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Summit High student Dane Tomseth, 16, is one of the top competitors in the National Sporting Clays Association despite his young age.
Anthony Dimaano / The Bulletin
Shooting star
Bend teen is named to All-American Team for sporting clays
By Mark Morical / The Bulletin
Published: May 24. 2007 4:00AM PSTIt's hard to determine which is more impressive: that Dane Tomseth of Bend was named to the National Sporting Clays Association All-American Team after just two years in the sport, or that he reached such a high level as an Oregon resident.
In the South, Tomseth says, there are on average six to eight gun clubs within an hour of each other. In Oregon, there is only one major tournament sporting clay course, and that's a three-hour drive for Tomseth to Brooks, near Salem.
"It's been tough because I can't shoot as much as everybody else down in the South," Tomseth says.
Still, Tomseth, a 16-year-old sophomore at Bend's Summit High School, has managed to win several major national tournaments, earning enough National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) points to become one of just two Oregon residents on the All-American Team.
Only 179 of the NSCA's 21,000 competitors are honored as All-Americans, according to the NSCA. And only 59 youths, ages 17 and under, were named to the team.
In recognition of Tomseth's honor, the NSCA sent a commemorative plaque to Summit that is now on display in the school's awards case.
In sporting clay competitions, shooters take aim with shotguns at clay targets that two at a time are mechanically hurled into the air. The competitor who strikes the most targets out of 100 wins the class.
The sport is derived from bird hunting, and it offers a sort of simulated hunt.
Tomseth competes in the AA class, which is one step below Masters, the most competitive class.
"It's nice to be recognized for something other than regular sports," says Tomseth, who also ran the 1,500 meters on the Summit track team this spring.
Sporting clays has taken Tomseth to tournaments all around the country. Over the last year, he's been to Texas three times, as well as Florida, Alaska and California.
"It keeps me really busy," Tomseth says. "I wouldn't trade it for anything else, though. It's tough. I take all my schoolwork with me, but it's definitely worth it."
Tomseth maintains a 3.92 grade-point average and hopes to attend college to pursue a career as an engineer.
Last month, Tomseth placed 11th among juniors (ages 16 to 21) at the World Sporting Clays Championship in San Antonio.
"I was kind of disappointed," Tomseth reflects. "I could have done a lot better. The mental game is big."
Tomseth grew up in Central Oregon hunting birds with his father, Matt. But he had never shot sporting clays until about two years ago, when he discovered the sport through an elective course at Seven Peaks School.
Jay Walsh, former owner of Central Oregon Sporting Clays, recognized Tomseth's gift.
"I could tell right off the bat Dane had some potential and talent," Walsh says. "He's just a great kid with a humble demeanor. He's a great ambassador for the sport."
Tomseth was further reared as a shooter by NSCA-certified shooting instructor Sid Tomlinson of Bend, who coached Tomseth to a few sub-junior state championships.
Tomseth continues to practice at the Redmond Rod and Gun Club, and at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association Range east of Bend. He's preparing for his next big event, the Zone 7 Championships, next month in Sacramento, Calif.
In November, Tomseth will receive special recognition as an All-American at the NSCA Championship in San Antonio.
"You feel like you need to shoot well to prove you deserve to be on the team," Tomseth says. "For the most part, it's just something that's good to be recognized for. Hopefully, I'll make it to Master class this summer, and stay on the All-American Team every year I can."
Mark Morical can be reached at 383-0318 or at mmorical@bendbulletin.com.
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