The league  is hosted and regulated by the Kansas City Trapshooters Association (KCTA) at the facility located at Smithville Lake, northeast of Smithville Missouri. The purpose is to provide an evening of fair trapshooting competition open to all shooters of all abilities, novice to veteran. There are no gender or age limitations and no required membership requirements in any shooting organization.

KCTA management will determine the duration of each league session. Currently, there are three 12 week leagues (spring, summer and fall) and one shorter winter league.

The season is based on TEAM, not individual competition. On each night, two teams shoot against each other, matching targets broken at each position (10 pt.), for two rounds of 125 targets (2 pt.), and high total overall (1 pt). (13 points total)

At the end of each season, prizes are awarded to the teams according to the total accumulated points during the season and to the shooter(s) with the highest cumulative average(s).

THE LEAGUE
The League is administered by the management of the KCTA shooting park, which includes scheduling, dates and times of competition; recording of scores, team standings and individual shooter statistics; the cost of targets and any other league expenses.

For any instance(s) not covered in these rules, the rules of the Amateur Trapshooting Association will apply. Specifically, see the latest version of ATA Official Rules. KCTA management will have a copy of these rules for reference.

TEAMS
Captains:
A captain who is responsible for representing the team heads each team. The captain is responsible for the sponsor fee, assigning squad members their shooting positions each night and the recording accuracy of both their own team's and the competitors score sheets. If a team wins prizes/trophies at the conclusion of the season, the captain is responsible for the distribution to the individual team members. Captains are chosen at each team's discretion.

Teams:
Teams are composed of a minimum of 5 shooters with no maximum, however, after 50% of the league is completed, the rosters of each team are considered final. If any new shooters' names appear on the scoresheets after that time, those scores will not be counted. Target costs for non-roster shooters will be the same as for roster shooters, minus any purse fees.

Team Fees:
Each team is assessed a one-time season sponsor fee. The KCTA management to cover administrative and/or prize/trophy expenses each season determines the amount of the fee. The team captain is responsible for payment of this fee to the KCTA.

No shooter may shoot for more than one team per season. Any shooter's score appearing on other than their original teams score sheet will not be scored or recorded. Exceptions to this rule may be made by KCTA management in cases of a team dropping out of the league with team members who would still like to compete.

Individuals of all teams compete for the season High Gun award based on the highest broken target average (targets broken divided by targets attempted). The number of weeks of the season minus 2 will be the minimum number of times of competition to be eligible for the high gun award(s). The one or two lowest scores of an individual shooter will be disregarded when computing his average for purposes of the high gun.

COMPETITION AND SCORING SYSTEM
Competition consists of 2 teams matching their scores of each 25 targets at each position per round for a total of 125 possible breaks each round and 250 total overall.

Scoring:
A 13 point system is used to score the teams' competition. One point is awarded to the team having the most breaks per 25 targets beginning with the first position and so on for each position for a total of 5 points for the round. An additional 1 point is given to the team with highest total score on the entire round for a total of 6 points per round. A tie on any position or on the total splits the point. The second round is scored the same way for the total of another 6 points. The final and 13th point is awarded to the team with the highest total score for both rounds. Again, ties divide.

Counted Scores:
Each team may field up to 7 shooters. One shooter on each of the stations, with additional shooters between posts 3 and 4, and 4 and 5. The "hole shooters" move with the shooters on stations 4 and 5. The starting shooting order on the score sheet is always maintained through both rounds. Should a team field more than 7 shooters, the excess over 7 shall be marked "practice" PRIOR to starting the competition.

The lowest score(s) of the 6 or 7 shooters on the team are disregarded when determining the scores to be counted. In case of ties, the lowest score(s) to be thrown out is the first one listed on the scoresheet in the squad order. For example, if there are 7 shooters on a squad with the following scores: #1 = 24, #2 = 22,
#3 = 21, #4 = 19, #5 = 21, #6 = 18, #7 = 19. Using the above rule, shooters #4 and #6 would be disregarded when determining the broken/lost targets per post for the squad. Team captains are encouraged to observe the scoring of their scoresheets of each competition for points won and lost. All scoresheets will be audited by KCTA management to determine accuracy and compliance with league rules. The current week's standings will be based on the post-audit findings. The scoresheets showing any corrections to the original scoring are always available for review by any league member. IMPORTANT: As this scoring system is based on each station's score, it is possible for a team to win the high squad on both rounds, the high total score overall and still not win most of the points of the night's competition. The team's standing in the league is based on the total points won at any point in the season NOT ON THE TEAM'S SHOOTING AVERAGE.

Minimum Number of Shooters:
A team must field at least three shooters within 5 minutes of the scheduled shooting time for a team's score to be recorded, unless the scheduled trap field is still occupied by the preceding shooting team.

If the team has 3 or more shooters, but less than 5, a score of 15 broken targets is recorded for the absent shooter(s), with three breaks per position. The match will be scored in the normal manner using the "short" scores. These "short" scores will not be used in determining the team cumulative average for yardage purposes.

