Sliv2 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Received a phone call this morning from my father, who took his girlfriend to her first IDPA match this morning. She's spent a lot of time practicing and preparing, and was very excited to shoot her first match - after watching a few of them. Before the match had even started, one of the SOs approached her and asked, "Do you have a gun under that hoodie this time?" as his way of saying "Are you shooting this match, or watching again?". Well, she swept back her hoodie and drew her new SA 5.25 XDm from her holster. DQ'd. The SO apologized profusely and they refunded her money. Apparently she took it okay while around everyone, but eventually went to the parking lot for a few minutes to let the emotion flow out in tears. Just thought I'd share. While not my own experience, it's something I will keep in the back of my mind any time I bring a person to their first match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgetech Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I can certainly understand the disappointment on her part but I bet she won't let it happen again. It's what we learn from the mistakes that make us better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacon12224 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Wow. I feel really bad for her. I am sure that it ruined the SO's day as well. Tell her not to let it get her down. It would be a shame to lose a new shooter because of a momentary brain lapse. The only way to never, ever make a mistake is to be dead. I hope to keep livin and keep making mistakes now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaciLyn Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 (edited) A very wise man and experienced shooter, during a safety briefing, once said... "There are two kind of shooters: those that have DQ'd and those that will DQ." She's now simply among the "haves" instead of the "have nots". Hope she shoots well at her next match! Edited October 24, 2011 by StaciLyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 (edited) I've seen a first match DQ as well. We had a stage started with your gun unloaded, in a box on the table. As the stage was being scored, the next shooter would put his magazines on the table. The new shooter, eager to be ready to start, drew his gun and put it in the box while people were downrange scoring. As an SO, if we have a table start and new shooters, I remind them during the walkthrough not to draw the gun and put it on the table until told to by the SO. Edited October 24, 2011 by M1911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamonHP Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Received a phone call this morning from my father, who took his girlfriend to her first IDPA match this morning. She's spent a lot of time practicing and preparing, and was very excited to shoot her first match - after watching a few of them. Before the match had even started, one of the SOs approached her and asked, "Do you have a gun under that hoodie this time?" as his way of saying "Are you shooting this match, or watching again?". Well, she swept back her hoodie and drew her new SA 5.25 XDm from her holster. DQ'd. The SO apologized profusely and they refunded her money. Apparently she took it okay while around everyone, but eventually went to the parking lot for a few minutes to let the emotion flow out in tears. Just thought I'd share. While not my own experience, it's something I will keep in the back of my mind any time I bring a person to their first match. She's not the only one to do something like this: I've seen a really great and experienced shooter recon'ing the stages before a match, but instead of air-gunning his plan, he actually drew his unloaded pistol and rehearsed it. The SO was his friend and asked where he wanted to watch the match from. He took it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZip Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 She's not the only one to do something like this: I've seen a really great and experienced shooter recon'ing the stages before a match, but instead of air-gunning his plan, he actually drew his unloaded pistol and rehearsed it. The SO was his friend and asked where he wanted to watch the match from. He took it well. While this is quite a serious matter, I did have a chuckle about this. Glad all took it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilfred Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I've seen a first match DQ as well. We had a stage started with your gun unloaded, in a box on the table. As the stage was being scored, the next shooter would put his magazines on the table. The new shooter, eager to be ready to start, drew his gun and put it in the box while people were downrange scoring. As an SO, if we have a table start and new shooters, I remind them during the walkthrough not to draw the gun and put it on the table until told to by the SO. They should make it an SOP to remind/advice shooters about the do's and dont's, safety most important. Most walkthrough ive seen and been into are focused only on how the targets will be shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilfred Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I've seen a first match DQ as well. We had a stage started with your gun unloaded, in a box on the table. As the stage was being scored, the next shooter would put his magazines on the table. The new shooter, eager to be ready to start, drew his gun and put it in the box while people were downrange scoring. As an SO, if we have a table start and new shooters, I remind them during the walkthrough not to draw the gun and put it on the table until told to by the SO. Not many are like you that will tell/advice shooters especially new ones about the do's and dont's and safety. Most of the walkthrough ive seen and been into during local matches are so focused only on how the targets will be shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bally Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 At our Club in Australia, IPSC, the first time shooters are all told to introduce themselves to the RO at each stage and mention that this is their first event. Makes for a good result all around. I know I felt a little more relaxed knowing that the RO understood my jumpiness was nerves and not my natural state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zukeep Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 At our Club in Australia, IPSC, the first time shooters are all told to introduce themselves to the RO at each stage and mention that this is their first event. Makes for a good result all around. I know I felt a little more relaxed knowing that the RO understood my jumpiness was nerves and not my natural state. Similar here in Lexington, Kentucky at a local range. If it is your first time, you get a bright green score sheet. A little embarrasing at first but brings you a lot of patience and understanding from your squad and RO/SO. Also, kind of cool when you have a good run, you get lots of compliments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p7fl Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I was CRO for a Match and RO’ing a stage. Real nice guy, maybe 3 or 4th time out came to the line without his gun. Reminded that the stage works better with a pistol he walked back to his bag, I knew a split second before what he was going to do and yelled “Nooooo..” But, too late as he started coming back to the line with his pistol in his hand. The DQ was my fault. A good RO should be able to anticipate what is going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 At our Club in Australia, IPSC, the first time shooters are all told to introduce themselves to the RO at each stage and mention that this is their first event. Makes for a good result all around. I know I felt a little more relaxed knowing that the RO understood my jumpiness was nerves and not my natural state. We did that. But when no one was looking, the new shooter still unholstered and put his gun in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKSNIPER Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Bally, Good idea and it should become a USPSA rule and done at every match. My first match I show up with my equipment. Gun belt, mag pouches, mags and pistol in the holster. I was shooting in production with my duty pistol and ammo. At the time I was active duty LEO. A guy comes up to me before the match begins and we're talking and he looks down and asks me "Is that gun loaded?" I respond "Yes of course it's loaded." He says with an I can't believe you did this expression on his face: "Why did you bring a loaded gun here?" My response was "Because the unloaded ones don't work so good." He gets pissed and goes off to seek out the local club president while I'm standing there wondering WTF is going on. I was unaware of the rule because I had zero experience with shooting IPSC or USPSA . On the P.D. range it was a "hot line". You were expected to keep your weapon up and running on your own and not wait for commands to load/reload so I literally had NO idea why this guy was so twisted about my pistol being loaded. Fortunately the club president was retired LEO and knew exactly why it happened and informed me of the rule. I stuck around and helped paste/reset targets and wound up assisting with scoring targets and timing when they were short a couple RO's. A day on the range with rounds going off is ALWAYS a good day. JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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