rounded Competitors

• Multi-Discipline Focus ([07:42]–[07:57]):

  • Encouraging athletes to shoot all disciplines (trap, skeet, sporting) prepares them for college and beyond.
  • “You might be the best strapster in the world, but if you can't break a ski target or sporting target, they might not look at you.” (Ricky, [07:11])

• Team Chemistry & Squadding ([12:09]–[14:42]):

  • Strategic assignment of squad members—sometimes based on team chemistry, not just averages.
  • “When you put the five of us together, we were. And that's one of the things that I've always believed in.” (Ricky, [13:06])
  • Importance of blending personalities and maintaining positive team dynamics.

5. Life Lessons: Values, Growth, and Perseverance

• Character Development ([29:16]):

  • Shooting sports teach integrity, hard work, and trustworthiness.
  • “That's what we go off of… knowledge, buy-in, culture. The knowledge that the bigger kids have… buy-in to work hard… and then our culture. We gotta have fun.” (Paul, [31:44])
  • Coaches highlight the value of teaching perseverance and diligence through challenges.

• Handling Pressure & Adversity ([34:46], [36:56]):

  • “You're going to learn perseverance, diligence. You're going to learn how to do something that you don't necessarily want to do, but you're still going to do it because it's life.” (Monty, [34:46])
  • Focusing on improvement over comparison to others ([39:30], [40:59])
    • “Could they get better than they were…? This is a look within.” (Zach, [39:43])

• Inclusivity of Shooting Sports ([37:38]):

  • All talents and backgrounds can succeed; girls compete equally with boys.
  • “Shooting sports takes the gender out of… Girls shoot toe to toe with the boys.” (Brad, [37:45])

6. Mental Game, Confidence, and Simplicity

• Building Confidence for Beginners ([46:00]):

  • “Shoot the target. That's my 1, 2, 3, 4. When we go the box, do your 1, 2, 3, 4 dot Keep it simple.” (Brad, [46:02])
  • Recommendation: “With Winning in Mind” by Lanny Bassham ([46:21], [46:23]).

• Coping with Mistakes ([47:29], [48:07]):

  • “Why little confidence? Because confidence goes a long way. … the confidence goes out the window till they start breaking.” (Ricky, [47:29])
  • Keep it simple and reset when things go sideways: “You have to go back to the basics, the simple.” (Zach, [48:07])

7. Growth, Tracking, and Equipment Fit

• Growing Kids, Changing Guns ([49:29]–[52:49]):
  • Kids physically outgrow the same gun quickly. Coaches constantly recheck gun fit.
  • “We had some phenomenal shooters one year they come back from summer break and they could not hit the back of the trap house. ...they all grew.” (Paul, [50:29])

8. Community, Fundraising, and Team Promotion

• Community Support and Sponsorship ([24:38]):

  • Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Ramjack, and many local farmers/companies support them.
  • “When your community sees you're doing something worthwhile... the support just kind of naturally funnels down to you.” (Brad, [25:02])

• Team Growth & Recruitment ([53:12]):

  • Active on Facebook, spotlighting kids for college recruitment.
  • Reputation brings in new members statewide and even from Texas.

• Fundraising Approach ([27:21]):

  • Some raffles, mostly sustained by sponsors and family contributions.

9. Advice for New Coaches and Parent Involvement

• Coach Mindset ([55:01]):

  • “What's your passion? Is your heart in it? If your heart's in it, you're going to be a good coach.” (Brad, [55:10])
  • Arrogance vs. teachability: “If you're not willing to be teachable, don't get in this… you're just gonna hurt your kids.” (Monty, [55:40])

• For Parents ([59:01]):

  • Avoid “hovering”—let kids make mistakes and learn. Be open to input from other coaches.

10. Success, Motivation, Learning from "Losing"

• Redefining Winning ([57:09]):

  • “If you're not winning, you're learning.” (Zach, [57:10])
  • “You can have a winning performance and not win the performance… I come home victorious because I overachieve.” (Brad, [57:39])
  • “We're not born world champions… But we have grit.” (Paul/Ricky, [56:45])

• Memorable Moments:

  • Junior team outshooting the junior gold ([32:28]): “The young ones came in and started laying it on them.” (Zach, [32:39])
  • “That's what it's about. It's about making memories…” (Ricky, [33:06])

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Coaching Youth:
  “The biggest portion of what you do is logistics.” (Zach, [09:39])
• On Sportsmanship:
  “You go sit your gun right down next, right next to a twenty, thirty thousand dollar gun and nobody will be there…this is just a wonderful sport to be a part of because everybody's trustworthy.” (Monty, [28:43])
• On Growth:
  “If you're not learning, you're dying.” (Ricky, [56:20])
• On Community & Integrity:
  “We drive the integrity.” (Paul, [30:44])
• On Perseverance:
  “There are so many life lessons that these guys learn on that track field and they have no idea they're learning it right now, but when they're 25, 30, 35, 40, they're going to come back…” (Monty, [34:31])
• On Teaching & Simplicity:
  “Keep it simple. Set your feet, set your eyes…” (Brad, [45:55])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Content | Timestamp | |---------|---------|-----------| | Getting Started in Coaching | Paul’s intro, certification, team growth | [02:06] – [03:57] | | Team Logistics & Data Tracking | Roles of coaches, Excel, organization | [07:58] – [11:39] | | Athlete Development & Team Chem | All-around shooting, squadding choices | [07:42] – [14:42] | | Parent Involvement & Community | Parent role, local support, fundraising | [24:38] – [28:43] | | Life Lessons from Trapshooting | Integrity, grit, personal growth | [29:16] – [36:56] | | Mental Game & Confidence | Simplicity, building confidence | [46:00] – [47:29] | | Gun Fit & Growing Shooters | Equipment adjustments, growth spurts | [49:29] – [52:49] | | Recruitment & Social Media | How new kids find the Dusters | [53:12] – [53:51] | | Coaching Philosophy | Mindset, advice for new coaches | [55:01] – [56:45] | | Redefining Winning/Learning | “Winning performance” even in losses | [57:09] – [58:03] |

Conclusion & Takeaways

The Oklahoma Dusters have built a model program for youth trap teams through community engagement, detailed logistics, family involvement, and a relentless focus on life skills. Whether balancing team chemistry, adapting to logistics, or instilling a strong mental game, their approach offers a blueprint for anyone looking to coach or help youth sport.

"If you're not winning, you're learning."
— Zach Nanini ([57:10])

Contact & Support:
The Dusters are active on Facebook and welcome both new shooters and sponsors.

To support or learn more about the Oklahoma Dusters, check their Facebook page or reach out via the ATA/OTSA listings.

This summary captures the energy, humor, and excellent advice packed into this episode—perfect for trapshooting parents, volunteers, and anyone passionate about supporting youth in shooting sports!