Our content will benefit all skill levels, featuring discussions from some of the sport’s best shooters and coaches, as well as product and service specialists.

230, Lots of kicks, w/Cameron Hicks!

Cameron Hicks is an aspiring young shooter originally from Virginia, but now calls North Carolina home. A special forces veteran with a love of hunting and smashing clay targets, Cameron has been coached and mentored by some of the best shooters to ever shoulder a shotgun! Cameron has burned hundreds of thousands of rounds practicing and trying to perfect his game. His raw determination and relentless pursuit of the game make him a threat at any tournament he attends. Cameron is very outspoken about his opinions and this interview was informative, enlightening, and very entertaining!

229 Cyrus & Ashleigh Hafley Alexander !

If you are a relatively new shooter, you may recognize the names Cyrus and/or Ashleigh Alexander from Shotgun Gear Trap rentals, as they are often at large events across the country helping organize events, as well as providing equipment and setting targets. However, if you have been in sporting clays for a little while, you will recognize Ashleigh as a multi-time, Ladies World, National, and US Open champion! From a very young age, Ashleigh found great success, along with the help of coaches like Wendall Cherry, at the very top of the game! She was also inducted into the NSCA Hall of Fame in 2024. However, do not think for a second that Cyrus himself doesn’t know how to shoot! Cyrus was a young shooter that competed through college and also had some success. Even still, as their business, married life, and now parents of a young child, have kept them busy, they still love competing! This was a fun episode with lots of insights from two fierce competitors, industry icons, and truly great people!

228, Team USA’s Dr. David Dalu !

Sometimes great competitors fly under the radar and out of the limelight. Dr. David Dalu is just that person. Yes, you read that right, Doctor! David was an ER surgeon and has now taken the less dramatic road into sporting clays. In 2018, David began his journey and with a little help from Anthony Matarese Jr., David has achieved 2025 USA Sporting Clays team for FITASC and alternate for the sporting team. That is no small order! His journey through the ranks, his approach to the game, his practice and training, nutrition, …we dive into all of it! David is a fascinating individual, and an amazing shooter, and it was an honor to have him on the show!

227, A conversation w/Travis Mears

Travis Mears is an extremely talented shooter. Not only does he compete at the highest level of the game, Travis is also the owner of Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch in Fort Worth TX, does a trick shooting shows around the globe, coaches, hunts, and still manages to spend time raising a family. Travis travels the circuit and regularly squads with Cory Kruse, Greg Wolf, and Anthony Matarese Jr. Finding success at a young age in the clay target world, he has now carried that success into multiple endeavors within the industry. His story is unique, entertaining, educational, and he was a lot of fun to have on the show! This is an episode you will surely enjoy!

226 New Survey Results w/Joe Bartozzi (NSSF)

The NSSF, National Shooting Sports Foundation, conducts surveys for research to determine how many people actively go shooting, and compete in shooting sports, as well as which disciplines they compete in. We are joined by NSSF President, Joe Bartozzi, to discuss the latest survey results and what they mean. We also cover can be done to help improve these numbers, programs the NSSF offers, what we can do as individuals, and we even theorize what is causing fluctuations in the numbers. This is a very informative episode with lots of great insights as to what is happening in the world of shooting sports!

225, Things to Ponder + Q4C w/Kevin DeMichiel!

We have received a lot of emails suggesting that we cover some of the basics when it comes to gear. Even though we have addressed this in bits and pieces through several other episodes, we thought we would put it together all in one. Maybe you have been shooting for a while but have you really thought about some of the topics we discuss here? Maybe it’s time for a change? Or, are you already a veteran competitor and have your gear figured out? Then stick around as we do a Questions for the Coaches segment with none other than mister Kevin DeMichiel !

224, Mentoring Champions, w/Rick Webb!

Ever wondered what it’s like for a top pro, from a third party perspective? Someone that’s with that person in day to day life, in and out of the tournament? What are they thinking? What are their struggles? What are their coping mechanisms? What do they do for fun? What is day to day life like outside of competing? How do they change as a person when competing? We welcome Rick Webb, father of Hunter Webb, and mentor to both Hunter and Brandon Powell. Rick is there with these two competitors, day in and day out. We thought it would be great to hear from someone that has seen a side of these 2 men that you may never hear. Even from the men themselves!

223, Nationals Preview w/Neil Chadwick!

Whether you are a first time attendee, or a veteran attendee of the National Sporting Clays Championship at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio TX, there are new developments, new changes, and lots in store for those attending the 2025 National Championship! We are joined by Neil Chadwick, who is not only a course manager for the event, but also a member of the executive council. This is the largest sporting clays tournament in the world, and the news, information, and highlights of this event are important to all members of the NSCA. Even if you are not attending, Neil brings some news and highlights of their recent EC meeting to share with us as well. This is a must listen, for sure!

222, Payouts w/Cory Kruse & RAD Chad Roberts!

SHOW ME THE MONEY! Payouts at tournaments. It’s a tricky thing. Where is the money going to come from? Is payout that important to you? What if you are in one of the lower classes and could win $300, $400, maybe double that? Would it change your perspective on tournaments? Would you compete more often? We are joined by Cory Kruse and RAD Chad Roberts to discuss tournament payouts, where they have seen club be successful with it, and how they do it. Chad and Cory both travel the country competing at the top level of the game and have seen firsthand where the payouts have contributed to the success of both monthly tournaments and big blast shoots!

221, Gun & Trophy Insurance w/Larry & Cole Cushman!

Insurance. The one thing you HOPE you will never need, but you better have it right when you do need it! It’s a piece of mind for your beloved firearm, and, in this case, your trophy mounts! Meet Larry and Cole Cushman of Gun & Trophy insurance. This family owned business specializes in insuring your firearms in a way that no other insurance company can! These guys are hunters and shooters that have been in the insurance business for a long time and they understand what is needed and what it takes to insure you have the right coverage, at an affordable price, for your guns and trophy mounts! But don’t take our word for it, listen for yourself! Before we get started with Cole and Larry, we have message from 2 other guys, Ron Hardzog and Abel Spires, about a couple of special shoots that you will want to be a part of!! Gun and Trophy – https://gunandtrophy.com/ Phone – 703-901-4899 or 571-352-7097