Makayla Scott isn’t just an ordinary teenager. Makayla Scott is an EXTRAordinary teenager and shooting sports is lucky to have her! A shotgun shooter from White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Makayla’s positive attitude is contagious and can only be rivaled by her work ethic. Despite her wide smile now, Makayla had a rough start in life, losing her mother to a drug overdose at age 5 and suffering years of neglect and abuse. Finally, at 10, she was united with her forever family, Melissa and Telford Scott, but the uphill battle continued until one day a broken clay changed her life.
“I always struggled to fit in or find a true place I felt accepted. After failing at virtually every sport I tried out for, my father and brother introduced me to a shotgun,” said Makayla.
Her family never gave up on her and shooting sports introduced her to a world she didn’t know existed. That investment in her and a love for shotgun sports has created a platform for Makayla to share her success with others and grow the sport along the way.
“I want to use my success as my stage to reach others. I want to show kids, and even adults, in my shoes or worse, that you do not have to let your past define you. You can break the chains holding you back and be the best you’ll ever be. That’s what I want them to know, something I didn’t know when I was in that position.”
Makayla not only mentors young shotgun shooters and founded her small community’s first-ever SCTP team, but she also led the charge to build a range in her father’s backyard because there wasn’t a play to shoot. This range appropriately called the ‘Field of Dreams’ was a recipient of a Range Development cash grant from us this year. In addition, Makayla serves as a social influencer and has worked to get endowments going for both her home team, the Mountaineer Clay Crushers, and her college team, Montreat Clay Target Team. Along with us, several other peers in the outdoor industry have gravitated to Makayla’s enthusiastic personality and providing sponsorships and opportunities. MidwayUSA Foundation supporters, CZ-USA, MEC Outdoors, and SSP Eyewear all work with Makayla. Most recently, SSP Eyewear created a video to tell the story of this young shooting star. Our mission, along with the help of industry leaders and our donors, allows us to invest in kids like Makayla. As we celebrate National Shooting Sports Month, we celebrate Makayla Scott who we are confident is just getting started. We at MidwayUSA Foundation are excited to be part of her shooting sports journey.