Some became interested in gymnastics. Others got involved in martial arts.
When Koehler heard of the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Scholastic Clay Target Program for children, he thought it would be great for three of his kids - Sarah (17), Benjamin (15), and Rebecca (12).
"It was a national program designed for students from sixth grade through high school," Koehler said. "One of the members of our home school association asked me if I would be interested in coaching the home-schooled kids. I didn't have any expertise in that area. I only worked with a rifle and a pistol before. Trap shooting was a whole new area for me, but I found it to be interesting." Skeet shooting involves shooting at moving clay targets, an activity of skill and coordination. When Koehler introduced the idea to his children, the younger ones were more than eager. But Sarah Koehler was a little bit skeptical. "Ben and Rebecca were definitely into it, but I wasn't too thrilled about it," Sarah Koehler said. "At first, I wasn't interested." Bill Koehler brought his three children to a trap shooting range in Fairfield in Essex County. The younger ones took to it right away. Clay targets
"It was a fun thing to do," Benjamin Koehler said. "It was a different thing to do. I got a lot of help from the people at the club. It's a sport that enables you to set your own goals." "I think I was the one who wanted to do it the most," Rebecca Koehler said. "I never tried anything like it before. It was definitely different. Because it was so different, it really interested me." However, none of the Koehler children had instant success shooting a shotgun at clay targets that are hurled through the air at a good distance. "It was kind of hard at first," Rebecca Koehler said. "I wasn't hitting a single target when I started." "At first, it was kind of frustrating, because I didn't hit anything," Benjamin Koehler said. "The coil wasn't hard. Hitting the targets was. I got a lot of help from people at the club. But after a while, I got used to it and I got better at hitting the targets." After a while, Sarah Koehler came around and started to enjoy herself as well. "I think after the second week, I started to have fun," Sarah Koehler said. "It was nice to be outside and meet new people. I was doing something fun with my family. It wasn't a sense of power or anything. It was just having fun. It's a very interesting sport. Now, I really like it." The Koehler family has been active in trap skeet shooting for the last three years. Representing the New Jersey Home Schooled Association team known as the "Claybreakers," the Koehlers have become some of the best target shooters in New Jersey. Even varsity
There are four divisions of the Scholastic Clay Target Shooting Program, based on a child's age and skill level. They start at the rookie level, then intermediate, junior varsity and varsity. The different divisions use different shotgun sizes and number of rounds. For example, the varsity may shoot 200 rounds with a 20-gauge shotgun. The younger kids would use a 12-gauge shotgun and fire perhaps 100 rounds. After competing in the New Jersey Scholastic Clay Target Shooting championships last week at Indian Mills in Ocean County, each of the Koehler children are now ranked among the very best in their respective age brackets in the state. Sarah Koehler had a score of 183, which was enough for first place among female participants on the varsity level. Benjamin registered a score of 180, which enabled his team to finish first. And Rebecca Koehler had a 170, which was good for third place in her intermediate age bracket. Needless to say, the Koehler family made their mark at the state championships. "They did very well," said Bill Koehler, who has home schooled his children with his wife, Shereelynn. "I'm very proud of them." "This was the third year we were at the state tournament and this was the best we ever did," said Sarah Koehler, who is completing the equivalent of her junior year of high school. "I think it's now become instinctive with us. It just sort of happens. We're all getting pretty good at it." But who's the best shot in the family? "It varies," Sarah Koehler said. "We went out for practice the other day and Rebecca won. We have a little competition between ourselves to see who is better." "I would say it was me, but it changes," Benjamin Koehler said. "It does get very competitive between us. We're all pretty good now, so it's a lot of fun. Rebecca did get higher than me the other day. She's going to be real good. But I'm very impressed and happy with myself by the way I've improved. But the biggest thing for me is doing something together as a family." It's safe to say that the family that shoots together stays together. "It's really fun being good at a sport," said Rebecca, who cut off her long hair three years ago to donate it to the "Locks of Love" organization that makes wigs for cancer-stricken children. "I guess I'm getting better because I pick up the targets better, see them better. It's a great feeling to be good at this."
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