Aug 29 Match debrief

[grassy knoll]

6 stages with 50 competitors through on Sunday, got to tear down just before big downpour but way too muggy all day

Stage 1 - wall stage with ports and multiple target views, no problems seem to have that figured out, some complaints about targets at 25 yd being too far away

Stage 2 - card stage - walkthough said flip over 2 cards and those are the no-shoot targets, found out after that at least one competitor had seen a mark on 2 of the cards and figured out how to game it, lesson learned - all props have to be unalterable and same for everybody

Stage 3 - 7 pepper poppers, 1 flip up paper, 1 swinging paper - lesson on this one to ensure calibration of poppers can be done during the match if there is a question and steel frames have to be nailed down

Stage 4 - run and gun no problem

Stage 5 - 6 plates and 1 paper at 30 yds - couldn't believe shooters ankle deep in brass trying to hit plates at 30 yds, is this too far to shoot?

Stage 6 - door in the wall - no problems

overall good match but I think next time I will spread out steel into all stages, RO's will get extra attention to making sure stages are being run consistently,

this was my 7 match as match director and just when I think I got it, new challenges come up, I guess that is why I like the sport because it is so dynamic

[Neil Beverley]

The sport needs, nay - depends, on people like you.

It is nice to see that you analyse the plusses and minuses after the event. We never stop learning, or rather, we should never stop learning.

[ipsc1]

Stage 5 - 6 plates and 1 paper at 30 yds - couldn't believe shooters ankle deep in brass trying to hit plates at 30 yds, is this too far to shoot?

No, anything closer than 50 yards is still a gimme. put mini poppers out to 80 yards, now thats fun.

[Flexmoney]

If a lot of your shooters are ankle deep due to missing...then it was likely too far/hard.

Know your shooters.

[JFD]

I've had folks ankle deep in brass trying to hit plates at 15 - 20 yards. All of them mentioned they might should practice using their sights a bit more

I think the targets at 30 yards would be a cool stage, just not something you want to do every month. I'll bet upcoming practice sessions will see shooters moving those targets back a few yards.

One of my main pratice stages has targets from 7 to 25 yards, with a plate rack (4 plates) and 4 paper targets at 25 yards. I saw a lot of shooters really stink at this year's sectional match when targets started to reach 15 - 20 yards. It really saved my butt that I could shoot A's without extra effort on those stages. I look at your stages 1 & 5 as a service to your shooters.

The shooters I know appreciate the fact that a MD is trying to provide good stages. If you go off the deep end here and there, they won't hold it against you.

For instance, I hate any stage that resembles your stage 2. Flipping cards tests nothing involving gun handling or shooting skills, and is a gimmick type stage (IMHO) that I don't like to see. However some folks like that kind of thing, and even I would see that you are trying to provide a fun stage. I'd certainly come to the next match.

I had a stage ("Saving Elmo") one time that involved my daughter's old and forgotten "tickle me elmo" doll (That thing was so freaking irritating for waaaaay too long). I hung him between 2 targets with a noose around his neck, making sure he was very close (or touching) to the A zone on both targets. The stage description was very clear that shooting elmo would NOT result in any penalties. I think a few shooters (all without kids OR exposure to this irritating doll) thought the stage was a little sick. Even though he was shot repeatedly, he never lost the ability to laugh that stupid elmo laugh. While shooting in the last squad, I finally shut him up by emptying two 10 round mags full of .45s into him before tearing down the stage. My shooters didn't hold this stage against me and returned the next month.

It sounds like you're doing a great job. Every match is a learning experience, and new problems mean that you're trying new things. The same old thing that you know will work perfectly can be boring after awhile.

[Skywalker]

Stage 5  - 6 plates and 1 paper at 30 yds - couldn't believe shooters ankle deep in brass trying to hit plates at 30 yds, is this too far to shoot?

Occasional shots @ 30m shouldn't be regarded as too hard/difficult, IMHO, because IPSC shooting is not speed shooting, but I am a big fan of diversity and I like stages that present different challenges at the same time.

If you put 7 targets (the only targets of the stge?) all @ 30 m, the stage would have been quite boring for myself.

Why not to try and set above mentioned targets at different distances, let's say two plates at close distance, 3 at medium and the reamining (plate and paper target) at 30 m, all with plenty of swing to engage them?

This should have provided some degree of diversity, and might have been a more balanced challenge.

Just my 02c worth, without having seen the stage in question, thus take it for what it is.