Earned my first DQ today at the match in Marysville, WA. This is only my second outdoor match ever.
I'm a southpaw and I started this particular stage from the left hand side....like all the other shooters...and worked my way to the right.
At the far right end of the stage, the targets were tucked in around the right side of a solid barrier and barrel. As I leaned around the edge of the barrier to engage these targets I broke the 180....
I knew it the instant I did it and the RO told me to stop. I knew I was done for the day, but what happened right after was the best part about being part of this sport.
The other members of the squad gave me support, commiseration and good advice. Another left-handed shooter came up and suggested starting a stage like this one from the right instead of the left (I could have). He also said, "Think about the stage as being designed by a right-handed person....and how it affects you as a left-hander." A couple other comments included things like, "We've all been there"....and "Nobody's mad at you."
My favorite came from a number of folks who said, "Stop by Dairy Queen on the way home and enjoy a DQ treat."
So I did.
Learned a good lesson today and it encouraged me to keep coming back.
Northlight
