© 2026 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.
Dale Strickland
Integrator / Operations Manager
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Dale began his career at Deep River as a trapper and member of the Operations Team. He now serves as the General Manager, overseeing daily operations and continuing to share his passion for shooting sports. Growing up, Dale spent much of his time at Deep River, taking lessons and even purchasing his first over-under shotgun here.
Tessa Wilson
Gear Shop Manager / Events Coordinator
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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.
Nick Gay
Gear Shop
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Nick is new to the Deep River Gear Shop. He's been an avid shooter for over twenty years, and has served in the Army for six. Aside from shooting, he also enjoys fishing.
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.
Ernie Steinmeyer
Operations / Instructor
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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.
Mike Jones
Marketing / Media
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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.
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.
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.
Jeff Taber
Shotgun Instructor
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.
Elliot Mann
Trapper
Elliot is our Jack of all Trades at Deep River.
Matt Hampson
Trapper
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Matt is one of our trappers at Deep River. He is in 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.
Gustavo Rivera
Trapper
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Gustavo is one of our newer trappers at Deep River. He's been shooting for 10 years and goes to Southern Lee High School. He is working to get his private pilots license with a dream of flying for the Air Force.