Major Matches

[Corey]

I'm not saying there aren't problems. But have you taken this type of concern to your Section Coordinator yet? I would start with them for sure.

I like the idea of spreading more stuff out and would be all in favor of it. I don't get out of Indiana much anymore with as busy as my schedule is with multiple disciplines and family, but I know a lot of people who travel multiple states every weekend it seems for a match. There is a need to organize. But someone has to start it from the inside. Either by us members going to our SC/AD and having them start the ball. If they won't do anything then new people with fresh blood who want to change things need to get them voted out and get themselves voted in to a position to better the sport.

[paul788]

You are over simplifying a complex task. All of the clubs that host USPSA matches have other activities going on. USPSA does not dictate to the club when they can host a match. Until it can, there will be no wide spread coordination of dates.

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."

Paul Beck

[Chuck Anderson]

Area match dates are approved by the President. Or at least they are supposed to be. But the bottom line is they often can't be set to not conflict with something else. And the realities of finding a range willing to do the match means you often need to take what you can get in regards to dates. You're dealing with volunteers, not paid employees. There are a couple matches that hold the same date year to year. Area 2 (used to be 2nd week of November) just moved to the spring time. Not sure if they are keeping that. Area 6 was also pretty consistent. Both matches are at the same range year after year, or two ranges in the case of Area 6 in recent years. The other areas tend to move their matches from year to year, or every other year. Finding new venues means that you may not be able to have the same dates. Or they may not make sense. In Area 1 we have a pretty wide range of weather. In the north you pretty much have to have the match towards the end of June or later or plan on rain. In Utah where we had a couple, June may be a bit toasty. (last year I was there in June and it was well over 100 degrees). Take what you can get and hope for the best. It's not ideal, but realistically the people shooting the Area 6 match are not shooting the Area 1 match. The few that do shoot both we can usually find a way to accommodate them. Staff match at one and main match at the other. Usually time for both.

[Gary Stevens]

As Chuck said, when I was on the BOD the President would help coordinate Area match dates to keep us from overlapping.

It is somewhat challenging but not impossible.

[motosapiens]

The fact that I have only been a USPSA member for two years and can see the issues should testify to the problem.

Or maybe it means it's only a problem to YOU. I don't hear anyone else making any noise about it.

As i mentioned earlier, it's MUCH more important to me that my area match doesn't conflict with other major matches in my area than with major matches in other areas.

[gng4life]

As Chuck said, when I was on the BOD the President would help coordinate Area match dates to keep us from overlapping.

It is somewhat challenging but not impossible.

Now that makes sense. At least the Area Matches should be coordinated. The key here is "try" to coordinate them. If things just can't fly, then so be it but at least make an effort to do it.

[gng4life]

The fact that I have only been a USPSA member for two years and can see the issues should testify to the problem.

Or maybe it means it's only a problem to YOU. I don't hear anyone else making any noise about it.

As i mentioned earlier, it's MUCH more important to me that my area match doesn't conflict with other major matches in my area than with major matches in other areas.

No, that's not the case. I hear it all the time but like it was mentioned earlier in this thread, it's been brought up before.

[rowdyb]

Try living in CA and then talk about the "problem" of having too many area matches in one weekend near you......

Also, "No procedure is too complex for a generalist to order it.", on of my favorite medical aphorisms.

[Rokihsa]

The fact that I have only been a USPSA member for two years and can see the issues should testify to the problem.

Or maybe it means it's only a problem to YOU. I don't hear anyone else making any noise about it.

As i mentioned earlier, it's MUCH more important to me that my area match doesn't conflict with other major matches in my area than with major matches in other areas.

I am sorry that you identify this problem as being about "Me". It must be a little world you live in.

[motosapiens]

The fact that I have only been a USPSA member for two years and can see the issues should testify to the problem.

Or maybe it means it's only a problem to YOU. I don't hear anyone else making any noise about it.

