USPSA shooting sports behavior

[chgofirefighter]

Curious is it me or is USPSA shooting sport filled with a bunch of ego’s, prima donnas, crybabies, the clique crew, wannabes, etc.?  It’s a small community and I’ve experience and seen my fair share of uncomfortable experiences to include losing what I thought were friends.  I often wonder if this is a local thing or does this happen elsewhere? 

 

I love the sport, but at times I question certain behaviors…   Thoughts on this subject? 

[SGT_Schultz]

Are you generalizing about the sport as a whole or are you talking about your small circle?

 

If it's the former, it's you.

 

If it's the latter, I have no idea.

Edited June 9, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[Brooke]

I have seen them all. Two things I do are USPSA and bass fishing. Both sports are really fun and competitive but draw a very diverse crowd. Differences in political opinions, socio-economic situations, education levels, and most of all treatment of others and religion . I've found  that keeping all my opinions to myself minimizes issues. It's hard sometimes when some nutcase is spouting what to me is nonsense but I figure everyone deserves a right to show their ass and it helps me to just let them dig a hole.

 

Figure out who you like and stick with them as much as you can. These sports are fun. Not all the participants are. I think that's true no matter what you do.

[RJH]

4 hours ago, chgofirefighter said:

Curious is it me or is USPSA shooting sport filled with a bunch of ego’s, prima donnas, crybabies, the clique crew, wannabes, etc.?   Thoughts on this subject? 

 

IDK about filled, but sure.  I may have even been accused of a couple of those a time or two myself, haha.  I think what happens is that sometimes there is a disconnect between "just for fun" shooters and highly competitive shooters.  The just for fun guys think that the highly competitive guys are being egotistical cry babies because they will argue a wrong call or bitch about an illegal stage, where the just for fun guys go don't worry about it.  And the competitive shooters put in a lot of work, following and knowing the rule book and when people don't take the as rule book serious as they do it aggravates them.  

 

 

3 hours ago, Brooke said:

 

 

Figure out who you like and stick with them as much as you can. These sports are fun. Not all the participants are. I think that's true no matter what you do.

 

 

This is the way to do it, and sometimes who you like changes.  I mellowed some over the years and now tend to find a squad mates that have done the same.  My main hope anymore is that they tape

[Hi-Power Jack]

5 hours ago, chgofirefighter said:

 

I love the sport, but at times I question certain behaviors…    

 

I am surprised that you have never noticed this diversity before ?

 

Never saw it in school, or at work ?

 

Differences of opinion seem to be everywhere, to me .   

[Sarge]

1 hour ago, RJH said:

 

  sometimes there is a disconnect between "just for fun" shooters and highly competitive shooters.  The just for fun guys think that the highly competitive guys are being egotistical cry babies because they will argue a wrong call or bitch about an illegal stage, where the just for fun guys go don't worry about it.  And the competitive shooters put in a lot of work, following and knowing the rule book and when people don't take the as rule book serious as they do it aggravates them.  

Ha! I guess I am an oddball! I shoot for fun and get a kick out of watching the “highly competitive “ crowd get so wrapped around the axle about their game.

HOWEVER, I am pretty knowledgeable about the rules and follow them religiously. I will certainly not accept bad calls and absolutely will “bitch” about an illegal stage. 

[Distant Thunder]

As Jack has alluded to, there are people in all walks of life, professions, schools who exhibit these behaviors. While I won't say they fill our society they are a presence. To me their behaviors stand out more because they are outside of the norm from my experience.

[louu]

That goes with any kind of competitive games/sport. I've raced motocross both bikes and quads for years. You think shooting people are bad they got nothing on moto people lol. 

 

But.. Really it depends on the person. 

 

The cool thing about shooting people is no matter how much of a douch you think they are, if you go and talk to them chances are you have a lot in common and will agree on more things than you disagree on. 

 

I always worry about witch side of this fence I'm perceived to be on and will check myself to never be on the arrogant side. I'll always help out new guys and give all the tips I can to the just for fun guys. I'll also talk a ton of s#!t (in a joking way) when I beat the serious guys. 

[rowdyb]

I see less people taping and helping because their ig video performance is more important. 

[Schutzenmeister]

Welcome to the human race ...

[B_RAD]

8 hours ago, chgofirefighter said:

Curious is it me or is USPSA shooting sport filled with a bunch of ego’s, prima donnas, crybabies, the clique crew, wannabes, etc.?  It’s a small community and I’ve experience and seen my fair share of uncomfortable experiences to include losing what I thought were friends.  I often wonder if this is a local thing or does this happen elsewhere? 

 

I love the sport, but at times I question certain behaviors…   Thoughts on this subject? 

Have you ever been around people before?

[chgofirefighter]

7 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

Are you generalizing about the sport as a whole or are you talking about your small circle?

 

If it's the former, it's you.

 

If it's the latter, I have no idea.

 

Referring to a small circle, and if you don't have a constructive comment to provide then don't be a douchebag~  

[chgofirefighter]

25 minutes ago, B_RAD said:

Have you ever been around people before?

I've been around real men and women to noticed the difference.  There's a unique lack cohesiveness of the sport, it's a sport not real life.  

