Shooting First in squad....

[WaJim]

At the State match this past weekend a conversation with a buddy of mine.

 

The guy that gets to shoot the stage first gets kinda screwed on stage walk/planning.

 

If you shoot second or any other spot you get the stage to yourself for that brief period of time that the stage is being reset from the previous shooter.

 

Shooting first...this alone time isn't available.

 

Maybe change the 5 minute stage walk to 4 minutes 30 seconds....so first shooter can walk the stage alone 30 seconds?

 

Thoughts?

 

[Hi-Power Jack]

[stick]

Sounds good to me.

[GunBugBit]

Everyone encounters this sooner or later so just know how to deal with the situation of being the first to shoot a stage.  It can have its advantages.  One time I was first in my squad to shoot a classifier, which also happened to be the first stage the squad shot that day, and some clock issue was discovered after my first run (microphone level was at 0 or RO accidentally zeroed the clock right after I shot, can't remember which).  So I got to shoot it again.  I didn't get all As the first time but I did the second time, and I felt great that second time, knowing I was going close to my fastest while still being accurate, and the second time counted.  Due to the clock issue, I had the advantage of getting to shoot the stage twice and no one else did.

Edited September 4, 2018 by GunBugBit

[IHAVEGAS]

On a complex memory stage with a big squad it can be a big deal, particularly for those shooters who did not have the option of spending good quality time planning the stage before the match. 

 

Often courtesy is shown to the person who will be first, but not always. 

 

I guess if it was me and I could not prepare I would tell the r.o. I was not ready and ask to be dropped down the order. 

[Hi-Power Jack]

Combine a serious hearing disability with going first,

and you can get some pretty funny results     

 

One time (2008 Area 7 Match), I requested that I be moved

"down the order" and the RO allowed it - I took first place

in my particular Class and Division.

 

On the other end of the spectrum, the RO asked if I

"understood the COF", and I said "NO".   He said,

"Load and make ready".       Needless to say,

I bombed that one.

[GunBugBit]

Allowing the first shooter the chance to have some quality time looking at the stage, similar to the time everyone else will have and maybe a little extra since they won't have the advantage from watching and learning from others' runs, is a good way to deal with it.  It's not going to happen at every match on every stage, but I will take this thought with me to the matches I shoot.  Most times this will be possible.

[Mcfoto]

This isn't where I thought it was going with I saw the title of the thread. My personal preference is to go early in the roster so I don't overthink or see someone else's plan and re-think mine. I got burned a couple months ago going first when there was a target I completely missed (had to advance to a small port to see it). If I'd seen someone else run it, I'd have seen them engage it and been able to incorporate it into my plan.

 

However, since the thread is about "private time" with the stage, this brings another bee in my bonnet. At the monthly matches I attend, when I am on deck many times I'm not given "private" time. While there are the diligent re-setters who are busy taping, there are a few who are running the stage as well who can be rather aggressive and get in the way. My understanding of USPSA etiquette is the on deck shooter should have priority in "air gunning" the stage. Apparently in practice that is not the case.

[Stuey]

That would be nice to have that time to do some prep. Like the idea.


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[223to45]

Even with everybody planning the stage, 5 min should be plenty of time to plan it out.

Most squads are about 17-18.

Should be able to make 5 or 6 easy walk thoughs . Shouldn't need any " alone time ".

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[IHAVEGAS]

18 minutes ago, Mcfoto said:

At the monthly matches I attend, when I am on deck many times I'm not given "private" time. While there are the diligent re-setters who are busy taping, there are a few who are running the stage as well who can be rather aggressive and get in the way. My understanding of USPSA etiquette is the on deck shooter should have priority in "air gunning" the stage. Apparently in practice that is not the case.

 

On very rare occasions when that happens I say something about it and then that fixes it. 

[IHAVEGAS]

7 minutes ago, 223to45 said:

Should be able to make 5 or 6 easy walk thoughs . Shouldn't need any " alone time ".
 

