Kimberkid Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Looking and talking about the 04 Nats has gotten me in a bit of a perturbed state. I have only shot about 8 or 9 USPSA matches, all of them small club matches, never more than 50 people or 5 or 6 stages. For whatever reason, I decided it would be a fantastic idea to get on the list for the Nats. A dear friend of mine got the club slot and so he and I will be making our Nationals debut together. He has shot a couple Area matches, and been doing USPSA for 5 years or so and isnt nervous at all. I on the other hand, am freaking out hard core. I've shot the Bianchi 3 times, and wasnt terriblly nervous any of those times, but for some reason I cant shake the intimidation. I know I am well capable of performing in my class, but I am still uneasy about the whole thing. People that I have talked to keep telling me to "relax and just shoot my own game". Thats wonderful, and appreciated advice, but it doesnt make me feel any better. I also think that if I hear it again I am going to explode. At this point any helpful insight that is provided by "relax and shoot your own game" is now lost due only to repetition. Does anyone have any other helpful tidbits they want to share with a relative newbie? Any drills I should focus on in particular? I have been doing a bit of dryfire lately, and a lot of live fire El Presidente's, draw drills, and reload drills. Am I missing something critical? I have no illusions of granduer about winning this thing, or winning my class. I am spending my vacation to do this so I am hoping to have a good time and learn a lot, but not looking like an ass sure would be nice. anybody got a suggestion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I like what burkett has to say. Just wiggle your toes. Thats when you know you are ready to go. Smile enjoy it and have fun. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 The stages for the Handgun nats are posted on he USPSA website in the members section, take a look at them if you haven't already - it might help remove some of the "fear of the unknown". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 Finney, yea, I checked em out, printed all of them out so I can kinda plan before I get there some things I might wanna give thought to. I am actually a bit more intimidated now. That stuff is pretty cool/complex. I think I am going to cut back on dryfire, and spend more time in prayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 It's been three years, but I still offer the same advice that I did in this thread: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...ange,and,pocket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 drink a beer, and don't worry about it. The worst thing I ever did was start worrying about things in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Load your ammo, chamber check it and pack it away. Work on any weak areas. The reload standards stage will be easy to set up and practice. It is a stage that won't win the match but could sure cost you a boatload of points. Make sure your gun is running 100%. Look at it this way it is just 5 little local matches that are a half day each. They just happen to be back to back. The only difference between a local match and Nationals is the number of stages and people. You'll see the same target in Barry that you see in Podunkville. You shoot for a couple years and you'll see damn near everything out there. Then it becomes a variation of the same thing over again. Only ever saw two really original stages and that was the big swing at Square Deal for the NYS Championship and the Tri-State clown stage. The nationals stages are pretty straight forward without a bunch of gimmicks. Relax line up the sights and squeeze, then run like hell and do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulW Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Go with the mindset that you are going to the very best you can, at that very moment, and except whatever the outcome may be. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 There has to be a couple big state/area matches close that you can attend before Nationals. Try one for the practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidwiz Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 When you get to the range on Sunday for check-in, look around at the various stages. They are bound to be setup a little different that in the posted stage descriptions. If you can (ask permission of an RO first), actually go on the stage and check it out (don't play w/ the props). Some of the ROs will be shooting some of the stages on Sunday, so it might be worthwile to watch a stage or two being shot, to see how some of the turning targets, etc. work and their timing. There is also a fuction check range that will be available on Sunday. I would use it to function test your gun and warm up, so that your first shot on Monday on your first stage isn't your first one. As for the match, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Take each day (like Chriss G. said) as an individual match, not 24 stages that have to be shot all at once. For each stage, find a game plan that works for you and use it. Try to get enough sleep the night before, etc. I'm reasonably confident that once you fire your first shot on Monday, you won't feel nervous about the rest of the match. It's my first time RO'ing at the Nationals, so I'm a little nervous too. -David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDH Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I've