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Melvin Crow Aims High: Goodland Shooting Sports Program Booms Under Local Coach’s Leadership



Taken from interview with Melvin Crow on the KLOE Good Neighbor Hour---

The sound of shotgun fire echoes across Sherman County almost year-round—and behind it is the steady leadership of one of the region’s busiest and most passionate mentors: Melvin Crow.


Coach, trainer, organizer, and guide, Crow wears more hats than most folks own. He leads college, high school, and 4-H shooting sports programs; trains hunting dogs; runs a dog training business; and still finds time to guide hunts across the region. If you’ve heard clay targets shatter in northwest Kansas, there’s a good chance Melvin had something to do with it.


And right now, his calendar is stacked as ever—with state and national competitions, range expansion projects, and an exciting new initiative to welcome women into the sport.


Shooting for Success: High School and College Teams Thrive

Crow just returned from the National Collegiate Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, where his team brought home a 5th-place finish, with standout individual performances from shooters like Cooper Holman (1st in Skeet and Double Skeet) and Jayden Serl (3rd in Trap). He took 13 college athletes from across Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.


As if that weren’t enough, Crow’s Goodland High School shooting team is now headed to state competition this week. Over 20 high school shooters will compete in Trap, Skeet, and Five-Stand events near Wichita. The team has already racked up conference titles and individual accolades, with shooters  ranked among the state’s top 100.


“We’ve got varsity, JV, and novice kids all shooting,” Crow said. “They’re improving every week—and what’s incredible is the number of youth involved. We’re looking at over 2,800 shooters statewide this year.”


When Crow started the high school program several years ago, the state event saw about 570 competitors. Now, it's four full days of shooting across multiple locations.




Expanding the Range—Literally

Crow and his crew are working hard to make Goodland a true destination for competitive shooting. Construction is underway on two new skeet ranges, thanks in part to community support and aid from Sherman County Community Development.


They’re using shipping containers as durable “high house” and “low house” facilities for skeet shooting, with ample storage for the mountains of clay targets these programs burn through.


Crow is also developing a sporting clays range and plans to add a wider variety of target types—including midis, minis, rabbit targets, and battues—to help shooters prepare for the diverse challenges they face at competitions.


4-H: Where It All Began

Crow’s coaching roots trace back to 4-H Shooting Sports, which he launched about 17 years ago with just five kids. Today, that program has grown to over 50 active participants, who meet each Sunday afternoon for safety training and live fire practice.

His efforts have helped feed both the high school and college programs and created a pipeline of skilled and passionate shooters. Two of Crow’s 4-H athletes, Tyler Wagner and Josh McKenzie, recently qualified for the National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships and will represent Kansas in Grand Island, Nebraska later this month.


Training Dogs and Hunters Alike

When he’s not coaching humans, Crow is working with a different kind of athlete—hunting dogs. His dog training business has grown far beyond what he imagined when he started in the 1990s. Today, he cares for 28 dogs at his facility and trains them for everything from pointing upland birds to retrieving waterfowl.


He also guides for five hunting clubs during the off-season, helping clients enjoy successful outings backed by top-tier dogs.


“I like the outside time,” Crow said. “Watching the dogs mature, point, and retrieve—it never gets old.”

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New Initiative: Women on the Range

On June 20, Crow’s wife Julie will lead a new event called “Women on the Range”—a beginner-friendly shoot for women who want to learn in a welcoming, low-pressure environment. The event includes gun safety training, trap shooting, refreshments, door prizes, and support from Pheasants Forever, which is sponsoring ammunition.

“We’ve got guns they can borrow—no equipment needed,” Crow said. “We just want to make it comfortable and fun. Julie’s planning to host these events monthly.”


A Growing Legacy

With hundreds of young shooters trained, major range improvements underway, and a heart for education and safety, Melvin Crow is shaping the future of shooting sports in northwest Kansas.


Whether you’re a seasoned shooter or brand new to the sport, there’s a place for you on the range—and a coach ready to cheer you on.


UPCOMING EVENTS

🎯 High School State Shoot – June 21–23 (Ark Valley, Augusta, KTA)

🎯 4-H National Championships – June 23–28 (Grand Island, NE)

🎯 Women on the Range – June 20 (Trap Club)



Interested in supporting local shooting sports or learning more? Reach out to the Goodland Shooting Sports Club or visit their events at the range west of town.



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