© 2025 Deep River Sporting Clays and Shooting School • 284 Cletus Hall Road, Sanford, NC 27330 • (919) 774-7080
Meet The Team
Ed Strickland
President / Instructor
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Growing up as an avid outdoorsman and life-long shooting enthusiast, Ed became a Deep River member in early 2000 and later came on staff as a handgun and shotgun instructor. He took over management of Deep River in 2020.
Scott Ferguson
General Manager
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Scott has been with Deep River over 20 years as General Manager and has served as an intricate part of its success. He is passionate about his Harley Davidson and works closely with Victor Junction and Kyle Petty's Ride Across America.
Tessa Wilson
Manager / Instructor
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Originally starting as a trapper at Deep River in 2016, Tessa has since moved on to wear many hats as she is now the Gear Shop Manager, Events Coordinator, a certified shotgun instructor, and heads the Young Guns Club for kids at Deep River.
Dale Strickland
Manager / Instructor
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Dale began at Deep River as a trapper and part of the Operation Team. He is now the Gear Shop Assistant Manager as well as a pistol and shotgun instructor.
Growing up, Dale had spent a lot of time at Deep River, taking lessons and bought his first O/U shotgun here.
Juan Reyes
Operation / Instructor
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Originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, Juan has been a member of Deep River for well over a decade. All of Juan's kids have worked here at Deep River while building their lives in the states. Always ready to repair a machine or trap at a moments notice, Juan keeps the course running smoothly.
Karen Fountaine
Pistol Instructor
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Karen has been an NRA certified pistol instructor at Deep River for over a decade, as well as an IDPA safety officer and NC Justice Academy Certified Concealed Carry Instructor. Karen excels at teaching a wide range of skills and backgrounds, building confidence and competency.​
Jeff Taber
Shotgun Instructor
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Jeff joined the Deep River staff in 2019 and is currently a shotgun and pistol instructor. He served 8 years in the USMC and was a Raleigh Police Officer for 24 years. He is passionate about fostering dogs through Chatham Animal Rescue.
Doug Parsons
Shotgun Instructor
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Doug has been shooting at Deep River since it first opened and is one of its earliest members. After retiring from the advertising industry in 2014, Doug received his instructor certification from the NSCA. Doug is also a competitor and shoots registered events.
Ernie Steinmeyer
Operations / Instructor
Ernie works in both Operation and as an instructor at Deep River. He enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors. He also enjoys instructing others in pistol and shotgun usage.
Dave Coffman
Shotgun Instructor
Dave and his wife Susan got into sporting clays over a decade ago with a Deep River Try-It-Out Package and joined as members. After retiring from IBM, Dave joined Deep River as a shotgun instructor.
John Hartsell
Operations / Instructor
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John has been shooting for most of his life, starting as a bird hunter at the age of ten, and he has been shooting at Deep River since it first opened in 1989. A retired firefighter of 2 years, John joined Deep River in 2019 as a shotgun instructor and part of the Operations Team.
Mike Jones
Marketing / Media
Mike is the behind-the-scenes team member at Deep River since 2016. He handles graphic and web design, photography, signage, videography, marketing, and communications. He is a blogger, author, and published cartoonist.
Kieran Treager
Trapper
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Kieran has been into shooting sports since he was 8 years old. He also enjoys swimming in his free time. After he is done high school, he plans to go to college to study engineering.
Tom Koziara
Trapper
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Thomas is a trapper here at Deep River. He is a sophomore in High School and has been shooting since he was 11 years old. Along with clay shooting, he loves watching movies and TV in his free time.
Eric Jackson
Trapper
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Eric is new to Deep River. He has enjoyed shooting for years and is in the 10th grade. He enjoys farming, shooting, and working at Deep River. He aspires to be a Welder.
Matt Hampson
Trapper
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Matt is new to Deep River. He is in the 11th grade and has recently discovered the joy of shooting sports. He enjoys martial arts and is aiming for a career in trade or engineering.