posted something similar before, but here goes.... I had only shot a PISTOL for 5 or 6 months before shooting my first Nationals! Sure, I was inimidated, but decided that I would do my best. For the most part, I shot safe, consistent and steady (while I often watched others on my squad rip off a great stage, followed by a complete crash and burn on the next stage). Don't get me wrong, I had my fair share of problems, but overall, I had a great time, I did much better than I expected, people I had never met before helped me through the match, and became my friends. Personally, I think the best way to shoot these is to look at them as a series of back to back club matches. In other words, try not to get overwhelmed by the size of the whole thing.... Besides, you will be among friends in Barry as there are a ton of us who frequent the BE forums, that will definately be hanging in Barry. Make sure you introduce yourself.... Brian Hanna CRO - Stage 11 Attic Window Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 OH wow. I just went looking for my post about my nervousness before my first nationals and it's lost too (dang you guys, this is FRUSTRATING!) Anyways, to make a long story short, I was totally FREAKED out! Nothing anybody said helped! I was literally having panic attacks (silly grrl!) All through my practices, dry fires, preparing to go - heck, even on the drive up... I could NOT calm down! Okay - now here's the part you're not gonna want to hear I stayed that way until I finished my first stage! Then, it was like, heck, I've done this, I've seen this, it ain't no big deal. It's actually way more fun than local matches because there's a lot more of my friends here! So the best advice I can give you is to CHANNEL that nervousness into your preparations. When you start feeling antsy, pick up your gun and handle it. Didn't help? Gear up and do some reload practice (I like that the best because of the noise the dropping mags make) Didn't help either? Go out in the backyard and do some running practice. If you get through all that and it still didn't help, grab Steve's book and go through ALL of the drills. Trust me, if you get to the end of Steve's book, you'll be ready to DROP And while you'll still be nervous, you'll be very comfortable with your equipment and your skills and I promise, once you get through the first stage, you'll be okay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDH Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I stayed that way until I finished my first stage! Then, it was like, heck, I've done this, I've seen this, it ain't no big deal. Hmmm, well I guess I neglected to say that I was uptight until I tanked my first stage. "Then, it was like, heck, I've done this before...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 If you are nervous, make some clear goals. I like the goal to shoot good points when I get nervous, that seems to calm me down. As far as practice goes, work on your accuracy at speed, being afraid of tight shots or no shoots gets a lot of people. I wouldn't expect many wide open targets stages. Be flexible and remember to shoot things the way you feel most comfortable, not because a supersquader did something spectacular. This sport is about you and your gun and most of all no one cares how you finish except you, so don't worry about that Have fun and enjoy most of all. DVC ps. knowing what you can and can't do is very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted July 22, 2004 Author Share Posted July 22, 2004 Thanks a bunch everybody, unfortunatly i only have 1 more classifier match before I leave for the Nats. I dont have the option to shoot any others due to work. Been working on a lot of stuff, and studying the stages a bit. I will definetly say Hi to you at Stage 11 Mr. Hanna, thanks for the advice. Hopefully I will see you all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDH Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Thanks a bunch everybody, unfortunatly i only have 1 more classifier match before I leave for the Nats. I dont have the option to shoot any others due to work. Been working on a lot of stuff, and studying the stages a bit. I will definetly say Hi to you at Stage 11 Mr. Hanna, thanks for the advice. Hopefully I will see you all there. Kimberkid, "Mr. Hanna" is my father, and he will not be there. HOWEVER, please intro yourself and if you need to refer to ME as anything, you can choose from the following (and in no particular order).... BDH Mr. BDH Husband of Mrs. BDH (aka Stats Matron) Brian Brian D. Kong Hanna Bananna RO CRO Range Dude Guy 215 (don't EVEN ask as this is not for public disclosure) or... HEY YOU Of course there are other names that I have been called (and someone around here may volunteer for you ), and then again, even more names that I do NOT respond to. However, MR. HANNA will make me pull out my cell phone, dial my dad, hand it to you, and then where will we be? Have a GREAT first of MANY Nationals!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidwiz Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 I'll be RO'ing Stage 20 - Get It Done. Be sure to stop by during your travels. -David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 You can always do what I did at the Nats a few years back. Rupture an achilles tendon on the second stage, and ya stop worrying about the match completely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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