One could say that shooting sports is in his blood. As a young boy who grew up near Brazil, Indiana, Caleb Emrick was his grandpa’s shadow on the clays ranges following him around and soaking up all of the knowledge that Grandpa Carl had about shooting sports, whether it was trap or skeet or sporting clays. Caleb’s parents, whose names may sound familiar to many Indiana clays shooters, Mark and Debi Emrick, got involved in shooting sports in Indiana many years ago allowing for Caleb to spend more time around the sport. As a teenager, Caleb worked for tips at a clays club near Brazil as a hand thrower, and when Caleb was a young adult, he, along with his family, would help out with many charity and corporate events at the Terre Haute Sporting Clays club. So, it just seems natural that in 2023, Caleb and Brittany Emrick became the owners of Coal Creek Sporting Clays in Terre Haute, Indiana (formerly Terre Haute Sporting Clays).
When I visited Coal Creek last week, I could feel the excitement about the revitalization of this land. As I worked my way around the property, it was obvious that the Emricks have already put a great deal of hard work into the sporting clays course, trap field and rifle/pistol range. With new machines and a good supply of shooting accessories, the club is thrilled to welcome its first ISCA registered sporting clays event this weekend with a 100-bird main event and 50-bird true pair event Friday, May 3rd through Sunday, May 5th.
I also was able to spend some time talking to Caleb and Brittany, and their family, about Coal Creek.
Coal Creek already has quite a few events scheduled between May and October. The Emricks understand that shooting sports is more than just completing events and leaving, but that it is about the camaraderie and friendships you make through the sport. Many events that Coal Creek will be hosting this year will offer after-event activities such as dinner and live bands. One specific event that is near to Caleb’s heart is a Memorial Protection and Blues shoot on July 5th, which will be a sporting clays protection event with blues music and a seafood boil. Additionally, June 8th is ladies’ day at Coal Creek, so ladies, grab your gear and get ready to have some fun bustin’ clays during the day and music and cash bar afterwards. Make sure you check out their website for all of Coal Creek’s upcoming events at https://www.facebook.com/coalcreeksportingclays/.
Two of the most important priorities of Coal Creek is to (1) bring new shooters to the sport and (2) give more kids the opportunity to become involved in shooting sports. In Caleb’s words, “If you are thinking about the future of shooting sports, you’ve got to think about and invest in the kids.” Caleb and Brittany have two kids of their own, Joseph – 13, and Adalynn – 18, who also are involved in shooting sports and archery. Coal Creek is working on adding an SCTP in the next year. The Emricks are eager about the growth of Coal Creek in the future with hopes of adding a third trap machine to the sporting clays stations, 5-stand, blacklight events and possibly a skeet field.
With Grandpa Carl at the heart of it all and honored in its logo, Coal Creek is putting west central Indiana back on the map as a clays destination for the next generation. Let’s show our Hoosier hospitality this weekend and give Coal Creek a big welcome to the ISCA family.