Jeff Van Den Top
Jeff VanDenTop
Jeff Van Den Top started skeet in 1981 at the old Custer Sportsmans club now named the Lynden Shotgun Club in Northwest Washington. Club member Bob Teela showed Jeff the basics and Jeff’s shooting went from there. An early goal was to beat Paul Kirkpatrick in a round of 410. Jeff passed that goal and says to this day that Paul, whom Jeff calls “Pappy” is one of the great influences in his love of the shotgun sports.
During his long career, Jeff has served as an officer of the Washington State Skeet Association and other sporting organizations. One of Jeff’s large contributions to skeet comes when a club needs help with construction. Jeff spearheaded the building of the second field at the old Custer club and rallied the membership to build the current six fields in Lynden. When the McChord Sportsmens club needed their fields moved from an impending road and Seattle Skeet and Trap Club needed the land cleared and leveled for their new club, Jeff furnished machines and operators to complete the jobs. He also built one of the finest sporting clays ranges on his own property which includes 5-stand and many duck towers.
As one of the finest students of the sport, Jeff is also known as one best instructors for the new skeet shooter as well as those needing a little fine-tuning. Jeff has instructed many shooters who went on to be Washington State Rookie-of-the-year. He has instructed his three children to become All-Americans in various categories. With a new Kreighoff in hand, he instructed his daughter Dorie who became a many time champion on all levels including many wins in both the open and lady categories at Zone 7, U S Open and World Shoots. Dorie went on to become one of the youngest members of the U S shooting team.
Jeff’s contributions in instruction, his time and help with gun club construction and his many other contributions to the sport are only half the story. Jeff has amassed quite a list of shooting accomplishments. This includes over 110 gun championships where over half were won with 99 or 100. Included are 22 High Overall championships with scores of 395 or better. At the Washington State championships, Jeff has won 13 titles which include the coveted High Overall title, four times. On the Zone 7 level Jeff won a preliminary, 410 and 20 gauge both by shoot offs. When championships are on the line, he is one of the toughest doubles shooters encountered. Jeff has also been named to numerous Washington State teams as well as Zone 7 open and NSSA teams.
For unselfish donation of his time and resources as well as championship shooting and sportsmanship, Jeff VanDenTop is awarded a place in the Zone 7 Skeet Shooting Association Hall of Fame.