If a team cannot field the minimum 3 shooters, it is considered a "No-Show" and will receive no (0) points for the competition. The opposing team will then shoot against the "No-Show" team's season average per post to win points (described below). However, the "No-Show" team shooters present may squad and shoot to have their individual scores recorded for high gun competition. The opposing team wins points any time they break more targets than the "No-Show" season cumulative average multiplied by 25 and ROUNDED DOWN on any post.  For example, if the "No-Show" team's season cumulative average is 76.45%, the shooting team must break 19 targets per post to tie and 20 targets to win the position point. The mathematics are as follows:
76.45% x 25 = 19.1125. 19.1125 rounded down is 19 scored targets. Any time the shooting team breaks 19 or more targets on a position, it will either tie or win the position.

Bye's:
The same scoring procedure as above applies if a team is scheduled against a "Bye" with one exception. There are no automatic points when a team is scheduled against a Bye. The team must shoot that night's competition. Since there is no opposing team, the shooting team then shoots against its own cumulative season average multiplied by 25 targets and rounded down per post in the same manner as a No-Show.

SCHEDULING
The season schedule will be available to each shooter once the number of teams is known. Usually, this will be between the first and second week of the season. Trap assignments are subject to the discretion of the KCTA management but every attempt will be made to ensure that teams shoot on all available traps during the season. The last week of competition is reserved for a Shoot Off, matching the 1st and 2nd place teams, the 3rd and 4th, and so on down the standings. In case of an odd number of teams, the last place team shoots against its own average. Exceptions and schedule revisions may occur if a team or teams either drops out or adds to the league after the first night.

Drop Outs:
If a team drops out during the first two weeks of a season, it will be replaced with a Bye if there are an odd number of teams. With an even number of remaining teams, the schedule will be revised. The third week and thereafter, if any team drops out, the schedule remains unchanged and opposing teams will shoot against the dropped team's cumulative season average for the remainder of the schedule.

Adds:
Teams may not be added to the league after the second week of competition. If a team adds there will be a schedule revision.

Cancellations, Make-ups, Shoot Aheads
In case of adverse weather (heavy rain, lightning, sleet, snow), power outages or mechanical failures, the KCTA management will decide whether to delay, reschedule or cancel the night's competition. Make-ups are not allowed except for partial cancellations of an evening's competition and must be made by the end of the next week's shooting competition. If competition is stopped mid-squad and canceled for the night, the make-up will begin where the canceled squad was interrupted.

Make-up for a missed night's (No-Show) match is not allowed except for an extraordinary situation, subject to approval of KCTA management.

Shoot-aheads will be allowed without opposing team approval the weeks preceding the Missouri State Shoot in May, the Missouri Summer Handicap in July and the Missouri Fall Handicap in October. For any shoot aheads, teams wishing to shoot ahead must notify KCTA management NO LESS than 7 days in advance of the date of the shoot ahead. The opposing team will be notified of the shoot ahead, and given the opportunity to shoot ahead also, if they wish. If a team schedules a shoot ahead, and then does not show to shoot ahead, they will become a "No Show"; they WILL NOT be allowed to shoot at the originally scheduled time either. Shoot aheads for any reason other than the three occasions above, may be allowed if the opposing team captain agrees to it beforehand. If the opposing team captain disagrees, the team wishing to shoot ahead may appeal to KCTA management to try to reach a resolution. Both teams involved in any shoot ahead will shoot on the same trap fields. The entire team must shoot ahead; individuals may not shoot ahead for either the team or individual averages. If any competition being shot ahead is scheduled for 6:30, then the shoot ahead must completed prior to 6:30, if any competition being shot ahead is scheduled for later than 6:30, then the shoot ahead must be made AFTER the last scheduled league competition of the evening.

Target Color:
Target color will be black with an orange dome for daylight competition and all white for nighttime. A change from black/orange to white must be made at the beginning of a round of 25 targets. Once the change from orange dome to white is made, the trap will throw white the rest of the evening. TARGET COLOR WILL NOT BE CHANGED AFTER THE ROUND HAS STARTED.

Team Handicap Yardage:
Competition consists of two rounds of 125 targets shot at the same handicap yardage. KCTA management will maintain a schedule of yardage's corresponding to cumulative team averages. At the discretion of KCTA management this schedule of yardages may be revised at the start of a new league in order to achieve greater parity among the competition of teams.  The first night of a new league session all teams will shoot from the same yardage. KCTA management will determine this yardage. There are no points the first night; the purpose is to establish the team's beginning scored average. This is the number of scored broken targets divided by 250 possible broken targets and expressed as a percentage. The above referenced schedule is then used to determine the yardage for the next week's competition, based upon the percentage of "dead" targets. Scores from the first week's competition will be used for individual averages. The team's average cumulates throughout the season. The first week's scores are added to the second weeks and the average is recalculated. This is then matched to the yardage schedule each week to determine the team's handicap yardage for the next week's competition. This continues throughout the season adding the third and subsequent weeks scores in determining a floating average.

As the season progresses, a team may be moved forward, remain at the same yardage or move further back based upon the team's shooting record as the cumulative season average changes week to week. This allows novice teams to compete with veteran teams on a more equal basis and challenges all shooters to improve their individual skills.

EYE AND EAR PROTECTION
All shooters are strongly urged to wear eye and ear protection.

FINAL AUTHORITY
For matters not covered in these bylaws or ATA rules, KCTA management will have final authority. League members are encouraged to offer suggestions or ideas to KCTA management for changes and improvements to these rules. The decision to pursue any changes will rest with KCTA management. KCTA management may or may not poll team captain's opinions on an issue before making a decision. Any changes to the above rules will be made effective at the beginning of the next league session; no changes will be made during a league in progress.