From stepping away from competitive trapshooting to becoming a Southwestern Grand Handicap Champion and earning his first ATA Open All-American Team selection, Samuel "Sam" Leiendecker has a story built on determination, perseverance, and a genuine love for the sport. In Episode 194 of Trap Talk, hosts Richard Marshall Jr. and Zach Nannini sit down with Sam to talk about his journey from growing up in Arizona to shooting collegiate national championships at Lindenwood University, serving as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, and returning to competitive trapshooting stronger than ever. Sam recently captured the Southwestern Grand Handicap Championship, breaking a 98 and winning a pressure-packed shootoff against Jason Crowsey. With multiple 200 straights in singles, impressive handicap performances, and his first All-American Team selection, Sam is proving that hard work and persistence pay off. But there's much more to his story than trophies. Sam shares how joining the U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Marksmanship Unit helped reignite his competitive shooting career. He also talks about representing the United States at the World Police and Fire Games, where he won High Overall gold in 2023 and returned to earn silver in 2025. The conversation takes a few fun turns, including Sam's unforgettable trip to the Hawaii State Shoot, where he swept the nonresident trophies and broke a 200 straight! In this episode: Winning the Southwestern Grand Handicap ChampionshipMaking the ATA Open All-American Team for the first timeFrom Lindenwood collegiate shooter to national-level competitorBalancing a career in law enforcement with competitive trapshootingRepresenting the USA at the World Police and Fire GamesShooting the Hawaii State Shoot and sweeping the nonresident trophiesThe mental game: focusing on the process instead of the outcomeHandicap shooting techniques, hold points, foot positioning, and gun setupWhy having fun and surrounding yourself with good people can improve your scoresThe friendships and community that make trapshooting specialSam also shares some valuable technical advice for handicap shooters, including how he sets up his Perazzi, adjusts his comb, establishes his natural point of aim, and positions himself for hard-angle targets. Whether you're chasing your first 25 straight, working toward an All-American Team selection, or just love spending time on the trapline, this episode is packed with great stories, shooting advice, and a reminder of why we all love this sport. Don't give up. Keep shooting. And remember to enjoy the journey. Subscribe to Trap Talk for more conversations with the personalities, champions, and people who make trapshooting great. #TrapTalk #TrapShooting #SamuelLeiendecker #ATA #AllAmerican #SouthwesternGrand #RichardMarshallJr #ZachNannini #CompetitiveShooting #Perazzi #ClayTargetShooting Follow & Subscribe to Trap Talk! It really helps the show! YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@traptalk27Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/traptalkfromthebackfence/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/traptalk27TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@trap.talk.podcast *** Email us your listener questions to askus@traptalkpodcast.com *** *** Visit TrapTalkPodcast.com for all our links! ***
