hung up on a title

[BigDave]

Do I think it would be cool if I was classified as a GM right ?  Sure.  Does my mere title (if say I was a GM)mean that I can show up a a club match, or even the nationals be a threat to guys like Rob L, Phil Strader, the Burner or TJ?  Hell no.

Getting to my point...

Titles or classifications mean squat.  I thread in another post really burnt my rump regarding this.  If you really want to improve, you can't get hung up on title like GM or even D for that matter.  All that matters to me is that I am a better shooter than the guy or gal next to on the line or in my squad.  And until I am, I won't be satisfied, regardless of my title (currently C Limited, BTW).  If you get hung up on a title, you will only limit yourself, and your improvement will be limited too.

Bottom line:  Be better today than you were yesterday.

This almost went in the "Hate" forum, but I thought it better here.

[shred]

Good post.. I like to think "Am I a better shooter than I was last month?".   Occasionally I relapse into "I want to beat this guy" though..

[PaulW]

BigDave,

You are correct (IMHO) about the whole "title thing".  And although we may never be able to accomplish what those guys have, they had to beat someone to get to where they are at now.  They will "eventually" be beaten by someone younger, faster, quicker than they are.  Who says that can't be one of us?  May be an aweful big goal, but wouldn't it be cool to reach that kind of success?

[Ron Ankeny]

The purpose behind the classification system, and the titles that go along with it, is to group shooters of like ability. The USPSA Website also mentions that some shooters use the system as a huge postal match and that is what I do.

I respect your guy's perspective, but if I was satisified beating the local crowd, I would not be as good as I am today. My motivation and improvement came from setting the goal of moving up in class. Each time I achieved that goal I set a new goal of moving up again.

(Edited by Ron Ankeny at 8:40 am on Nov. 19, 2002)

[Steve Anderson]

I got beat at a major match by a bunch of B class boys at a major match this year, right after I made A class...Imagine how we'll feel when we make GM and have a bad day...

SA

[PaulW]

I can tell you how it feels "IT SUCKS".  Once you make GM you are "EXPECTED" to perform each and every day from all the other shooters.  It's hard to be up every match and it's tough trying to live up to everyone else's expectations.  So I don't.  I shoot for me and know what my abilities are.  Many times I win local matches saying, wow, I don't deserve it, I shot terrible.  What i do try and do is help others out as much as I can and still keep my shooters frame of mind.  There are days when I wish I did not make GM, M class is very competitive but GM is way, way up there.  Set goals and go for it.  Whether it is beating someone whom usually beats you or moving up in class.  I'm sure many of you have heard the name Joe Kessler.  An awesome shooter and basically my mentor when I started.  He no longer shoots, I wish he did so I would have someone to chase instead of always being chased.  

[eerw]

PaulW is right..the expectations from other shooters is tough....and it gets hard to enjoy the sport. I disappeared from shooting for about 4 years...marriage and kids..and it was a lot of fun to start shooting again..lots of new faces..a few friends..but basically I could go to a match..visit, shoot and game stages, work the clock, the board, tape and most of all have fun...

I still have flashes of brilliance when I shoot and it reminds of all the work I did to get there...but it is a lot more fun now..that I got rid of the expectations that i was one of the better shooters in the section.

[George D]

"I like to think "Am I a better shooter than I was last month?".   "

Your right Shred, but the while the path to the top is testing and difficult, the path down from the top is slippery and steep. There comes a time when we all think "If only I was the shooter that I was last year".  Be it getting older or eerw's other commitments, you can't improve forever. It is then when the titles offer some consolation.

The older I get, the greater I used to be!

(Edited by George D at 1:20 pm on Nov. 19, 2002)

[BigDave]

"Who says that can't be one of us?  May be an aweful big goal, but wouldn't it be cool to reach that kind of success?"

Exactly.  I couldn't agree more.  I just think that people get too hung up on their classifications.  When I'm on the line, I'm shooting my best at that I am able to at the moment.  Am I thinking, "I need a 64% score to move me up to the next class."  Hell naw!  I am doing everything possible to shoot the COF at 100%.  Does my present ability allow me to do so?  No.  But, its worth the effort, regardless of the outcome.

[3quartertime]

My goal is to make it to B class limited.  The hill is steep right now and I'm at the bottom.  Thats a private goal thou,  at the local matches all I try to do is win my class.  If I try and beat a master or something I will try and go too fast and murder the stage.  I think I have a pretty good idea what it takes to win my class locally and thats what I aim for.  

 "When I'm on the line, I'm shooting my best at that I am able to at the moment.  Am I thinking, "I need a 64% score to move me up to the next class."  Hell naw!  I am doing everything possible to shoot the COF at 100%."

When I'm on the line I'm praying to 'the gods of errant shots' that my wild shot will somehow nick the scoring surface!!!

[PaulW]

BigDave,

"When I'm on the line I am shooting the best I can at that moment".  PERFECT.  That's all you can ask of yourself.  Did you have that mike on purpose, NO, did you pull that shot into the no-shoot, NO.  But it happens and thats why we try to improve.  Practice to improve, shoot matches to win.

[eerw]

I think we all agree that when you are on the line, you are there to shoot your best...no one plans to shoot 86% of there ability...we shoot to win..or be better than we were last match or the last stage...

I know when I step to the line now...I still have a plan..I still say to myself..." be in the moment, be aware, be aggressive...

