Two Laker Clay Crushers Named to ATA All-American Team

By John Wright - Murray Ledger and Times

Calloway County High School’s trap shooting program — the Clay Crushers — have had some very strong accomplishments over the years.

However, what was revealed earlier this week tops them. This program can now say that it has produced not one, but two,  All-Americans. 

That is what the Amateur Trapshooting Association decided was the case when it unveiled its list of 2026 All-Americans, based on this year’s performances. On that list were sophomore Andie Veazey and Calloway County Middle eighth grader Maverick McClure. 

“This is big,” said Calloway coach Vernon Anderson, who founded the program in 2015, earlier this week. “I mean, this is a really big deal for our program.”

Veazey was named to the Lady Second Team of the ATA list, while McClure earned First Team distinction for Sub-Juniors.

This is actually away from high school arena, which ends in June. The results that yielded the All-American honors were from non-high-school  events and, in many cases, pitted the Clay Crusher shooters against much older and experienced competitors. 

However, as Anderson indicated, the Clay Crushers name is still attached, giving the program added prowess. Calloway is now about three months removed from having finished fourth in the state shoot at Berea ... after having the lead after the first round. 

For McClure and Veazey, this comes after a long road of competitions in multiple states, where both earned several championship buckles. However, while championships at state events are very nice, to earn All-American status, it takes performing on the biggest stage.

That stage was the annual Grand American at the gigantic World Shooting and Recreational Complex in the southern Illinois town of Sparta (about halfway between Carbondale and St. Louis). 

All McClure did was win the Champion of Champion Sub Junior title by hitting all 100 of his targets, His ticket to even compete in this event was punched with a win in the Kentucky state singles shoot. 

“I just shoot like I’m shooting the first bird,” McClure said, describing his approach to hitting the last few targets in a pressure-packed environment such as what exists in Sparta. This is where the best of the best in not only the United States, but the entire world, come to show their skills. “There are times (he gets fatigued, from holding a 12-gauge shotgun that weighs about 8 pounds, but can feel much heavier after several rounds). It did get tiring at The Grand when I went two extra rounds.”

Veazey, who won the state high school championship as a seventh grader, also performed at a high level when the chips were on the table in Sparta. She was third in both Trap and Field Handicap and RIO Handicap. 

She also was third overall for ladies performers at the Indiana State Shoot in Fishers and the overall runner-up in the Kentucky state shoot at Berea. McClure was the overall non-resident champion in both Georgia and singles champion at the Great Lake Grand in Michigan, where he duplicated his trailblazing feat of hitting 100 straight targets in a round from the state high school event. 

Veazey is the younger sister of former Clay Crushers standout Riley Veazey. 

“Mmm ... lots of practice and shoot every Sunday,” Andie said in her typical quick-and-to-the-point style in explaining the recipe to her success. “In Sparta? I did OK.” Andie said she has learned a very valuable lesson from the first time she pulled the trigger on a shotgun. 

“The first time I picked up a gun, it hurt ... real bad,” she remembered of the fierce recoil this weapon can produce, especially for someone at a very young age who is not physically mature. “So I learned that’s going to happen if you didn’t get it into your shoulder.”

“And she’s learned how to control that,” Anderson said. “She’s learned what works.”

The Sparta competition, as well as all of the events out of state, produce a unique opportunity for competitors. 

“Meeting new people ... that’s really cool about all of this,” McClure said of meeting people from other nations.”

What Anderson finds “cool”about this activity is its long-lasting appeal. He said this is something that can carry into the very late ages for shooters like Veazey and McClure. And he is living proof.

“Look! I’m still competing at 80 and these young people can compete until 80 or 90 if they want to,” he said. “Most people can’t play basketball or baseball or soccer or volleyball past 20, much less 25, anyway. It’s something that gives you that mental exercise that you need and I can tell the difference in my own mentality since I’ve been in involved in trap shooting.

“I might’ve been a vegetable in a rocking chair by now if I hadn’t been involved in trap shooting.”