BONDUEL, WI – What started with three families pitching an idea to the school board has grown into a thriving program and a trip to the state tournament for the Bonduel High School Trap Shooting Team.
Head Coach Tracy Brede remembers exactly how the program got its start. Years ago, as trap shooting was beginning to gain popularity as a Wisconsin high school sport, a small group of families approached the Bonduel School Board with a vision.
“There was three families that went to the school board,” Brede said. “We went to the school board and presented the idea to get a team started.”
The proposal received strong support, and the Bears have been competing ever since.
For Brede, trap shooting has always been a family tradition. Growing up around the sport, she spent countless hours at local gun clubs watching family members compete.
“I come from a family that did trap shooting for years,” Brede said. “It’s in the blood.”
Even after her daughter graduated from Bonduel in 2020, Brede remained committed to the program.
“I have no more kids in school, but I want to keep the program going,” she said. “So I keep on doing it.”
Five years after those first discussions with school officials, the Bears are seeing the benefits of the foundation they built. This season culminated with a trip to the Wisconsin State Trap Shooting Tournament, a milestone achievement for a relatively young program.
Brede said several shooters delivered some of their best performances of the season on the state’s biggest stage.
“We had a couple kids that shot over 90,” Brede said. “We have a young group. We have kids that shot probably better than they ever did through the whole season.”
The growth of trap shooting in northeast Wisconsin has also helped the program flourish. Bonduel shares the Shawano Gun Club with other area schools, including Marion, Shawano High and Wolf River Lutheran, while additional programs continue to emerge throughout the region.
The community has played a major role in supporting the Bears as well. Earlier this year, a fundraising effort at Gehm’s Club 117 generated more than $1,700 in tips for the team. The money was used to purchase a custom pop-up tent featuring the Bonduel Trap Shooting logo, helping the team showcase its identity at competitions.
Brede says community support has been amazing throughout the program’s existence.
While qualifying for state was a major accomplishment, Brede says her focus remains on the experience and personal growth of his athletes.
“My philosophy is I’d rather have you have fun and take pride in what you’re doing,” Brede said. “It doesn’t matter where we stand as long as you had fun doing it and you’re proud of what you did.”
For a program that began with a handful of families and a dream, reaching the state tournament represents another step forward for Bonduel trap shooting and perhaps a sign of even bigger things ahead.
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