Kenneth Darroch

Trapshooting has always been a family activity for Kenneth Darroch of Aliquippa, PA, since joining the sport with his dad Leo and now carrying on the tradition with his own son Ian.

Ken reached AA-27-AA status in 1992 and AAA-27-AAA 10 years later. He entered a singles average of more than 99% three times between 1994 and 2001.

An 18-time All-American, from 1995 to the present, he claimed spots on the men’s and sub-vet teams nine times each.

Ken was inducted into the Pennsylania state Hall of Fame in 1999. The next year he completed his ATA Grand Slam with 100 from the 27-yard line.

Calling 1994 a “career year,” Ken won the singles, doubles and all-around titles at the Pennsylvania State Shoot. His 397x400 HAA total set a record that still stands today.

That year he also won his first Grand trophies. He broke his first 100 in doubles at the Grand (his second career twin-bird 100) in the championship event, earning the AA runnerup award. In the Champion of Champions, he tied for the title and went 11 rounds in overtime before claiming runnerup. He posted 98s in the President’s and Budweiser handicap events, ending ninth and 15th, respectively.

After winning his first Grand trophies in 1994, Ken has collected numerous others. He secured the sub-vet title in the 2014 All-Around; his 394x400 total matched the age-group record at the time. In the 2017 Doubles Championship, he was both the sub-vet winner and age-group Champion of Champions victor. He landed sub-vet runnerup in the 2019 Clay Target Championship. Ken was a member of the winning Eastern Zone team in the 2000 Clay Target race and 2019 Doubles Championship.

During the 2008 Kreighoff Handicap, Ken broke 100 from the 27-yard line to complete his Grand American Grand Slam. He ended the event with the runnerup trophy. In total, he has shot 10 twin-bird centuries at the Grand and posted eight 200s at the tournament.

Ken won the doubles and all-around championships at the 2001 Great Lakes Grand, and he was doubles champ at the 2006 Dixie Grand. He has also collected sub-vet titles at both of those tournaments plus the Southern Grand.

Ken has won the sub-vet doubles title at the Eastern Zone twice and the category handicap crown once.

In total, Ken has captured 14 Pennsylvania state titles over the field, including two each in singles, doubles and handicap plus eight all-around. From 1993 to 2018, he topped the high-over-all 13 times, and he has collected the sub-vet singles crown twice.

Ken shot a Winchester Model 12 for 40 years. He now uses a Krieghoff and is a member of the pro staff.

In addition to his shooting successes, Ken has given back to the sport, serving as PSSA president and secretary plus state Hall of Fame secretary.

For 36 years, Ken worked at Beaver Valley Power Station as a nuclear operator, retiring at the end of 2016.

Ken said the friends he has made in the sport are what matter the most. Beyond shooting, he considers the family he has built with wife Pam and Ian to be among his best achievements.