Hi everyone. I want to highlight some shooting accomplishments of Illinois shooters. Carson Sievers has the second highest all-around average in the Sub-Junior category. Ian Lawrence is second in the Junior Gold category. William Blender is one of the age group co-rookies of the year Great shooting guys.
This has been a terrible winter for Illinois trapshooting. Another great one has passed. Jim Matteson died a few weeks ago from complications from cancer. Jim cast a huge shadow over our sport for years in Illinois. He was a Director of the ISTA for over 20 years, a delegate to the ATA for about 10 years, a great shot and an even better man. Jim was the best of us. When Jim decided to give up being a Delegate, he came to me to ask me to run for the job. At the time I was not ready to do it, but it meant the world to me that he would ask me to do it. Later, when I was ready to do the job, I told myself I would do it just like Jim. I like to flatter myself that this is what I have been doing these last few years. I can't give any better tribute than that. Rest well Jim. You have earned it.
Tom Kelly also passed away in December. Tom didn't shoot a lot of registered birds in his career. He mostly shot leagues and derbies in southern Illinois. He was a great guy and will be missed by his family and many friends.
I want to give you an update on the new HoF building. It is wired, insulated and drywalled. It still needs to be painted, the lighting installed and the HVCU installed. We should have it up and running by the state shoot.
Shoot well and support your local clubs.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate