Expert Shooting Instruction for Athletes & Coaches

Join our BSA True Clays Winter Sim League, a fantastic opportunity for athlete development in the world of clay target shooting! Whether you're a beginner or an experienced shooter, our league offers valuable insights from skilled shooting instructors to help you improve your skills.

Our Instructors

Smiling man wearing a Brandmeyer Shooting Academy polo shirt outdoors.

Larry Brandmeyer

Founder, Lead Shooting Instructor

Larry began his clay target shooting performance career as an assistant coach for the Ankeny Hawks in 2016. In 2018, Larry took on the role of Head Coach and Lead Shooting Instructor for Ankeny Hawks Shooting Sports. Over the next 5 years, his Ankeny Hawks Shooting Sports team became one of the largest and most successful SCTP programs in the state, boasting numerous champions at both the state and national levels. During his tenure, he significantly enhanced the athlete development aspect of the AHSS program, expanding it into Skeet and Sporting Clays, with many top athletes competing in International Trap and Skeet. Larry is distinguished as one of the few ISSF Class B instructors in the US and among a select group globally, making him a highly sought-after shotgun coach.

Larry's notable scholastic coaching accomplishments include:

- 12+ Iowa SCTP All-State Team Members (Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays)

- 6+ Iowa SCTP State Champions (Trap, Skeet)

- 4 Iowa SCTP HOA All-State Team Members (Trap, Skeet)

- 7 SCTP National Champions (Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays)

- Selected to be a USA/SCTP JODC Camp Member (International Trap)

- 2 USAS State Champions (International Trap)

- 6 Top Ten Finishers in USAJ Selection (International Trap)

Larry's Coaching Credentials include:

- ISSF Class B (Pro) Level Instructor – Shotgun

- NRA Level 2 Instructor - Shotgun

- SCTP/USAS Certified Instructor

- SCTP and USA Shooting Referee

- NSSA Level 1 Instructor

- NSCA Level 1 Instructor (Pending)

- Iowa SCTP Advisory Board Member (2020-2023)

- SCTP Advisory Board Member (2020-2023)

With a proven track record in developing state, national, and international champions, Larry brings unparalleled expertise, leadership, and a passion for athlete development to the BSA coaching team.

Nathan Brandmeyer

Shooting Instructor, Elite Competitor

Nathan began his journey in clay target shooting competitively in 8th grade with SCTP. Throughout his entire Ankeny career, he was a top squad member and served on the student leadership team, showcasing his commitment to athlete development. Nathan remains the only Hawk athlete to achieve Hawk Squad status across every clay target discipline. He was recruited to join UT Southern, where he spent most of his collegiate career. In 2019, Nathan was selected to attend the USA/SCTP Junior Olympic Development Camp for Bunker, as one of only 12 athletes chosen from over 1,200 nationwide. For more than six years, he has actively competed in USA Shooting and international trap events, consistently finishing in the top 10 at state and national levels.

Nathan’s Athletic Accomplishments:

2016 Iowa SCTP Trap Singles Champion

2018 Captain of the Iowa SCTP All-State Team; High Over All Iowa All-State Trap Team Member

3-time Iowa All-State Trap Team Member (2018-2020) All Years Eligible

2020 NSSA Junior All-American Team

2020 USAJ Colorado and Iowa State Champion – International Trap

2023 Combined Trap/Skeet Singles National Champion (Open Division) Perfect 200

2023 Combined Singles/Doubles Trap National Champion (Open Division)

2023 Singles Trap National Champion (Open Division)

2023 Doubles Trap National Champion (Open Division)

2024 Sporting Clays Co-National Champion with 98/100

2020-2023 Top Ten finisher in USAJ Selection Meets

2023-2024 SCTP-Collegiate Doubles National Champion

3-Time ACUI/SCTP All-American (2022-2024)

Nathan's Coaching Credentials:

NRA Level 1 Instructor - Shotgun

USA Shooting Certified Instructor

NSSA Level 1 Instructor

NSCA Level 1 Instructor (Pending)

Nathan brings high-level competitive experience, technical expertise, and a passion for coaching to BSA, helping athletes refine their skills in clay target shooting and prepare for elite-level competition.

Shooting Instruction: Meet Our Instructors

Chad Whittenburg

Past Chairman/President USA Shooting Board/USA Shooting Federation, ISSF Certified Professional Shotgun Coach, ACUI 6-Time National Champion Coach- UT Southern

“Behind every elite athlete is a coach who knows how to foster athlete development, not just chase outcomes. The Brandmeyer Shooting Academy is dedicated to building those coaches—and shaping the next generation of athletes in clay target shooting—through a proven system that blends structure, science, and integrity. Larry Brandmeyer’s ISSF Class B license—a credential held by only a handful of coaches in the U.S. and part of a highly select group worldwide—demonstrates the level of technical and developmental leadership that BSA brings to the table.

His track record as the Ankeny Hawks head coach—guiding one of Iowa’s largest and most successful scholastic programs to state and national champions—serves as clear evidence that BSA is setting a new benchmark for coach and athlete development across the entire shooting sports pipeline, with a focus on the quality of shooting instructors.

Ben Berka

Owner/Operator – AA Shooting, Past President & Executive Director – Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, Founder – Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program

"I’ve spent more than two decades as a professional in the clay target shooting sports, working with athletes, coaches, and teams across the United States. While foundational shotgun training is more available today than ever before, there’s still significant room for growth in athlete development. Too often, I see talented athletes and coaches achieve some success only to plateau. Many programs emphasize technical shooting skills but overlook other critical aspects of development. Brandmeyer Shooting Academy fills that gap—helping athletes and coaches break through barriers and reach the next level in clay target shooting.

Larry and Nathan bring a proven record of hard work, commitment, and success. They’ve lived what they teach. Their combined experience as shooting instructors in coaching, competing, and training at the highest levels offers a unique perspective to elevate your game. What they provide isn’t for everyone—but if you’re ready to invest in yourself and commit to a clearer path toward excellence, give Brandmeyer Shooting Academy a look."