What's wrong with USPSA

[RIIID]

The idea for this thread is to post what you think is wrong with USPSA as an organization. This isn't a place to bash the BOD but to give your concerns of what you don't like with USPSA. Like, The constant rule changes from year to year that seem to benefit the manufacturers not the members.

[TDean]

I don't know enough about the political side of this game.  I just enjoy getting together with friends, paying the fee and shooting!

Could you be more specific about the rule changes your're talikng about?  What,... Lim-10 or Production?

[Shooter Grrl]

I don't have a problem with the rules changing.  And why shouldn't they benefit the manufacturers?  They're part of the sport too - without them, we'd not be here in any way,  shape or form!

I see the problem as the attitudes at the local clubs.  It doesn't matter what the Board decides - it won't get implemented, used or worked unless the clubs buy into it - as they're the ones that actually do the work, see the people and put on the matches.

So IMHO, Internal Marketing is needed WAY before external marketing.  An internal specialist that does nothing but contact clubs and answer PR questions is desperately needed within the home office (or out - whatever, just somebody dedicated to making sure the thoughts and ideas get heard and implemented and feedback gets in and is listened to)

[MBneACP]

Kath...

You are, of course, right. Everything hinges on the clubs. And the relationship of the clubs to USPSA hinges--like every relationship--on how hard the two parties work at it. It's not that USPSA isn't trying; rather, I think they're trapped in that old consultant's cliche...It's not that USPSA is doing things right; it's that they're not doing the right things. There is virtually no connection between shooters who compete in USPSA matches and the organization itself. The relationship, when it exists at all, between the clubs and World Command tends to be adversarial. Compare that with IDPA or cowboy (although IDPA is starting to have some of the same growing pains).

The way cowboy has avoided all the drama is by *listening* to their shooters. One of the functions of the Wild Bunch, essentially cowboy's board of directors, is to travel to matches and listen to what people have to say. Duh! It's exactly what we used to do in the early days of USPSA. When I launched FRONT SIGHT back in the Dawn of Time, part of my function was to try and be everyplace I could, showing the flag. Frank Garcia tells the story that when he joined USPSA, he figured it must be a really big and powerful organization, because everywhere he went he stumbled over me and Dave Stanford. People perceived that we were listening to them, and that gave us a connection. And it is what built the organization.

The Area Director/Section Coordinator system was put in place to "codify" communications between members and the organization. The unintended consequence (and aren't those U-C's a bear?) is that the individual members were moved two steps farther away from the organization. Mike Voigt is trying, but we talk pretty regularly, and I know he is swamped.

Some random thoughts:

• A USPSA "road show." *Sell* the clubs on USPSA. We've got these great people in the organization; I suggest we use them. In my NSSF Media seminars, I lined up the most awesome collection of shooters on the planet as instructors simply by calling up and asking.

• Get out of the house more...it costs less to put USPSA reps [Robin Taylor comes to mind; me, if they throw money at me] on the road to *listen* than to pop a quarter-mil on marketing. What do the clubs really need? Not *say* they need.

• Rapproachment with the gun magazines. USPSA members would feel a *hell* of a lot better about World Command if they read something positive about the organization once in a while. This is possible, especially if we stop whining about the magazines and do something.

• Create a "best practices" plan. What *is* working at the club level (and we've seen some ideas in these posts)? How to we transfer that knowledge to other clubs?

• Offer the clubs real training. Media training seminars, like I run for big businesses. Seminars on promotion, etc. Not at an SC level, but at an individual club member level.

• All this is geared at creating *enthusiasm,* which translates into retention, which translates into new members.

MB

[Carlos]

Agree w/ Kath 100% regarding involvment of clubs - clun-level competition is most of what I  generally shoot (don't you?). I'd like to see a National USPSA policy whereby brand new shooters are really welcomed at EVERY match.  I like the policies of some clubs where 1st time shooter don't have to pay and any USPSA member who brings a new guy or girl gets to shoot for 1/2 price. The important thing is NEW BLOOD. Some clubs I know in Reg. 8 will only let new people test out USPSA if they go through that club's "new shooter indoctrination" first - the problem is that the one and only guy who gives the lecture only shows up sometimes and he is not the contact person on the website. This is a problem and has limited growth of that club - big time.  

I have no problem keeping a close eye on new shooters - in fact I think USPSA should encourage that - as well as encouraging mentorship of new shooters (if they want it - nothing is more annoying than excesive unsolicited advice).

Finally, I'd like to see USPSA members try to put on "demo shoots" at as many non-IPSC events as they can to spread awareness; there is no reason that those who shoot pins, steel, PPC, Cowboyaction, NRA action pistol or bullseye should be unfamiliar with our sport, yet I have gone to those types of matches and gotten blank stares when I mention either USPSA or IPSC.  Hangun owners generally have suitable USPSA firearms; it is up to us to make USPSA available and welcoming to those shooters.

[Shooter Grrl]

Approval of July 28, 2001 meeting minutes

Approval of September 4, 2001 meeting minutes

Approval of actions taken by the board on behalf of USPSA in 2001

Approval of Fourth Quarter Financial Report (unaudited)

USPSA goal planning

Marketing presentation by Michael Bane

Membership dues

BOD review of President, Vice President, Executive Manager salaries

Approval of 2002 budget

Point Series Championship report

USPSA Team selection criteria

By-law review committee report

Marketing directions for 2002

Match scoring (3 Gun and Multi-Gun stages)

2001 Area 3 Nationals slot distribution

Split Area 8 matches

9mm major for Open Division

National and Area match scheduling

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Of the list above (this is the agenda for BOD Meeting in Feb), I'd say that the only thing that should really be on here is goal planning, marketing direction and by-law review.  Everything else on this agenda should be an Operations discussion and really shouldn't be something the board cares about.

In order for USPSA to succeed, the Board of Director's needs to seriously consider LETTING GO of these types of issues.  While the members may be screaming about slots and match dates, this kind of stuff really should be handled by the E.M. and the office, while the Board looks at the bigger picture and direction of the entire organization.