President’s Messsaage

President’s Message

(2026 March)

Plans are moving forward to build a 5-stand shooting shelter. We are working on getting a building permit and approved architectural plans. We hope to start building sometime in April. Thanks to Bill Shold for coordinating this project.

The club annual meeting is scheduled for March 21 at the club starting at 9 am. The board of directors will be addressing club finances, events and projects, election results, and will take questions from the attendees. No shooting will be allowed until the meeting is adjourned.

I was just informed that club member Harley Shepherd passed in November of last year. Harley was a long-time member and made numerous contributions to the club by serving on the board of directors and as treasurer for several year. Harley will certainly be missed. Our condolences to his family.

Skeet League

Starting Thursday 5/14 Rockford Skeet will host an in-house Skeet League. The league will run from 5/14 to 7/16 Thursday nights (10 weeks), from 5:30 until done. This time is not set in stone, this is just the time I will be at the club, if you or other want to shoot earlier/later, make plans accordingly

Rules will be posted in the clubhouse, but here are the basics:

  • You pay for your own clays using your own card.
  • Cost is $25 per participant to enter the league; this covers a league ending banquet (just some food and trophy for HOA) on the final night. We will also raffle rounds off at the end of the league like we did last year.
  • 50 clays (2 consecutive rounds) a week, if you can’t shoot on league night shoot whenever you want and leave the sheet in the clubhouse for me to collect.
  • Lowest score of each 50 will be thrown out, or if you miss a week that will be your thrown out score.
  • First 2 scores will calculate your handicap for the league. To establish your handicap on the first week with the largest gauge you will use. You can shoot later weeks with any gun of the same gauge or smaller.
  • Shoot your handicap rounds with the gun you are going to use for the league. If you handicap with a 20ga, that is the largest gauge you are allowed to use during the league, if you handicap with a 12ga that is the largest gauge you can use during the league.
  • Score sheets will be in the club house to fill out, and emailed every week. Please include a cell number for text communication regarding weather and other issues that may arise.
  • Sign-up sheet will be located in the club house.

Rock Ridge and Rockford Skeet Sporting Clays and 5-Stand League

$235, includes 10 weeks of shooting, dinner at our last shoot, and a weekly shell raffle.

Rockford Skeet – 50          5 Stan Rock Ridge – 50 Sporting

      5/13                                          5/20

      5/27                                          6/3

      6/10                                          6/17

      6/24                                          7/1

      7/8                                            7/15

Rock Ridge: 14755 E Edson Road, Davis Junction

Rockford Skeet: 8104 Lindenwood Rd, Rockford

Top 8 scores will be taken, allowing for 2 missed

weeks or 2 throwaway scores. Shooting every

Wednesday night beginning at 5 from May until

July. We will have a random drawing of 50 shells for

shooters in attendance each week.

To sign up, contact Andrew (815-382-1232) at Rock Ridge or Bill (815-978-8686) at Rockford Skeet Club

Handgun League

The plan is to have 8 pistol matches starting in March through October, weather permitting. There will be 3 different courses of fire. Two of the matches can be shot with a revolver. You will need 1 speed loader for 1 match. The other match is will require only 5 shots at a time. You can use a .22 for the league but only center fire scores will count for high shooter and a trophy. The shooting time slots are at 9., 10, and 11 am. You will need to sign up for a squad. There will be make up shoots allowed, but due to the time to set up 1 of the courses it would be best to shoot twice when we have that match. If you are interested in participating in this league, send George Ketter an email at geosueket@msn.com to sign up and with the time you would like to shoot. Only 8 shooters are allowed for each time slot.

