Allen Community College is tapping into a pair of activities that have exploded in popularity in recent years — trapshooting and esports.
Trustees approved Monday a request to advertise for a trapshooting coach.
The goal is to get a coach hired immediately in order to recruit for the spring 2026 trapshooting season, athletics director Doug Desmarteau said. Once it’s up and going, the team will compete in both the fall and spring semesters.
The impetus for Wednesday’s decision came after Desmarteau fielded a call from Josh Wrestler, Humboldt High School’s trap shooting coach, gauging the college’s interest in starting up a team.
Humboldt’s team has 35 students, including some from neighboring districts such as Iola, Desmarteau said. Chanute, Crest, Southern Coffey County and Burlington also have squads, as do at least 13 other schools in eastern Kansas.
Additionally, Butler, Northwest Kansas Technical College, Coffeyville, Cowley, Garden City and North Central Technical schools have started similar programs.
Using Northwest Tech as a model, Desmarteau pegged the cost for a trapshooting team at about $68,000 annually, including $48,000 to pay for a head coach and assistant coach. The other $20,000 would go toward equipment such as ammunition.
The students would have their own shotguns., Northwest Tech’s program requires students to dig into their pockets to the tune of $1,500 per semester, with fees associated with a shooting sports credit.
Demsmarteau noted trapshooting is not yet an NJCAA-sanctioned sport, which means the college does not have to worry about such things as gender equity access, although that’s a moot point because the sport is exploding in popularity among female participants.
There are two trapshooting ranges in the area, including the nearest one south of LaHarpe, that the students could use.
Desmarteau said the students would be able to store their firearms at the shooting range, thus alleviating another concern — guns on campus.
“I’ve learned more about trapshooting over the past two weeks than in my entire life,” Desmarteau laughed.
Trustees were encouraged, noting several enthusiasts would likely volunteer to coach if needed.
THE ESPORTS program won’t carry a price tag for the college, at least in the early going, explained Nikki Peters, director of enrollment management.
Instead, the esports group will first be established as a student organization, in order to measure the interest of current and prospective students.