I just don;t want people to think that because you are a M or above that you will shoot to brilliance every shot..or because you are a C or D shooter..you are less of a shooter...I have learned a lot from all classes of shooters...

[Ron Ankeny]

BigDave:

At the last match we shot a pretty straight forward classifier. I tanked the classifier real bad the month before. I mentioned to a couple of guys that I wasn't going to have two crappy classifiers back to back.

So I figure out the target engagement order and I go through the course mentally. I told myself I was going to get all of the points on the target faces, call each shot, etc. Way too much mental clutter and it was all because I didn't want another 10% score on the USPSA Website.

The buzzer goes off and I get after it. I see the dot lift off of one of the targets and it looked like a D (C at best) so I call it, make it up right then and there, then it dawns on me...Virginia Count. Son of a ....

[TravisT]

---

Once you make GM you are "EXPECTED" to perform each and every day from all the other shooters.  

---

Stick with it long enough, and you’ll figure out that what you’re feeling is actually *your* expectations. The other shooters are too hung up on their own performance and self-consciousness, to truly care or expect anything from you. Realize this and you’ll not only have more fun, but you will obtain the freedom necessary to elevate your shooting ability.

[PaulW]

Travis,

I must have read your response like 25 times.  It hit me square in the forehead.  I know I am pretty hard on myself, I don't like doing anything that is not my best.  So at times I am my own worst enemy.  I really try to rationalize shooting and competition and I so often put way to much emphisis on "winning" that I don't really have fun.  My best matches are hwn I really don't care what happenes.  I think I'll go read your post about 500 more times.  Thank you.

[TDean]

"...The other shooters are too hung up on their own performance and self-consciousness, to truly care or expect anything from you..."

TT, when you're shooting, expect people to CARE bro!

[Duane Thomas]

Travis is right. So are you, too. Achieve anything great and you can put a lot of pressure on yourself. I'm realizing a little of that after that whole recent "state champion" thing. It's like, you get lucky at one match, it happens to be the state championships, and suddenly you're the "state chapmpion" - in CDP, anyway. People do treat you differently. You walk up to a stage, people ask you, "How fast do you think YOU'LL do this? I did it in X," where they never did before. You expect yourself to always come in first, because you're the "state champion." You smoke a stage and people go, "Oooooh." You wanna do that, get that ego stroke, every time, you don't want to disappoint people. But you can't be perfect every time. You can't win every stage, you can't win every match. And yet....are people really putting more pressure on you, or are you doing it to yourself? I think you're doing it to yourself. It's all a mind game, and it ain't nothin' but a thang.

[TravisT]

Paul- thanks for the reply. You nailed it. These are just growing pains that come with gettin’ good. Next time you feel these perceived pressures and expectations, think about how worried the other shooters are about their own performance. It’s kinda like when you’re giving a public speech, and you visualize the audience naked

TD-

DT- You didn't have a lucky match; that was skill!

[PaulW]

Um, Travis, no offense, but i'd rather think of them in their underwear, not naked, if you know what I mean.  LOL

Thanks again......gotta love these forums.

(Edited by PaulW at 6:52 pm on Nov. 20, 2002)

[Steve Moneypenny]

The "think of them naked" thing never worked for me, i was always able to find a good looking woman in the group!!!!

I have found that shooting IDPA,(not that good in uspsa yet) that once your name is at the top of the score sheet for a while, people start "gunning" for you, its a GOOD feeling.

I'm right now having pressure issues, trying to move up in class, tanking classifiers, and whole matches by taking stupid chances in hopes of gaining just a slight advantage... i guess we'll see what becomes of it, it definitley is not an easy spot to get through.

Steve

[JFD]

While I truely do enjoy the fact that people are gunning for me in IDPA and another match I shoot (both seem to suit my weaknesses better), I find I still have the most actual FUN shooting in my newly acquired "C" class (L-10) in USPSA.  

This year I've been very uptight trying to avoid my first classification being a "D".  I'm pretty positive that "classifier tension" kept me from shooting much better scores.  Now that I'm finally classified (it took 10 monthly matches to get 4 scores turned in), I hope the classifiers will not be such a big tension producing deal as they have been so far.

[Steve Moneypenny]

JFD, classifier tension seems to plauge most classes and quite a few people.

Good luck though. it is fun to have a group of "chasers" it sucks when they start to catch up though!

[JFD]

At least I have no "chasers" in USPSA to worry about now.

As the new MD for 2003, I figure I'll likely have a lot more than worrying about the classifier on my mind.  Next year should be interesting at least.

[Million Mom]

Classification was one of the big things that drove a lot of guys out of IPSC. After all, an attacker is not going to try less hard to kill you, just because you are 'only' a B class shooter. The idea is to best that there is, not the best of whatever bunch you happen to be with at the moment. After all, beating all the Girl Scouts doesn't mean much, now does it?

[Jake Di Vita]

Well if your skill level is in the range of "Girl Scouts" then I absolutely believe it means something. Granted an attacker is not going to try less hard to kill you, hence the fact that IPSC and IDPA are both games. Insinuating that a D class shooter that ends up winning his class isn't an accomplishment is pretty shallow and I feel has no place in the world of competitive shooting. If you want to learn how to defend yourself, for God's sake, take a class, do force on force training, or any other number of things. A game is not the place for tactics. My $.02.