 

Sometimes you can not even make 1 reasonably clean walk through on a complex stage with multiple options, 5 or more shooting positions and a dozen people trying to go this way and that all at the same time.

 

But in general on an average stage I think you are correct. 

[Racinready300ex]

Another reason to have shooting challenges and not memory challenges. 

 

I don't think stages need to be so difficult to remember everyone can't get it done in 5 minutes. That's not what makes a stage good IMO. I'm a big fan of getting to the match early to figure things out, but that doesn't always work out.

[theWacoKid]

Sometimes the stage is challenging enough and the the shooting area is so tight and the squads are so large that this is an issue to deal with.  It's hard to get the feel for everything when people are constantly in the way.  When I am the first shooter and this is the case I make sure I'm geared up before the walk through is over and when the RO calls for the stage to be cleared I continue my walk through until I'm comfortable or called to the start position.

 

I do like this idea and I have found a number of RO's at major matches that will clear the stage at the end of the walk through and give the first shooter a clear stage for a minute to do their own walk through.  I would like this to be a more common practice.

[davsco]

12 minutes ago, Racinready300ex said:

Another reason to have shooting challenges and not memory challenges. 

here, here!!!!

[IHAVEGAS]

1 hour ago, Racinready300ex said:

Another reason to have shooting challenges and not memory challenges. 

 

I like that as a general rule, but everybody likes the occasional opportunity to do what they excel at. I expect and am fine with seeing the occasional track meet guy stage & the occasional bulls eye shooter stage as well as the occasional head scratcher.

 

What is less fun for me is when you get a whole lot of just one type of stage. 

[RJH]

3 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

Sometimes you can not even make 1 reasonably clean walk through on a complex stage with multiple options, 5 or more shooting positions and a dozen people trying to go this way and that all at the same time.

 

But in general on an average stage I think you are correct. 

 

And then there is always some left-hander going the wrong way....

[Southpaw]

1 hour ago, RJH said:

 

And then there is always some left-hander going the wrong way....

 

I resemble that remark! 

[Hi-Power Jack]

5 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

Sometimes you can not even make 1 reasonably clean walk through on a complex stage with multiple options 

 

Had that problem with my squad at my first and only Nat'ls.

 

Two squad members, were The Best Shooters in the squad, and had

the only chance of ranking highly in the finals, hogged the walk thru

for the first few stages.

 

A brief discussion ended that little problem.

 

And, they did much better than I did     

[JatCarver]

The last level 3 IPSC match I attended the ROs always cleared the stage for the last 30-60sec of the walk through for the first shooter. It was great, would love to see it more often. 

[motosapiens]

I guess I've never been to a match where I was unprepared enough for this to even be a thing. In general, I always defer to the first shooter, but I don't expect other people to make special arrangements just because I didn't prepare.

[GeneBray]

I’ve give the first shooter at level II/III matches a complex stages so they can get an unencumbered walk through on complex stages if asked. Agree it can be a problem on some stages.


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[ima45dv8]

I can't say I did it from the first time, but I've worked as a CRO at a good many Level II's and IIIs. I soon got into the habit of giving the 1st shooter their own look. After clearing the stage at the end of the 5 (or whatever) minute walk-through, I'd allow the 1st shooter their own look at the stage. It seemed only fair.

[whoflungdo]

On complex stages, I usually try to let the first shooter get the last walk thru. If there are moving targets they get the best look at it in action as well. Doesn't always work out but at least we try.

[Racinready300ex]

16 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

I like that as a general rule, but everybody likes the occasional opportunity to do what they excel at. I expect and am fine with seeing the occasional track meet guy stage & the occasional bulls eye shooter stage as well as the occasional head scratcher.

 

What is less fun for me is when you get a whole lot of just one type of stage. 

 

I'm cool with that too, but I've also shot stages that took a couple people 30 mins just to figure out how to shoot all the targets. And unless you get there the day before or someone tells you exactly what to do you're hosed. One that comes to mind, I was pretty new and had a more experienced shooter not said told me exactly what targets to shoot from each location I never would of got it.  And it still took me more than 5 min. That I don't like.