There was no beating Debbie Wall in this year's Florida State Sporting Clays Women's Championship.

Wall and Diane Nelson of Sarasota, the reigning state champion, were practically matched shot for shot at Quail Creek Plantation near Okeechobee. But when the scores were tallied Wall claimed the state title by three targets, busting 157 of the 200 clays.

"In the last four months I've been doing some of my best shooting ever," said Wall, a West Melbourne resident who started shooting competitively in 1990.

Wall admits she now has a greater incentive and a far-reaching purpose in the sport.

She dedicates her shooting to her late husband, Bill Wall, who died of cancer last September. Bill Wall introduced Debbie to the shooting sports and he was her coach. They shot together competitively in countless matches.

"Everything Bill taught me is still there, and it's coming out," Debbie said. "I told myself that I would shoot for a year and do tournaments to see how I did. I feel good about how I feel."

The championship marks the fifth time that Wall has claimed the Florida title. She won the women's cup four years in a row between 1997 and 2000.

Wall started competing again in February when she won the FITASC Woman's Division at the annual Seminole Cup at Quail Creek, one of the largest sporting clays shoots in the country. Then in March she was a runner-up at an Indian River Sporting Clays shoot at Vero Beach.

Wall is a six-time All American shooter and three times she was one of three women shooters in the country chosen to represent the U.S. on the Team USA in international FITASC competition.

FITASC is a more difficult variant of sporting clays that is widespread in Europe.

"Being on Team USA was a real honor because you are representing your country," Wall said.

Wall shoots a 12-gauge over-and-under Rizzini, a gun that was a gift from Bill two years ago.

Bill Wall was an acclaimed shooter in his own right with numerous sporting clays and skeet titles. He was inducted into the Florida Skeet Hall of Fame. Later this year Bill will be inducted posthumously into the National Sporting Clays Hall of Fame.

Each Christmas the Walls spearheaded the Toys for Kids drive for the First Baptist Church of Melbourne and they organized a sporting clays shoot benefiting the drive. Debbie is continuing with the project under the name Bill Wall's Toys for Kids.

She's accepting toys and donations for purchasing bicycles. Anyone wishing to make a donation can call Wall at 733-6400.

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Bill Sargent is a life member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association, twice serving as president of the state writers group, and he also is an active member of other writers organizations including the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Over the years, Sargent has won numerous state and national awards for his writing and photography. Sargent enjoys inshore, river and freshwater fishing with light tackle and fly fishing gear. He also likes to play a round of golf on occasion.

Contact Sargent at 242-3697 or bsargent@flatoday.net