Conclusion

Trinity’s trap and skeet shooting team are integral to the history of Trinity and the history of the sport. Nowhere besides Trinity has such a dominant run occurred around the nation and the globe. How the small University from San Antonio did it was a combination of coaching, the shooters themselves, and the building of legacy through their early success. The Colonel was the lynchpin to the Trinity shooting team his 15 years there which is corroborated by arguably the greatest shooter to come from Trinity, Todd Bender. Trinity continues to field a trap and skeet team and while not full of dominant shooters they once were they continue to place themselves on the map as the little school in San Antonio.

Each Character was important to the narrative from the wild Cosmic Cowboys to the California transfer Todd Bender. Each of them contributed to the story and made the Trinity shooting team theirs.  The Cosmic Cowboys who included two of Hanzel’s best shooters during the mid-1970s and were part of the best shooting team ever assembled. Todd Bender the kid from Georgia who learned about Trinity through competitions and then was recruited from California by the Colonel himself. To John Shima who became a master instructor and performer after his illustrious career at Trinity. Hanzel’s team success reflected an ability to understand his students and create an atmosphere of success without pressure to perform. The standard increased the shooters' ability to compete on the field. Their final tally has included numerous national and world championships along with countless All-Americans. Trap and Skeet have had a long history and needless to say Trinity University had the deepest impact on that history.