How Much Do You Help At Your Club

[shred]

One of our best members said he didn't even know he was supposed to help tear down and put away stuff until his 3rd or 4th match-- nobody ever told him up front when he was new.  Don't make that mistake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with you shred. We don't hit up a new shooter to help out for at least his first couple of matches. You've got to break them in gently or it might run them off.

But for anybody who has been in the sport for more than 6 matches knows ( unless it's Jethro Bodine ) that help on the range would be appreciated. Believe me, I want to get home too and relax.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always tell the new shooters that once we're done, part of the game is putting away the props and waiting for results. If they don't start out right early, they may ingrain bad habits..

[ipscron2000]

Shred

We don't score at the range. I score when I get home and email them out around 8:30pm. I guess I need to learn to delagate and score there at the range.

Hearing how every other club does things get me thinking. Of course every labor situation is differant at every club. I'll see if I can pass some of these ideas by the board of D's.

[Ron Ankeny]

I am lucky, almost all of our shooters will help on match day. Unfortunately, setting up and tearing down is just a fraction of the work load involved in making a new club prosper.

[TriggerT]

Family comes first.

Job comes 2nd.

Shooting and helping at the range are 3rd.

I put in an average of 2-3 hours every week at the range. Setting up, scoring, clean up, tear down.

[Clay1]

Ron, was involved with another club in the past. An archery club. I was on the board of directors and was very active in the club. Shooting 5+ days a week. I lived archery, had a couple of local sponsorships and thought that I could fling a splinter of wood (really they were a small core of aluminum surrounded by carbon fiber) with most of the best of them. Literally did hundreds of hours a year for the club besides holding a BOD position and the work that the position required - all match results, newletter etc. My third term, I didn't quit but finished my term and did my job well to the end.

I then did not even join the club on the fourth year. People said I would be back. Had an indoor 300 bow, a bow for broadhead competition, a bow for 3D competition (IBO) and a hunting rig. People would come to me for tuning work etc. When I left I was absolutely so fried that I haven't picked up my bow for even a couple of days since I left. That was in 1995. I loved the sport, but burnt so bad that I can go back. I vowed at that point in my life to never hold a position in any club again. I've been tempted a few times but have lived by that rule for 10 years.

The point of the rambling is that if people don't get some help we will lose people that are motivated and love the sport altogether. It was sad to leave, but not that sad that I ever wanted to go back.

I'm having a great time with the shooting games that we discuss on this board and do help more than most. I just don't give life, blood and everything to a club anymore. There is more than just shooting even though it continues to be who I am by definition. It's how I come to see myself, but I also am a father of three and have been with the same woman for just about 24 years, married 21.

It's not right that people ask you to give up your life for a club, but everyone should be able to pitch in most shoots for 1/2 hr. Sorry for the long ramble.

[Soligen]

One of our best members said he didn't even know he was supposed to help tear down and put away stuff until his 3rd or 4th match-- nobody ever told him up front when he was new.  Don't make that mistake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think this is quite common, as I was in the same boat as a new shooter about a year ago. Experienced people don’t realize just how little newbies know. I had no idea what to do, and I’m not a real outgoing personality. I didn’t do anything because I didn’t know what to do, and didn’t want to bother someone who looked very busy (didn’t occur to me at the time they would welcome being bothered). As I got more comfortable with the group of guys, I was able to do more, but it paled in comparison to what the others did. My schedule rarely allows me to come to match set ups, so I volunteered to do scoring because I can do it on my schedule. There is always a way to help, just need to look for what fits your availability. I found a way, but I really felt awkward at first. Nothing against the guys, they are a great bunch, but people in a group don’t usually realize what it’s like for the new person.