2026 Projects

  • Reconfigure trap house 2
  • Replace camera system
  • Seal parking lot blacktop
  • New member orientation video
  • Landscape grass along parking lot 
  • 5-Stand shooting shelter – Approved

2025 Events – all events completed

  • Annual meeting – 3/21/26
  • Cleanup day – 5/2/26
  • Fun days – 6/13, 8/14/26
  • Landfill lunch – 9/25/26
  • High school trap invitational – 11/1/26
  • Tutorials
    • Skeet – 6/20/26
    • Trap – 7/18/26
    • 5-stand – 8/8/26

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact 

George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483 or Greg Baylander at

815-494-7321. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee (cash or check).

Gun Smithing – Shotguns and handguns

Rick Holloway

Davis Junction, IL.

815-739-6118

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting Minutes March 2026

RCS BOD, March 3, 2026                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT: Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze,Mike Buckman

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30

2.     Minutes of January – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 6-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. Gun racks – Rebuild 5-1
  3. Skeet league – starts on May 13th
  4. Pistol league – starts in March

      5.   Water filtration for main water – NIRPC willing to pay for

      6.  Winter shooting rules – in effect

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members. Starting 2026

      8.  Trap shoot be named for Harley Sheperd 

Projects for 2026

  • Replace cameras in process
  • Seal parking lot –  Getting quotes
  • 5 stand Shelter – 6-0
  • Landscape area along parking lot TBD
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 2 TBD

2026 Events

  • Annual meeting – 3/21
  • Cleanup day – 5/2
  • Fun days – 6/13 and 8/25
  • Landfill lunch – 9/25
  • High school trap invitationals – 11/1 and a possible earlier date
  • Tutorials – Skeet 6/20, Trap 7/18, 5 Stand  8/8

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting April 7    2026                                                                     Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary     

BOD Meeting Minutes – February 2026

RCS BOD, February 3 , 2026                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT: Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze, Mike Buckman

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30

2.     Minutes of January – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 6-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. Gun racks – Rebuild 3   5-1
  3. Skeet league – starts on May 13th
  4. Pistol league – starts in March

      5.   Water filtration for main water – NIRPC willing to pay for

      6.  Winter shooting rules – in effect

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members.  Starting 2026

      8.   Website camera access – main gate  

Projects for 2026

  • Replace cameras in process
  • Seal parking lot –   Getting quotes
  • 5 stand Shelter – 6-0
  • Landscape area along parking lot TBD
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 2 TBD
  • Setting up dues payment via internet – Completed

2026 Events

  • Annual meeting – 3/21
  • Cleanup day – 5/2
  • Fun days – 6/13 and 8/15
  • Landfill lunch – 9/25
  • High school trap invitationals – 11/1 and a possible earlier date
  • Tutorials – Skeet 6/20, Trap 7/18, 5 Stand 8/8

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting March 3, 2026                                                                    

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

BOD Meeting Minutes – January 2026

RCS BOD, January 6, 2026                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT:  Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze, Mike Buckman

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by Al Perry

2.     Minutes of November– Approved, 5-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 5-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. School trap team invitational – HUGE SUCCESS
  3. Landfill rounds donation –   Yes 6-0
  4. Skeet league will be on again this year  

      5.   Water filtration for main water – NIRPC willing to pay for

      6.  Winter shooting rules – in effect

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members.  Starting 2026

      8.   Website camera access – main gate  

Projects for 2026

  • Replace cameras in process
  • Seal parking lot
  • 5 stand Shelter – More discussion once we have some quotes
  • Landscape area along parking lot TBD
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 2 TBD
  • Setting up dues payment via internet – Completed

2026 Events

  • Annual meeting – 3/21
  • Cleanup day – 5/2
  • Fun days – 6/13 and 8/15
  • Landfill lunch – 9/25
  • High school trap invitationals – 11/1 and a possible earlier date
  • Tutorials – Skeet 6/20, Trap 7/18, 5 Stand 8/8

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting February 3   2026                                                                    

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

BOD Meeting Minutes – December 2026

RCS BOD, December 2, 2025                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze, Mike Buckman

