Holly Hodge

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HODGE TAKE BRONZE MEDAL IN JUNIOR OLYMPICS
by Steve McCadams
www.stevemccadams.com
June 27th, 2008

Holly Hodge of Paris won a bronze medal last week during the Junior Olympic State Championship held at the Holly Fork Shooting Complex. She now has her sights set on Colorado Springs, CO where the National Shotgun Junior Olympic Championships will be held August 9-16.

Hodge is one of only ten athletes who received an automatic invitation out of a field of 162 competitors from across the state registered during last week’s big event here in Henry County.

Athletes from across Tennessee competed for Olympic medals in Wobble Trap and International Skeet. Athletes that shot the qualifying score of 105 out of 125 in either disciplines received an automatic invitation to compete in the Nationals.

In the Wobble Trap Women’s Division, Lacey Lane of McKenzie, who also won the gold in women’s International Skeet, won her second medal of the event winning the Gold with 98 out of 125, followed by Elizabeth Russell of McKenzie winning her second Silver of the event and Holly Hodge of Paris winning the Bronze.

In international rules, at the end of the competition, the top six shooters from the women’s division and the top six from the men’s divisions participate in a shoot-off for their respective divisions. The scores from the shoot off are added to each shooters competition score. The winners are calculated and awards presented.

Holly was in fourth place with a 91 going in to the shoot-off. She performed well under pressure and shot a good score of 111 to advance and bring home the bronze medal.

Hodge is 13 years old and will be in the 8^th grade at Inman School. This is her third year of competition in the Henry County 4-H SCTP program where she is in the Intermediate Advanced Division for grades 6-8.

Earlier this year Hodge was the top female at the Catfish Open held at Henry County Gun Club. She tied for top female in her division at the Tennessee SCTP state qualifier but then was the top overall shooter in her division at state competition where she shot a 95 out of a possible 100.

Good shooting has been running in the Hodge family the last few years as Holly’s brother Hunter has done very well in the SCTP program and advanced last year to the Nationals in Colorado.

“I first heard about the SCTP program when I joined the Henry County Gun Club after moving here from Memphis and that’s how we got the kids involved,” said Holly’s father Mike. “It’s great to see the kids advance and learn the shooting skills. And, needless to say we’re quite proud of both Holly and Hunter.”

Henry County also had a three-man squad win their division. Known as the “No-Fly Zone”, the team was comprised of Blake Triplett, Drake Williams, and Jensen Smith. The team qualified to advance to Colorado Springs, CO since they won their division.

Steve McCadams is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area. He has also contributed many outdoor oriented articles to various national publications.

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