Here’s another example of how people need to think more about new shooters and explain how things work. When I showed up at the first practice session ever, I stood around for 5 minutes or so to watch what was happening. A couple guys said hi and talked to me a bit – friendly - cool. I then decided to gear up. I had been to this club and shot PPC once or twice, and people just geared up wherever. I picked a spot where I knew the gun would not point at anyone and pulled it out of the bag. People started yelling. It was very embarrassing, and I thought I was going to have to leave. I had no idea about a “safe area”. I knew rules can vary range to range, so I behaved as I saw others (although non-IPSC) people behave at this range. It didn’t occur to me that the rules would change based on what night you came to the range.

At my second ever match (at another club), another competitor I had just met that day pulled his gun out of the bag. Although he was a much more experienced shooter than me, it was his first IPSC match, so he didn’t know about safe areas either. Fortunately I stopped him before anyone yelled and sent him to the safe area.

So, if you tell newbies nothing else, tell then about the safe areas first, then ask them to stick around for tear down. Buddie them up with an experienced RO who is also a member of the club. The RO at my first match was a visiting RO.

If you see any face you haven’t before, treat them as a newbie and tell them about the safe area. Don’t assume the guy they just talked to already told them. The worst that can happen is you tell them something they already know. Explain Safe Areas to spectators - after all, they may be attending their first match next month.

[Jim Norman]

I shoot at Nik's club almost every month. Genereally I help build, nearly always help tear down. Nik shoots at my club nearly every month. He builds a stage, often is there to help to the end. When possible I shoot at two other clubs where again I generally will help out with at least teardown, if not building.

Oh, home club, Co-match director, stats, but recently have a new stats person taking over that (Thanks Vlad) Also involved in two additional training/practice matches a month at home club, manage to generally work on our three-gun, an action rifle and action shotgun match, a couple other functions and be on the board. Somehow I also find time to work and spend time with my family.

Did I mention that the closest club is 40 minutes away and the furthest is about an hour and half?

I am not asking or expecting anyone to do what the crew at our clubs do. But to say that "I paid my money, I came to shoot and I gotta go" is not acceptable on a regular basis, especially at the club you consider your home club. Don't tell me you paste, score, RO or set steel, BIG DEAL, we all do that.

Sooner or later the workers will get tired of building matches for you. We will continue to build them for us, but we will find a way of making you feel so unwelcome that you will decide that you'd rather be somewhere else. You will probably then consider us to be a stuck up group of elitists. Too bad for you, You could be one of us, enjoying the friendships and comraderie, instead you choose to stand outside the circle of light and curse the darkness.

Just how hard is it to show up 30 minutes early and stay 30 minute late? Maybe you can't be early, tell me you don't have 45 minutes to help teardown at least at every other match? If your schedule is that tight every week, you really don't have time to be out here shooting. Yes, we all have to shoot and scoot on occasion, but every match? Sorry, I have absolutely no sympathy for you. Now, having beat up on you, let me give you a hint; There are pleanty of other jobs that need to be done that need not be done on matchday at the range.

Most clubs need maintenence, there are stats, there is design and website prep and creation. Get out on an off day and paint props, cut the grass, trust me in this, those that matter will know. But they also know those that only take and never give.

Damn, I haven't had a good rant in a while!

Jim Norman

[shred]

I'll put this here again.. one of the best deals I saw at a club to encourage helping was a '$5 extra to leave early and not help tear-down' fee.

The shoot-n-scooters paid it, and everybody else got a reminder at sign-in what their responsibilities were. The extra cash went to lunch / drinks for the helpers.

[Shooter Grrl]

Then there's my newbie story, which I haven't told publicly yet!

When I started shooting, I joined my local club and really WANTED to help! I lived, breathed and ate IPSC shooting. My local club however, resented, yes RESENTED! my attitude - they thought that I was out to "take over". What did I do that caused them so much grief... I brought a laptop and started doing scores at the match for them! The MD at the time was so aggravated at this that he yelled at me and walked out, and as far as I know, he hasn't shot since then either!

The BOD at the time actually felt that they needed to MAKE RULES on how to score at the match! They elected an official scorekeeper, not me by the way, and then didn't even have the nerve to thank me for letting them keep my laptop to do the scores on! They just assumed that it would stay there with them.