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of November– Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 6-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. School trap team invitational – HUGE SUCCESS
  3. Landfill rounds donation –   Yes 6-0
  4. Skeet league will be on again next year  

      5.   Water filtration for main water – Getting bids

      6.  Winter shooting rules – in effect

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members.  Starting 2026

      8.   Website camera access – main gate  

Projects for 2026

  • Replace cameras
  • Seal parking lot
  • 5 stand Shelter – TBD
  • Landscape area along parking lot
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 2 TBD
  • Setting up dues payment via internet – Completed

2026 Events

  • Annual meeting – 3/21
  • Cleanup day – 5/2
  • Fun days – 6/13 and 8/15
  • Landfill lunch – 9/25
  • High school trap invitationals – 11/1 and a possible earlier date
  • Tutorials – Skeet 6/20, Trap 7/18, 5 Stand 8/8

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting January 6   2025                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message – November 2026

 President’s Message

(November 2025)

The club hosted our first annual high school trap invitational on November 2. It was a huge success. In attendance were teams from Saint Charles Sports Men’s Club, Cornerstone Batist School, Stillman Valley High School, and Hononegah High School. Congratulation to Saint Charles for winning the tournament and to the individual winners as shown below. Thanks to Ben Ratzer for organizing and coordinating this event and to all of his helpers which are too numerous to name. I couldn’t be more pleased with the success and turn out and look forward to hosting our next tournament.

Boys:

1st – Luke Kruse – St. Charles – 94

2nd – Ayden Doucette – St. Charles – 84

3rd – Jake Fett – St. Charles – 84

Girls:

1st – Aubrey – Hononegah – 71

2nd – Abby Auestad – Cornerstone – 69

3rd – Hynlee Hanna – Stillman Valley – 67

Annie Oakley Winner

Braeden Vaughan

In the near future, a new camera system will be installed in the club house, barn, and handgun range. I want to thank Jeremy Hernandez for putting together the quote and plan for installation.

As required by our insurance company, all members will be required to sign a liability waver once a year. The waiver will be included on the dues renewal invoice which will be mailed in mid-December. Please sign it and return it with your payment.

We are in the process of developing a program to allow members to pay membership dues by credit or debit card. There will however, be a 3% fee for the transaction. More to follow as plans become firm. You will still be required to complete the information form and sign the waiver as mentioned above. The complete documents can by returned via USPS mail or by putting it in the deposit draw in the club house. Dues will not be accepted without the signed waiver and completed information form.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact 

George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483 or Greg Baylander at

815-494-7321. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee (cash or check).

2025 Projects

  • Repair skeet houses – completed
  • Refurbish trap voice calls – Completed
  • 5-Stand shooting building – TBD
  • Electrical power to 5-Stand – TBD
  • Reconfigure trap house 2

2025 Events – all events completed

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting Minutes – November 2025

RCS BOD, November 4, 2025                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze, Mike Buckman
  • and guest Jeremy Hernandez

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of September– Approved, 5-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 5-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. School trap team invitational – HUGE SUCCESS
  3. Boy scout merit badge – Completed
  4. Skeet league will be on again next year  

      5.   Water filtration for main water – looking into

      6.  Orientation/safety rules form updated – Completed

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members. Starting 2026

Projects for 2025

  • Trap voice calls – completed and working well
  • Repair skeet houses – Completed
  • 5 stand building – TBD
  • Electricity for 5 stand – TBD
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 1 completed
  • NSSA dues paid – Completed
  • Furnace service – Completed
  • New first aid kits – completed
  • Replace cameras Yes 5-0
  • Setting up dues payment via internet 5-0

2025    Events

         All completed

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting December 2   2025                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message – October 2025

President’s Message

(October 2025)

The club hosted our annual steak lunch for the landfill folks in appreciation for all that they do for us on Friday September 26. This year they removed a berm and put in the parking lot for the 5-stand venue, mowed the long grass beyond the skeet and trap fields, unloaded the targets from semi-truck, and loaded the skeet houses with targets all at no cost to the club. They are terrific neighbors and friends. 