As i mentioned earlier, it's MUCH more important to me that my area match doesn't conflict with other major matches in my area than with major matches in other areas.

I am sorry that you identify this problem as being about "Me". It must be a little world you live in.

lol, no need to take it personally and start insulting people. I clearly didn't say the problem was *about* you, I said perhaps you are the one perceiving a problem where the majority of shooters don't perceive one, (maybe because the vast majority of shooters don't shoot multiple area matches.)

You appear to be frustrated that so few people think this is a major problem, and that so many good arguments have been put forth against your proposed solution. What does that tell you?

I would urge you to get more involved with your local club putting on matches and you'll probably learn alot of useful information about the realities of trying to schedule a major match.

Edited May 13, 2015 by motosapiens

[lawboy]

I did not read the entire thread for obvious reasons. But I will say that with the major matches I have been involved in organizing in my local area, the biggest factor in when the match is held is what weekends the bays are available. Like most clubs, our clubs do not own the actual range facilities but are only a few of many clubs operating out of these various ranges. All of the clubs vy for weekends to hold matches. USPSA, IDPA, Steel Challenge, Ruger Rimfire, SASS, and there are others. In addition, some other groups such as LE trainers, also book the bays. All of these parties not only use the bays for monthly matches, but many of them also hold "big matches annually." I suspect this is the case nationwide. There is no way USPSA is going to be able to coordinate all of that nor do they have authority to tell any range when it should allow various groups to use its bays.

[MNshooter]

There are 10 Federal holidays and only 8 Areas. Why don't we have Area matches on Federal holidays? We'd still have 2 left over.

I keed, I keed.

We have a very short shooting season in the frozen north. I do not envy the task of aligning points matches from the clubs, sectional, etc. within the already short season. Compressing into 13 weeks seems like a challenge.

I am curious though, which match did you decide to shoot? August will be beautiful in WI for Area 5 while I've never been to VA / Area 8.

[whitedog]

Another solution searching for a problem.....

Why do matches sometimes overlap? Here's why.

A club full of paying members has to ok a match at their club, on a date that works for that club.

Then people have to run that match.....people with jobs, families, and commitments.

Said people have to fit working the match into vacations, etc...

The match has to be held taking weather and local school schedules into account so people will actually come shoot the match.

Matches overlap because matches overlap. Pick which one you have heard good things about, or just want to shoot, and go shoot.

[atbarr]

And of course, the amount of sunlight.

[Nik Habicht]

What makes you thing USPSA can organize, or dictate when a match can be held? They don't own the ranges, they don't provide any support, whether finacial or physical, to the ranges or matches. USPSA is simply the rules making body and keepers of the scores.

The fact that these are USPSA sanctioned matches and have to be reviewed and approved by the Area Coordinator before they are held. If they are not approved then it would be an Outlaw match, correct?

Right -- but the Area Director needs to find a range and a match director willing to run the match. Start putting too many constraints on that, and the volunteer labor pool will tell the AD, or by extension USPSA to go away.....

So it's not as simple as having "someone" or "some org" coordinate the schedule......

[ZackJones]

Why has USPSA not organized major match dates a little better? How do we have GA state, Area 8 and Area 5 all the same weekend?

You're looking at it the wrong way. This isn't a bad thing it's a good thing. It means less competition at the match you attend .

Seriously though scheduling major matches at a club is a pain and at PGC we do it once a year. In October all of the MD's meet and we work out our monthly and major match schedules. Each MD works with SC/AD, etc. to find a date that fits. Sometimes that can't be done. The best way to try an prevent overlap is for clubs to publish their match dates as soon as they are known. We are already working to lock in a weekend for the 2016 SC State match even though we just held it a couple of weeks ago.

[Jmob50]

I have wondered the same, but it seems that there are more major matches in various disciplines than there are weekends in the year and there will be conflicts. It sucks but often i have to make a choice on which to attend and then have nothing else to shoot for a few weeks