Match staff not always so professional?

[co-exprs]

I am certainly not suggesting that the buck stops with the RO or that the RO run cavalier to the desires of the MD/RM. Only to the point that good organization and communication on the part of the RO staff goes a long ways to helping avoid confrontations, misunderstandings and unnessecary schedule delays. It also helps the competitors have be more organized and time efficient without the RO having to ride anyone.

[slowsure]

To the OP: I would try to fix the problem by walking a mile in other persons shoes before passing judgment. I would work 4-5 major gun matches a year and be the RO at all of the local matches you shoot. That way you could experience both sides of the issue here. Big matches are always looking for RO help. Then revisit this in a few years and see if you still have the same view point you had in the beginning. If you need contact information PM me as I know most of the MD/RM's east of the Mississippi.

[Stlhead]

I have been following this thread and considering a suitable reply. It seems the gentleman from TN has done a far better job than I could have hoped to.

[Nik Habicht]

I have limited experience officiating at the RM level (2 Sectional matches) and none in the 3 gun world, but I always ask the ROs and CROs working with me to rapidly escalate any problem situations to me. Why? Two reasons:

1. That allows them to focus on what they should be doing, which is moving the competitors through the stage.

2. It removes one type A personality with a potential "ego stake" from the resolution of the conflict, by allowing me to listen to both sides, and then to make and communicate a decision to the competitor and the staff. If it's a penalty or disqualification offense, I'm usually fairly tactful in explaining those, and in expressing empathy for the competitor's situation -- which may be that their match is over, or that their finish isn't what they were hoping for.

If a call needs to be overturned, then I can communicate that as well. If the competitor wants to file an arbitration, then there's no delay in getting him the forms, since the clock started ticking when the stage was scored/the incident occurred.

Also, as far as I'm concerned, part of the RM role is to act as an ambassador for the match and most importantly the staff -- without them the match doesn't happen. If there's a problem I've overlooked in my pre-match prep, I want to know about it as rapidly as possible, so I can fix it...

[Jesse Tischauser]

Josh you're officially fu#%ed now. Every RO is gonna be after your ass! I'd make sure your guns are always empty from now on as I know if I ever have to RO you that shotgun safety might just have gotten bumped off when you dumped it;)

Seriously though I think we've all seen someone ROing, RMing, MDing or shooting have a bad day and loose their cool. I know I have a bunch. Most of us are very competitive and in most cases pretty anal about things staying in order and on track. When things go bad or wrong sometimes we forget our manners temporarily.

[jdknotts1]

Hahaha! I figured as much Jesse! My diarhea of the mouth usually ends up screwing me in the end!

Unfortuantely winmagfrog hit the nail on the head. And really, the initial issue with this thread was kind of to get an idea how to deal with situations. Because in the end, it is usually the shooter who loses the battle, either from the RO's becoming more likely to hand out penalties or not give you the benefit of the doubt, or from reputation. And unfortuantely when someone gets a little harsh with me, I tend to return the favor.

And I can only imagine how it is working a match day after day in the heat, cold, rain, snow, etc.... Thats exactly why I refuse to RO. I do try to give the benefit of the doubt most times. Because many times I need that same benefit.

[Nik Habicht]

JD,

how to handle it? Go find the RM. He'll either fix your problem, if it's a problem, or (hopefully gently) reeducate as to the realities of the situation. Just be ready to listen when you start that conversation.....

:-)

'cause you might just be wrong.... :-)

[co-exprs]

Refuse to RO? Hmmm.

[a matt]

I have been a match director of some large matches, and yes, I have had one or two RO's that were asked not to come back and they quite frankly made my life difficult during the match.It happens. You deal with it, you go on.I have had so many other wonderful RO's that worked for me, I have worked with them, and I have enjoyed many more wonderful RO's as a shooter.Most of the time it is a personality thing, but it boils down to customer service. You are there to serve the shooter and the match itself.Most of us are Alpha Males and can rub each other wrong some times. You just have to realize it is a game, we are there to have fun and be safe. You can do both, and having a cold brew with them later never hurts either.....Communication is a two way street. Unless you have been an RO and involved in the running of the matches you may not understand what is going on.Oh Yeah.....Stuff happens too.... :goof:DougC

Solidly put, thanks

[barrysuperhawk]

I've been RO'ing 3 gun matches for years, some smaller, some larger. The only thing I have ever yelled at a competitor about has been safety issues [discounting times that a shout was appropriate due to distance and hearing protection]. Sometimes the RO just has to "take charge" of his [or her] stage to keep things safe or moving. I tend to run a fairly tight stage, but the only person I can remember that complained was when I DQ'd him for shooting a slug at a 7 yard steel plate. Fortunately for him, he was buddies with someone and the DQ got downgraded to $20 for the target stand [obliterated in 3 pieces] and continue shooting.

That said, there do seem to be a lot more "gamers" in the sport now that 3gn nation is popular and a lot of good USPSA shooters are discovering 3 gun. Not that gamers are bad, per se, but they are trying to push the rules to their benefit, and it is inevitable that there would be some "push back" from the match staff. One would hope that it would be polite push back, but I can see if the competitor decided to be a jerk about something, the staff might be less than sympathetic.

[steviesterno]

I've ROed 3 gun since I started shooting it, and some IDPA, USPSA, outlaw, etc. It's tough to be an RO at a big match! you have to go over the same stage for days at a time, deal with the same questions, and basically be a servant to the shooters. I worked out the math, and if we were paid for it in anything besides match fees, it works out to like $1.80/hr. So it's not the money that drives us.

It's hard to keep a group of shooters on track, but we have to do it. It's why we stick to walk through times, and all the general screwing around and not being ready. If you're not set to shoot and have to grab your mags or load a belt or something dumb, it takes maybe a minute or 2. If you have 3-4 guys in a squad doing that all day, it's the difference in getting home before bedtime or sleeping at the range to do it again tomorrow.

We all work for peanuts because we love the sport. Most shooters are great and super and fun to talk to. But it's the random guy who walks up and screams in our faces (for making the right call) that we don't respond well to. I remember one incident to another RO on my group that almost came to blows, totally the shooter's fault. It took the guy 3 days but we got an apology and all moved on with our lives.

Just remember, we're people, we have been doing this in the heat days before you got here, and will days after you leave. We have been eating only junk food and haven't pooped in a real john in days. We won't win the match because we shot it in like 45 minutes. But we do it anyway. Say thanks, goes a lot farther than an F-bomb

[MarkCO]

And, while it will never fly, I almost think it should be a requirement to work a match or two a year if you want to enter more than say three or four. Sure, there are guys who are great and shoot one match a year and that is their vacation, perfect. But it seems to me, that the "problem" children are the "consumers". The guys (or gals) who don't run matches, work matches, shoot a bunch, and it is tough to even get them to re-set.