The club will be hosting our first high school trap invitational on November 2, at 9 am. We are hoping to get 3-4 area teams to participate. We plan on giving out t-shirts and a trophy to the winner. As a result, the trap fields will be closed for member shooting until about 1 pm.

We hosted an event on Saturday October 4 for the Boy Scout shooting merit badge. We will be sponsoring this event a couple time a year. Thanks to Mike Buckman for coordinating this event.

As required by our insurance company, all members will be required to sign a liability waver once a year. The waiver will be included on the dues renewal invoice which will be mailed in mid-December. Please sign it and return it with your payment.

We now have new first aid kits in the pistol house and the club house. Thanks to Greg Baylander for coordinating the donation of these kits from the Granger Company. We will also be buying a kit for the trap range.

The water from our new well has a heavy iron content and it is staining the toilets, skinks, and urinal. We are working on solutions to resolve this issue. As a reminder, do not drink from the sink faucets. Use the reverse osmoses faucets on the kitchen sink, bottled water, or water from the water cooler for drinking and cooking.    

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact 

George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483 or Greg Baylander at

815-494-7321. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee (cash or check).

2025 Projects

  • Repair skeet houses – completed
  • Refurbish trap voice calls – completed
  • 5-Stand shooting building – TBD
  • Electrical power to 5-Stand – TBD
  • Reconfigure trap house 2

2025 Events

  • Landfill Lunch – completed

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting Minutes – October 2025

RCS BOD, October 7, 2025                                                                                                    

  • PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Bill Shold, Ben Ratze, Mike Buckman

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of September– Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approve 6-0

New Business:

  1. New member orientation video – In process
  2. School trap team invitational – Is a go
  3. Boy scout merit badge – Completed
  4. Skeet league will be on again next year  

      5.   Water filtration for main water – looking into

      6.  Orientation/safety rules form updated – Completed

      7.  Annual waiver for all club members.  Starting 2026

Projects for 2025

  • Trap voice calls – completed and working well
  • Repair skeet houses – Completed
  • 5 stand building – TBD
  • Electricity for 5 stand – TBD
  • Reconfigure trap houses – field 1 completed
  • RO system installed – Completed
  • New first aid kits – in process

2025    Events

           Fun day – Completed

  • Landfill lunch -9/25/25 Completed

            Tutorials 

  • Trap   Completed

Skeet   Completed

  • 5 stand 7/19 Rained out.

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting November 4   2025                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message – September 2025

 President’s Message

(September 2025)

The club held a club fun day on Saturday August 23, 2025. We had a lot of members and several guests attend. Drawing for ammo and a raffle for shooting rounds were held and a free delicious lunch was served.

The skeet houses have been repaired due to rotting at the base of the buildings. They look really nice. Thanks to Bill Shold and Les Edgcomb for painting them.

The club will be hosting our annual steak lunch for the landfill folks in appreciation for all that they do for us on Friday September 26 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. This year they removed a berm and put in the parking lot for the 5-stand venue, mowed the long grass beyond the skeet and trap fields, unloaded the targets from semi-truck, and loaded the skeet houses with targets all at no cost to the club. They are terrific neighbors and friends.  

Rob Tholin and Bob Liphart will be reconfiguring trap house 2 as they did earlier this spring on trap house 1. I will let you know when work will start as no trap shooting will be allowed at that time.

The club will be sponsoring a shooting station at the Boy Scout Shoot scheduled for September 6, 2025.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact 

George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483 or Greg Baylander at

815-494-7321. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee (cash or check).

2025 Projects

  • Repair skeet houses – completed
  • Refurbish trap voice calls – completed
  • 5-Stand shooting building – TBD
  • Electrical power to 5-Stand – TBD
  • Reconfigure trap house 2

2025 Events

  • Landfill Lunch – 9/25/25

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club