What happens to competitors after 5 years?

[JD45]

21 hours ago, MikeBurgess said:

Locally we have shooters that seem to fall into 3 groups

 

Group 1 , I'll call "Lifestyle shooters", they are in it for the long haul, they have figured out there place in the game and shoot for fun, most try to do their best but they are not hyper focused on success,  shooting is not their hobby its their lifestyle, most of their weekends and vacations involve shooting activities, I see very little turnover in this group.

 

Group 2, I'll call "Hobbyists" they shoot their local match, rarely travel, to them a match is just a thing to do. They may be motivated by getting better at shooting in general or matches are the only time they shoot. this group tends to turn over pretty fast, some keep at it shooting a few matches a year forever some migrate to Group 1 a few even get motivated and move to group 3.

 

Group 3, I'll call "Competitors" they are there to win, they have performance goals and expectations, they work hard to to meet their goals, and it shows, this group also has a lot of turnover, some burn out, some reach their goal and search for a new one somewhere else, some realize their goals are harder to reach than they thought and become discouraged, a few migrate to Group 1

 

 

 

I think that is a near perfect observation.  and should be in a book.  The nice thing is,  every  group could be just as fun as the others.  And everyone is still shooting.

[MikeBurgess]

29 minutes ago, JD45 said:

 

I think that is a near perfect observation.  and should be in a book.  The nice thing is,  every  group could be just as fun as the others.  And everyone is still shooting.

I left out 1 group, because I don't have a good name for it, they come to one or two matches and find out that, even though they thought they were good at shooting it turns out they actually suck like the rest of us, and their ego cant handle that reality and disappear never to be seen again. 

[TonytheTiger]

8 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

I left out 1 group, because I don't have a good name for it, they come to one or two matches and find out that, even though they thought they were good at shooting it turns out they actually suck like the rest of us, and their ego cant handle that reality and disappear never to be seen again. 

The name for that group is mil/leo.

[MikeBurgess]

Just now, TonytheTiger said:

The name for that group is mil/leo.

there are a few of those in that group, my experience with LEO is 99% that stay in the sport are good, M or GM level shooters, its rare for a LEO to be a long term competitor and be mid pack

[TonytheTiger]

Yeah the guys that stick around are great, but its been my observation that 9 in 10 never come back for a second match.

[shred]

Around here most of the people winning local matches are in the Group 1 "lifer" category.  Some of them are very good and could place top 16 at Nationals on a good day.

 

Probably because there aren't many people with the "rage to master" shooting plus have the rest of the resources it takes in time, money, health, family, age, facilities, etc to get very good fast enough in group 3.

 

I've also noticed lately there are more "non gun-guys" for lack of a better term.  They only have one or two guns and just shoot those, rather than a safe full of random guns and calibers.  Way back in the day it was a rare bird that only owned the pistols they competed with (funds allowing), so that's a good thing for broadening the appeal.

[davidb72]

This will be my 5th year as a match director (if we can ever actually have a match) and 7th year as a USPSA member.

 

 I was feeling burned out at the end of last year. Being a match director really ruined my ability to enjoy the matches and try to get better.

I had hoped to make M in at least one division, but the best I have done is A class (barely) in Limited.

The friendships and camaraderie are what keeps me going.

 

[Intheshaw1]

I just like hanging out with like minded people. I'm a hobbyist that shoots when able. Last year I shot every week, this year I'll be lucky to shoot once a month due to life.

 

At one point in my life I wanted to compete but that has taken a backseat to life. Maybe someday I'll get back at being serious but I just see shooting as another form of entertainment that competes for my time. 

 

I will say I shot a lot more 5-6 years ago and only a handful of those guys are still shooting, mainly the same retired guys.

[Sarge]

14 minutes ago, davidb72 said:

This will be my 5th year as a match director (if we can ever actually have a match) and 7th year as a USPSA member.

 

 I was feeling burned out at the end of last year. Being a match director really ruined my ability to enjoy the matches and try to get better.

I had hoped to make M in at least one division, but the best I have done is A class (barely) in Limited.