[chgofirefighter]

6 hours ago, Brooke said:

I have seen them all. Two things I do are USPSA and bass fishing. Both sports are really fun and competitive but draw a very diverse crowd. Differences in political opinions, socio-economic situations, education levels, and most of all treatment of others and religion . I've found  that keeping all my opinions to myself minimizes issues. It's hard sometimes when some nutcase is spouting what to me is nonsense but I figure everyone deserves a right to show their ass and it helps me to just let them dig a hole.

 

Figure out who you like and stick with them as much as you can. These sports are fun. Not all the participants are. I think that's true no matter what you do.

 

 

True~  

[chgofirefighter]

1 hour ago, rowdyb said:

I see less people taping and helping because their ig video performance is more important. 

 

Ha, I've been guilty of that too~  

[chgofirefighter]

1 hour ago, louu said:

That goes with any kind of competitive games/sport. I've raced motocross both bikes and quads for years. You think shooting people are bad they got nothing on moto people lol. 

 

But.. Really it depends on the person. 

 

The cool thing about shooting people is no matter how much of a douch you think they are, if you go and talk to them chances are you have a lot in common and will agree on more things than you disagree on. 

 

I always worry about witch side of this fence I'm perceived to be on and will check myself to never be on the arrogant side. I'll always help out new guys and give all the tips I can to the just for fun guys. I'll also talk a ton of s#!t (in a joking way) when I beat the serious guys. 

 

In life people allow egos to get the best of them.  Not realizing that life is too short for that sort of none sense, it happens in sport, work, family, friends, etc...  Life is unique! 

[zzt]

Well, I must be lucky.  I shoot SCSA and USPSA at four clubs.  For the most part the shooters and ROs are pleasant and fun to be around.  Sure there are groups, including ethnic groups that like to shoot together, but they are not stand-offish.  In fact they are welcoming.  Of course there are rare exceptions.  We have one new RO who thinks he knows the rules perfectly and likes to challenge the calls of far more experienced ROs.  He has always been wrong.  Another thinks he is god's gift.

 

As far as helping out, everyone not handicapped does.  At every USPSA shoot you have to literally race down range if you want to paste a target.  With 15 man squads you always have at least ten people available to reset.

[Maximis228]

Being the biggest dick/ego/whatever you want to call me in the Chicagoland area... I would love to know who you have had run ins with. Ive personally never shot with you, but I have heard your name in some circles I shoot within.

[B_RAD]

37 minutes ago, chgofirefighter said:

 

Ha, I've been guilty of that too~  

So you could have been perceived as being egotistical or a wannabe?

 

My earlier question was just getting at that people are involved and given a large enough sample size and you’ll sure run into all the personality types you mentioned. 
 

Some may seem worse when you don’t know them. I’m sure some are flat out guilty of what you’re say but my experience has been the opposite. Most are easy going good folks. Judging folks on how they come across at a competition may not be the best environment to get a good feel for how they really are. 

[broadside72]

People are different. Find folks that are like you and get along with. Occasionally you have to squad with someone you don't like. Such is life. 

 

I want to improve my game but its not critical that I do, so I shoot for fun but with intent to do as well as possible. However, I am a stickler for the rules.

 

This is a game with rules and I treat it as such for competitive equity. The pros/semi-pros are treated the same as the folks doing it to get out of the house.  Sure, the rule Nazi's that complain about barely illegal stages are annoying, but they are not incorrect. However, for level 1 matches as long as the stage as equally illegal (though we strive for 100% compliance) for everyone throughout the day, then I am less concerned. Shooter actions and safety are never compromised however. 

So basically this game is no different than anything else in life. 

[EEH]

Well it’s like this, when I was young and entered a room or field of people I always wondered how many were going to like me. Now I wonder how many of you people I’m going to like. But back to the complaint I’m like zzt, must be shooting with a special crowd. 
just finished the South Carolina state match, although my match was cut short by twisted ankle again this year like last year I met and talked to some nice people.. find another sport.

[usmc1974]

Sure there is a lot of Primadonna Cry Baby a_-holes in this sport, but that can be said about any sport  there's also a lot of good people and I would say they outnumber the assholes10 to 1. I just do what so many others in this post have said.  I avoid them, find a group of people you like laughing, joking and shooting with. In Kansas I shoot with a lot of good people almost all of them, I say they got to be good people but they let me shoot with them. lol

Edited June 9, 2020 by usmc1974

[aandabooks]

The only people in this sport that truly annoy me are the ones who do not do their part of the work pasting and resetting.  This is normally fixed for the match with a little high volume reminding.  Of course, they normally go back to their same behavior at the next match.

 

The other ones are the people who don't seem to have a problem with walking on the stage when I'm doing my final walk through before I shoot. 

[usmc1974]

12 minutes ago, aandabooks said:

The only people in this sport that truly annoy me are the ones who do not do their part of the work pasting and resetting.  This is normally fixed for the match with a little high volume reminding.  Of course, they normally go back to their same behavior at the next match.

 

The other ones are the people who don't seem to have a problem with walking on the stage when I'm doing my final walk through before I shoot. 

Um hummm, Really?

[AverageJoeShooting]

31 minutes ago, aandabooks said:

The only people in this sport that truly annoy me are the ones who do not do their part of the work pasting and resetting.  This is normally fixed for the match with a little high volume reminding.  Of course, they normally go back to their same behavior at the next match.

 

The other ones are the people who don't seem to have a problem with walking on the stage when I'm doing my final walk through before I shoot. 

30 min stage walk throughs are the thing of the devil