TriggerT Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 OK, I want to hear from any of the married guys, or the female shooters out there. I am trying to get my wife into shooting USPSA. She goes to the range with me on a fairly regualr basis, but says she doesn't want to shoot infront of other people because she will look bad. She isn't a great shot, but I have seen far worse at some of the competitions I have been to. Any ideas on how I can help to encourage her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRG65 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 My wife started because she wanted the course variation and stress that are involved with matches. These were "training" elements she couldn't get shooting a target at the range. She only shot matches that had indoor plumbing available, but now she is starting to SO (IDPA) and those matches don't always have available facilities. She also was getting pretty sick of me being gone every weekend during the summer for a whole day. She decided that to spend more time together she would have to start shooting. Now that she is SOing as well, we were together 3 out of 4 weekends, but the one club has closed so it will be 2/3. People make the difference, especially match organizers. The club my wife started shooting matches at was run by a few older guys that were very nice. All the people at that club were nice. To most of the shooters it was not a competition, but a social gathering. Unfortunately, that club is the club that closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Do you have access to a range where you can practice stages with her without a crowd? You're gonna need to get her hooked on the adrenaline rush in order to get over the "looking bad" stigma. Are there any lady shooters in your area? Seeing other grrls "looking bad" will help too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 just tell your wife if she doesn't come shoot with you, that you'll just have to take your girlfriend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.e.t. Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 My wife is also talking about joining me in competion. She went with me to some of the State matches and she really enjoyed the people. Her reasoning is that we would have more time together. I am blessed to have a home range that is populated with great folks. I know that my wife would be made comfortable and relaxed. But in my home range shooting family there is a fellow whose wife is now beating him on a regular basis. That does dampen my excitement a little. I think that we all should ask our POOSSLQ's. (People Of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters) To come share the fun and competion. It sure makes for better language on the range. And the scenery ain't bad either.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I think it's cool that my GF wanted to come shooting with me. She started by spectating at a charity match, then to shooting at steel matches with a .22, went to Open minor for steel and is now getting into IPSC with one of my old Open guns. There's no way she'd have jumped straight into IPSC-- too much going on all at once, but getting into it gradually and meeting the other cool folks at the range got her comfortable enough to do it. So, if you can find something simpler to get started with, that might also help. Our club runs new-shooter-matches every so often in order to get new shooters up to speed as well-- you might see if there's one of those nearby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyro Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Of course you've also just signed up for twice as many guns to clean and reload for.. shred - I've been shooting for 4yrs. and my wife hasn't been to the first match with me. I would gladly take care of the extra gun cleaning and reloading if it would get my wife and daughters out to the range. I think it's pretty cool watching the girls shooting with their guys. Most of the ones at our club are Limited B or C class. TriggerT - good post.... I'm going to be watching this one closely to see if I can pick up any good advice also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Larry Cazes Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 If you read most of these replies you'll see a common thread. It is much easier to get wives involved if they are first socially comfortable with the people she will be shooting with. My wife and I now shoot IPSC together. I gave up on years of trying to get her to enjoy shooting directly and instead introduced her to the people at our local club first and she eventually became interested in the shooting on her own. She is now as enthusiastic about the sport as I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I would rather get my wife to clean and reload my mags, keep up with score cards and so on. Sounds like team work to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 "just tell your wife if she doesn't come shoot with you, that you'll just have to take your girlfriend!" (--LJ) Aaaaarrrggghhhh!I'm not sure I can be of any help here.... I'm so self-motivated to shoot that I never had a problem with anyone having to talk me into it or anything. Granted, the type of shooting I do is less physical than IPSC or IDPA, but NO LESS PUBLIC in having your a** show when you screw up. Which can be very humiliating at times (if you view it that way), but it's the only way--and the PROFESSIONAL way--to make progress and stay current with your crowd. The more you shoot the better you get. Hell, I just leaped in cold (as I often do with things) with this shooting thing because I was confident I'd be surrounded by very cool people AND I'd have a chance--at last--to work on the shooting sport skill I'd been waiting years to deal with. I made the decision alone. And it was, of course a good one and very well-timed. And then I got into reloading..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharyn Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Like SiG Lady, I'm an independent. I can certainly relate to your wife's feelings of insecurity shooting in front of a crowd though. The "nice a$$" etc. comments don't help. The best thing I can suggest is to introduce her to another female that is involved and let them hang out... ALONE... no testosterone involved. Good luck! And if y'all are ever in Houston, I'd be happy to show her the ropes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted February 13, 2004 Author Share Posted February 13, 2004 Thanks for all the great replies! My wife comes to the club on a regular basis, and knows most of the regular shooters by first name. She is very comfortable with the people I normally shoot with, in a social setting anyway. A few of you hit the nail on the head. She is starting to get mad that I am gone on weekends so much, and if I can't get her more involved, or atleast to come with me more often to the matches, I think it is really going to become a problem. She knows several of the women who shoot at our club, and the club even had a "Ladies Only" IPSC course a few months ago. I thought she would be more interested in that, but no such like. Maybe it is just wishfull thinking on my part that she will get into IPSC. If I could afford it I would love to buy her an open gun, since the recoil is reduced alot, and when she has shot other people's open guns in the past, she really likes the "DOT." Thanks again for the great suggestions. Wish me luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Bribe her with sex. Oh wait..... you said you were married. never mind. Offer to clean the bathroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 "Offer to clean the bathroom. Bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted February 13, 2004 Author Share Posted February 13, 2004 "Offer to clean the bathroom. Bingo! Come on,.....I get up an extra hour EVERY morning to help her muck out the stalls of HER horses. I have often wondered where my shooting would be at if I took that hour every day and used it to practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Trig - I don't mean to pry, but did you straight out ASK her to come shoot with you - were ya honest with her and told her it was important to you for her to at least try it? I'm a sucker for that honesty thing and will move the moon for my man if it's that important to him! (Don't any of you tell him that!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted February 13, 2004 Author Share Posted February 13, 2004 SG, I have asked her several times to go to the range with me on thursday nights for our IPSC league shoot. If you mean have I said "It is emotionally important to me that you share the shooting experience with me," come on, I a GUY. We express things like that as well as a donkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 You just expressed it perfectly to me - now go tell your wife You can skip the emotionally part though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 The donkey part was VERY cool. Hmmm... yes.... mucking the stalls IS cleaning the bathroom. You're very generous there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRG65 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 I just talked this over with my wife and her comment was you need to take a road trip to somewhere you never intend to go back to for the first match. Her point was your wife doesn't know anyone, and probably will never see them again. This is Mrs. HighTech Redneck, as long as your wife knows which way to point the gun, she won't look bad to everyone else. People only watch the shooters they consider competition (and they know who to watch) OR they watch to learn the stage so THEY don't look stupid! Mostly, people just hang around, talk, and reload mags between stages. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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