The friendships and camaraderie are what keeps me going.

 

David, I was going to bring up how Too much volunteering can lead to burnout. If one has an abundance of the volunteer spirit and can’t keep it in check it becomes un fun quickly

  

[124gr9mm]

4 hours ago, TonytheTiger said:

The name for that group is mil/leo.

 

I think that's an interesting observation.

I've noticed several times LEO's come around for a local/friendly match expecting that they'll automatically be one of "the best" simply because they carry a gun for the day job.  They don't realize that MOST of the regular match participants put far more rounds downrange per year than the average LEO.

 

I guess they don't come back for fear of being judged negatively, but almost everyone gets that there's a learning curve associated with new activities, so the judging doesn't start right away.  You typically have to suck for a while before you start to get "the look" ...

 

 

[mvmojo]

Knees give out, ankles give out, backs go bad, etc., physical reasons to limit/quit shooting IDPA and/or USPSA.  Not only are you slow(er) running the stage, it also makes it tough to handle scoring/pasting duties.  Fortunately, there's still Steel Challenge where minimal movement (Outer Limits) is needed and local Action Steel matches where you might have to move within the stage but you don't feel guilty sitting it out while others are pasting targets!

[broadside72]

3 hours ago, Sarge said:

David, I was going to bring up how Too much volunteering can lead to burnout. If one has an abundance of the volunteer spirit and can’t keep it in check it becomes un fun quickly

  

 

This I can agree with. There are 4 of us that are really running the Level 1 matches at my local range.  We are sacrificing our own shooting to create matches for everyone else to enjoy. It often feels thankless and overwhelming at times. We are trying to adjust our build schedules to give us more time to rest before match day, limiting how many of us are officiating on match day (and rotating each match when possible), and other things to limit burnout and the impact on our own performance. 

Getting more folks to volunteer has been hard but the range is working on changes to support increased volunteerism. For that I am grateful. 

[PGGUNS]

What an excellent thread.  So many different variables for everyone who gets involved in shooting.  I started a bit later in life then I would have liked, ( mid 50’s). At first thought it was a great and inexpensive way to have fun shooting. (Boy was I wrong about the $$, shooting open now and getting ready to reload and considering an infinity gun in the near future, lol).  So much for cheap!!..But the competitive juices really started to flow and at my age, I still have the ability to compete with some of the younger shooter, and am drivin by that.  So in a way, it keeps me young as most of the crew that are the regular shooters are younger.  Have always been super competitive and as I’ve gotten older, clearly harder to do but it’s what drives me.  Love when this “senior” beats the young bucks, lol.  Doesn’t hurt that it’s a total blast to shoot matches.  Definitely some of the most fun of any hobby I’ve been involved with.

 

At my age, much like sarge mentioned, don’t care to shoot in really crappy weather, mainly storms and 100+ degrees here in the Texas summers, so I pick my battles.  That said, keeping my expectations in check based on my level of participation is sometimes a challenge.  What has helped me so far stay in the game is having a buddy or two that I shoot with to keep me motivated.  Like others have always enjoyed golf but that had gotten so frustrating, shooting and golf seem to have so many parallels.  Funny because my shooting buddy is an ex pro golfer and with his help, I’ve become such a better golfer (and shooter) that now I have two “hobbies”.  Hard enough with just one.  I’m only in my full second year of shooting and really hope I make it to the 5 year mark.

[gnappi]

I'm a "burned out" ex player. I was one of the first 10 members in the So. Flo. Pistol Club (In 1987 then the So. Flo. pistol league) required to get USPSA club sanctioning. Politics, and arguments got me down and when a fellow charter member pulled (an empty) gun on another shooter and got arrested I stopped going. 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by gnappi

[MikeyScuba]

Your story is missing a whole lot of details.  Please feel free to fill in details, nothing that interesting ever happens up here.  As far as I know anyway.

[gnappi]

34 minutes ago, MikeyScuba said:

Your story is missing a whole lot of details.  Please feel free to fill in details, nothing that interesting ever happens up here.  As far as I know anyway.

