Jayce Clutter, a Bolivar Central High School Class of 2026 graduate, was awarded the Dr. John O. Gayden Memorial Scholarship. Along with completing an essay, applicants are required to be a current TN Scholastic Clay Target Program (TNSCTP) athlete and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average. The $1,000 award was a nice surprise to Jayce who has continued his academic journey at the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT-Martin) where he is a member of the shooting team.
“This scholarship will help relieve some of the financial stress that comes with paying for college. It will allow me to stay focused on my education, continue pursuing my degree in Soil and Crop Management, and dedicate more time to representing UT Martin through the clay shooting program.”said Jayce, “I am extremely thankful to the family of Dr. John O. Gayden for making this donation in his memory. Receiving this scholarship truly means a lot to me, and I appreciate their support of student-athletes and the shooting community.”
Jayce grew up hunting and naturally developed a love for shooting firearms. When a clay shooting team was started in the county, it was the perfect opportunity for him to get involved. He has been shooting competitively for six years. The decision to attend UT-Martin was not based on the shooting team, but instead both what the school could offer him academically as well as athletically.
“I enjoy the challenge of shooting. Every course and competition is different, so there is always something new to learn and improve on,” said Jayce. “The shooting team was not the main reason I chose UT Martin, but I definitely did my research. I believe it is going to be a great team and a great opportunity for me both as an athlete and as a student.”
Over the years of shooting Jayce has not only grown in his competition skills, but also personally.
“Honestly, I am most proud of the leader I became for my team back home. Becoming someone, my teammates could look up to and rely on means more to me than any medal or trophy,” said Jayce who is looking forward to improving his shooting skills this season. “My goals are to learn as much as possible, improve the small details that I may have overlooked in the past, and become an even better teammate than I was before.”
This month, Jayce and his team is shooting in the ACUI Regional Qualifier.
“As a UT Martin athlete, I have already participated in several charity events, including Hunters for the Hungry and Clays for Kids, which benefits the Carl Perkins Center, and the St. Jude charity shoot, which benefits the hospital,” said Jayce. “UT Martin will host the Skyhawk Invitational Benefit Shoot at Pine Ridge Farm on November 7, at 9 a.m. It will be a great event, and we are looking forward to bringing people together to support the program and enjoy the sport.”
