First time as MD

[Bunchies95]

This weekend was the first time I served as MD for my local club. I had the stages designed and matchbook put out 2 weeks before the match. Printed off scoresheets and was ready for the match. When it came time for set up, only 4 people showed up. Normally 8-10 help ot the night before the match. No big deal, just a little bit more work but glad I decided to roughly set up one stage the day before.

Match day came. Hung targets and did my final walkthrough of the stages. One stage didn't quite get set up the way I wanted but I didn't notice until my squad got there. One mini popper was supposed to be only available through a port resulting in a 25 yard shot on it and forced the shooter to the port. Oh well, port was no longer needed.

We have been getting around 50-60 shooters show up on any given month lately. This match...32. So I decided to only run 4 squads instead of 5. Left Stage 1, the classifier, empty to start. My squad got done and started tearing down our stage. Soon other squads were finished. I knew in the back of my mind that one stage was not going to have a squad to tear it down. I was tired and thought that it was the classifier, so I tore it down. Took stuff to the equipment shed and told the squad finishing up stage 5 to keep the used targets to use in practice (not too shot up). Somehow they had fallen a full stage behind and still had to shoot the classifier. ! Thankfully it was the classifier. I have never built a stage so fast in my life.

Technically I should have thrown the stage out as there was no way the stage got set up "exactly" the same as the other squads. Especially since I set it up on another bay facing the opposite direction in relation to the sun. But that squad was just happy to shoot the stage and no one complained.

Lessons Learned:

Always do a final walkthrough and look at every detail

Always make sure everyone is done shooting before tearing down a stage you didn't end on.

[HS101]

This weekend was my first as a match director too!. Stressful!

I was using stages designed by our last MD, and everyone, including me, missed a target on a stage during set up (it was hidden on the drawing behind a wall - only the target sticks were visible on the drawing). My lesson: count the targets during set up and walk through - do not just "look at the targets you see".

[Sarge]

Did my first a few weeks ago. I am blessed with having a dedicated group of guys who signed up with me to keep the matches going and make them much better. So far I am seeing no stress at all thanks to them.

[blaster113]

Being a MD is definitely stressful and harder than it looks. I was MD a few months ago and it did not go smoothly. Thankfully the guys at the club helped a whole lot! It will be a while before I scrape up the balls to do it again lol

[Flexmoney]

It gets easier. The #1 job is to ALWAYS be recruiting help. That, or do it all yourself and burn out quickly.

[Graham Smith]

It gets easier. The #1 job is to ALWAYS be recruiting help. That, or do it all yourself and burn out quickly.

Been there. Done that. Have the empty bottle of Maalox.

[bbbean]

This weekend was the first time I served as MD for my local club.

Welcome to the club. How are you going to spend all that MD pay?

BB