Details? Maybe early to mid 1990's, South Florida Pistol Club, an argument, a pulled gun and pointed at a chest, and arrest. Assault with a deadly weapon. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by gnappi

[Joe4d]

On 5/21/2020 at 12:01 PM, TonytheTiger said:

Yeah the guys that stick around are great, but its been my observation that 9 in 10 never come back for a second match.

Thats funny, I was gonna suggest a similar name for group 4, the Tactical Timmy Operator/ LEO crowd... One match, never come back when they get smoked by a 12 yo,,

[IHAVEGAS]

Anybody have any success recovering from burn out?

[dfwmiket]

12 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

Anybody have any success recovering from burn out?

 

Well, hopefully will be able to answer that question within a month or two (weather/pandemic/funds permitting).  Shot last match in 2013, hadn't fired a round off since then until two months ago, by casually going to a new local indoor range just to see it.  Started feeling the "bug" again so built a PCC and started dryfire. We'll see how the thought translates to action very soon.  Do I expect to ever go back to shooting 7 matches a month? No.......  do I want to get out and see old friends and give this another go-- so far, yes.     

 

-Mike

[shred]

23 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

Anybody have any success recovering from burn out?

Go away for a while, hopefully before the burnout is complete.  Leave at "meh, I'm not sure I want to go to the match" rather than "eff - that shit, I have better things to do".

 

Come back when you feel like shooting again, preferably with friends.  Shoot something you haven't shot competitively before so you won't care about results or comparing to where you were. back in the day and can laugh about the noob mistakes you make.

 

[IHAVEGAS]

1 hour ago, shred said:

Come back when you feel like shooting again, preferably with friends.  Shoot something you haven't shot competitively before so you won't care about results or comparing to where you were. back in the day and can laugh about the noob mistakes you make.

 

I like that!

[RacerX1166]

It depends how you define 'success' and 'recover'.  I burned out 11 years ago from constant USPSA activity between April and October, yet not having a card with an M on it.

 

I tried to return last year, if only out of boredom, finding myself living in the flatlands.  A cracked slide on the used Open gun and a smith whose constant was moving out his commit date quashed that recovery.  After pulling the gun out of the safe to start this season, I discovered it's like a SEAL Team without an exfil vehicle...it can't extract worth a damn.  So, I'm teetering on burning out again, at the hands of a well-known gun builder.

 

But, were that not the case, I'd be shooting again and enjoying the non-hardcore attitude I promised myself I'd stick with.

[Intheshaw1]

1 hour ago, RacerX1166 said:

But, were that not the case, I'd be shooting again and enjoying the non-hardcore attitude I promised myself I'd stick with.

May try poor man's open in carry optics while you wait to get your gun fixed.

 

I've see caniks on sale with the dot for 650ish locally. I've almost been tempted to pick one up just to have.

[TANFARM]

Very interesting thread!!

I started USPSA at 60 years of age. I throughly enjoy every aspect of this sport except my old age limitations against 25 year old Bucks.

Starting late was a major disadvantage from a mental and physical point of view....just in time for my eyes to start going.

My wife and I have a rule we’ve lived by forever.....When it stops being fun...stop !!....

I believe it’s true...

[dogtired]

 

This is hard for humans to embrace.

 

I am burned out in other areas of my life, so why try to do it here...

 

I think this is my life motto regarding USPSA.  I realize I do not have the psychomotor skills to be a M or GM, that is an assessment of my place in life.  I have seen the performance of the highest level shooters and I do not have that focus or determination, I still am in awe of that skill set.  I shoot a different gun frequently because I want to master my gun safe, not an individual gun.  My daughters own guns and occasionally shoot, not because I want them to be top level USPSA shooters, but I want them to teach their sons and daughters how to shoot (if they marry some panty waist skinny jean wearing idiot).  I am a better gun handler because of this sport.  I enjoy it every time I do it.  I try to encourage women and youth participation when ever I can.

 

I have seen some of the high end shooters who cannot embrace the new shooters.  While that may be an individual choice, we do not have that luxury with the world today.  As a group, lets not discourage the inheritors of this sport.