I then started shooting at the other local club, and damn me but they didn't want my help either! Unless it was on their terms! Which by the way was to show up early and do grunt work - yeah right. I don't think so people! There really is not a whole of a lot of grunt work that I can do!

So those of you bitching about not getting help, stop a minute and consider HOW YOU TREAT those that do want to help! Not everyone CAN help you build a stage or tear down! Be sure to accept what help they can give, even if it might not fit exactly what you need at the time!

[ipscron2000]

Then there's my newbie story, which I haven't told publicly yet!

When I started shooting, I joined my local club and really WANTED to help! I lived, breathed and ate IPSC shooting. My local club however, resented, yes RESENTED! my attitude - they thought that I was out to "take over". What did I do that caused them so much grief... I brought a laptop and started doing scores at the match for them! The MD at the time was so aggravated at this that he yelled at me and walked out, and as far as I know, he hasn't shot since then either!

The BOD at the time actually felt that they needed to MAKE RULES on how to score at the match! They elected an official scorekeeper, not me by the way, and then didn't even have the nerve to thank me for letting them keep my laptop to do the scores on! They just assumed that it would stay there with them.

I then started shooting at the other local club, and damn me but they didn't want my help either! Unless it was on their terms! Which by the way was to show up early and do grunt work - yeah right. I don't think so people! There really is not a whole of a lot of grunt work that I can do!

So those of you bitching about not getting help, stop a minute and consider HOW YOU TREAT those that do want to help! Not everyone CAN help you build a stage or tear down! Be sure to accept what help they can give, even if it might not fit exactly what you need at the time!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's too bad what happened to you. COME JOIN OUR CLUB is how I feel.

I suppose there are people who think their toes are being stepped on. But you being a women can't be expected to carry 50lb poppers. So its very nice of you to give your 2 hours to score a match. It's their loss SG.

[Nik Habicht]

Which by the way was to show up early and do grunt work - yeah right. I don't think so people! There really is not a whole of a lot of grunt work that I can do!

So those of you bitching about not getting help, stop a minute and consider HOW YOU TREAT those that do want to help! Not everyone CAN help you build a stage or tear down! Be sure to accept what help they can give, even if it might not fit exactly what you need at the time!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kath,

Good post! I've got some people among the "show up early and help set-up crowd" who can't do any of the heavy lifting. They can put up targets, look for shoot throughs, target visibility, paint steel, hold walls up while they're screwed together, etc. Their help is invaluable --- because putting up the walls and positioning the steel only takes about a quarter to third of the stage set-up time --- the other stuff takes longer when you're building freestyle......

[Flexmoney]

Kat,

Good example.

It sounds like you were looking to pitch in with some people that were at the end on their rope...near burn out? (or, maybe they are always at the end of their rope)

The "near burn out" group...they are the ones that need the most help, but they are often to such a point of grumpiness that they drive that very help away.

(Nik, btw...I have shot a few matches with Jake. He helps out as much, or more, than anybody. I believe he is simply saying that we should watch that we don't get an attitude with those that don't help...as they may have good reason.)

[Dream]

Jake

It sounds to me that you might be one of the ones that doesn't help out..

think someone hit a nerve

[LJE]

I'll put this here again.. one of the best deals I saw at a club to encourage helping was a '$5 extra to leave early and not help tear-down' fee.

The shoot-n-scooters paid it, and everybody else got a reminder at sign-in what their responsibilities were. The extra cash went to lunch / drinks for the helpers.

I am the AMD at our club and we offer a $5.00 discount to the first five people who show up before 8:15 am to help with setup. We often run Area Championship quality stages at a local match, and setup can get a little time consuming, but 99% of our stage descriptions are "Engage targets as required to score".

[Liota]

I think I have a brand that says, "Property of San Angelo Gun Club. If found, please return to the range."

Liota