April 18, 2024

Wood signs to compete in shooting sports for Grand View

By Jocelyn Sheets

Submitted Photo Prairie City-Monroe High senior Paige Wood signed to compete for Grand View University's Shooting Sports, a coed athletic program. On hand for Wednesday's signing at Grand View in Des Moines were, from left, Grand View shooting sports coach Charlie Mundy and her parents, right, Julie and Chad Wood. Paige Wood is a member of the PCM Trap Team, which is in its first season of high school club competition under the direction of Chad Wood.

PRAIRIE CITY — Enjoying the sport and taking advantage of college scholarships, Prairie City-Monroe senior Paige Wood signed a letter of intent to compete in trapshooting next year for Grand View University in Des Moines.

Wood made the commitment official on Wednesday. She has been shooting clay pigeons since she’s been 10-years-old but this spring is the first year of competition. PCM is in its first season as a organized high school trap shoot club team.

“I never thought this door would be open, but after the Grand View head coach Charlie Mundy approached me about an opportunity to compete at the college level, I went and took a look at Grand View,” Wood said. “I love the sport.”

Wood said on her visit to Grand View she really liked the facilities for the shooting sports, but also the campus and school. She said it was a good fit for her academically and for a sport she enjoys participating in.

“Paige is very enthusiastic and a recent participant to our sport. As I’ve gotten to know Paige and her family, she is eager to learn and improve,” Mundy said. “I really believe Paige can be a positive force for our program.”

Grand View established its coed shooting sports in the fall of 2016 with Mundy as head coach. He said he has seen significant gains in her first season of competitive shooting.

“I’ve hunted since I was 6 and have shot trap on my own at our home,” Wood said. “Having started the high school trap team this year will show the community there are opportunities and scholarships out there for the sport. For me to have this opportunity is awesome.”

Wood said she would be an average female shooter going into the college sport, but she is wanting to learn and improve in the sport. She said her best score this season has been a 20, which is hitting 20 out of 25 clay pigeons.

“I’m willing to learn so I can shoot 25 out of 25 for Grand View. I really would like to become better and better in trap shooting and compete at the national level,” Wood said.

Wood is the daughter of Chad and Julie Wood of Prairie City. Her father is the head coach for the PCM Trap Team.

Wood said she plans to pursue a computer science degree at Grand View. She said her plans are to take several agricultural classes at DMACC so she can become an IT person in the agricultural businesses.

“Paige likes the school, which is really important. We want them to do well academically because that comes first. We want our student-athletes to have the right fit in the classroom as well as in our athletic programs,” Mundy said. “Paige is a good student, and I think she’ll do well here at Grand View.”

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com