Shooting/working

[RangerTrace]

I've been doing this for a few years now. To be exact, I shot my first match in February 2008. Still, even with a few years of experience, I get a little pre-match nervousness even before club matches. It's not that I don't have fun, but I'm extremely type "A", want to win, etc, etc.....

So, I appreciate the fact that this is a volunteer sport and we ALL have to give a little to keep the ball rolling. In the DFW area, we've had the same group of folks giving A LOT of themselves for a while. They haven't complained, but I felt like it was time for me to give a little more to the Sport that gives me so much enjoyment. Ultimately, I became the VP of the North Texas Practical Shooters club of which I'm extremely proud to be associated with.

Last Sunday was the first match (because of the weather) that I've been able to attend/work. Let's just say I had no idea how much work/stress was involved with the new year registration process. Deron Wood knew every one's name. He knew how much they owed for this or for that....I didn't know much of anything

What I'm sure about is that it had a very distinct affect on my match performance. I felt rushed and uncomfortable with the first stage because I was the 2nd shooter and it kinda snow balled from there.....

I'm sure there are MANY of you who know exactly what I'm talking about. It tempts me to simply work our match and shoot other club matches, but I don't have time to waste.

Comments, suggestions?

[sirveyr]

I feel your pain, brotha! I typically body bag my own matches, particularly my own stages. Working at a match, not matter what level, does affect your performance, IMO. I now realize it is about the customers. So long as they shoot well, that is what matters. I still try to shoot well, but now I don't totally lose my shit if I jack up a stage or don't get to shoot all of the stages. As you stated, I try to shoot at other clubs and work at my own.

[Brian Gonsalves]

Hey Old Friend! I hope all is well!

I know exactly what you're talking about! I was our local club president for 5 years, then match director for 2 and now president again!

I tried the "I won't shoot this match, just work it" thing. That will drive you crazy! I made through one squad rotation and had to go shoot!

Here's what I do, try to have everything ready for the sign-ins, shooters meeting, etc the night before plus all my gear is all ready. No need to add to the stress by running around in the morning doing things you could have done the night before. Then work the sign-ins, shooters meeting or whatever else you need to do. Let everyone get shooting, don't join your squad until they have a couple shooters through, then go over and have them put your score sheet on the bottom, watch a couple shooters go, tape a few targets, just get in match flow before stepping up.

It works for me, hope it helps you!

Brian

[AlamoShooter]

I wouldn't know about that, I have never worked a match that I did not shoot in too. Well sometimes on different days.

I don't know when the jitters stop at club matches aether. I still get them a bit after hosting close to 200

Work a club match and not shoot it ! What are you thinking !?!

[MarkCO]

My plan for this year is to get everything together, do the shooter's meeting, and then take a break, maybe half an hour. Then get our match gear together (Myself and the signup guy). When we are ready we will go shoot the stages. Follow the last shooter on a squad and have him RO us. If there is a short squad, we might shoot what they have already done and hop on that squad. I did this twice last year and had two of my better matches.

[Flexmoney]

I like to think of it in practical manner. Not to go "real world", but I could be dragging ass on any given day and find myself in a "practical situation".

It's all just a distraction from the shooting. :-)

[BritinUSA]

I used to do setup for my local club twice a week at an indoor range in England... I always shot last on each stage, it gave me plenty of time after giving the course description to take a few moments and get my head in the game.

Wait for the match to get underway, spend 15-30 minutes zoning out in the car, put some music on and chill for a bit.

[Jim Norman]

As a Co-Director, Stage Designer, Builder, Stats person for over 10 years, the answer is it will always suck. What helps is to have MORE help. We have 7 stages each month, one is a classifier, the rest are designed by our shooters. Usually we have a surplus of designs each month, Our designers have their friends and they all generally pitch in to build the stages. As people arrive , many step up and help finish building the stages.

As for MD Duties, one of us handles Registration, the other handles overall direction of the match build. At registration we handle in excess of 70 shooters. Squadding is done at the match even though we pre-register in order to load the Palms. We have to deal with New Shootes, People joining USPSA, Club Members and Non-Member sign up. Generally we close registration at 9:30, and have the shooters meeting at 10:00, first shot by about 10:15-10:30 depending upon the complexity of the builds, the number of issues to be addressed at the Brief and any number of other issues.

After registration and the shooters meeting, Dave and I stand down for a couple minutes, get our gear on and go join our squad, as a rule we shoot last on our first stage, often we may actually shoot the first stage with the second squad shooting that stage, as the day wears on, we are often called off to handle issues as they develop.

Keeping everything in perspective helps, It is a game, but it is one we all want to win. To be this involved, I think any of us are Type-A or we wouldn't be in as deep. We want the match to be perfect and then we want to shoot 100%. Lately I have steeped back a bit, I shoot my Revo or XD or SS just to change up and 'Have Fun' as opposed to competing in my main division. It changes how I feel and brings me back to Fun from the work side. Sort of taking a break while still competing.