How did you become a Match Director?

[ColoradoNick]

I'm not talking about starting a new club, but if someone was stepping down or lost interest how does your club handle it? Vote, 'Ol boys club, etc? 

[Joe4d]

LOL, I dont think you will find much competition..  Usually the one person that can be suckered into stepping up. Pretty much the same in most volunteer organizations

[dapribek]

Agree with Joe4d. 

[guns_and_labs]

How about keeping a list of those that complain about how the match is being run?

[caspian guy]

Anyone left in the club who can't stand to lose the matches. Thats who usually takes over.

[ColoradoNick]

Pretty dismal outlook on our sport.

[Tom Freeman]

Pretty much I was the only guy to step up and agree to run the matches.  That was the mid 90s.

 

My dumbass is still doing it.

[Tom Freeman]

Just now, ColoradoNick said:

Pretty dismal outlook on our sport.

 

It has always been like this.  Although the average age is match directors isnt getting any younger.

[OpenshooterMclass4lyfe]

With our club it’s whoever volunteers for the job.    When the last MD was in the position and I noticed he wasn’t really into it anymore I took over.   Then when I had had my fill of dealing with the board at my range I stepped down and another guy stepped up.  Seems like every 2 years or so we change MDs. 

[Mcfoto]

I became an ICORE MD last year when I was last to yell, “NOT IT!”

[Nathanb]

Volunteer and that was to keep the matches going. Trust me you won’t have people fighting for it 

[jpm2953]

i just volunteered to help out and next thing you know I was the MD. not sure how I got here.......

[perttime]

Our club has a few guys taking turns as MD. Generally, people with some RO and competition experience. And will to keep it going.

 

If you haven't yet, volunteer for any job in a Match organization. If you do your job, people will let you be an MD...

[ColoradoNick]

9 hours ago, perttime said:

Our club has a few guys taking turns as MD. Generally, people with some RO and competition experience. And will to keep it going.

 

If you haven't yet, volunteer for any job in a Match organization. If you do your job, people will let you be an MD...

Thanks for the response. I’m newer but I want to get more involved. Taking the RO class next month and we’ll see where it goes. I’ve been trying to run the timer or the pad as much as I can lately.

[Mcfoto]

46 minutes ago, ColoradoNick said:

Thanks for the response. I’m newer but I want to get more involved. Taking the RO class next month and we’ll see where it goes. I’ve been trying to run the timer or the pad as much as I can lately.

That’s a good start. There are plenty of other roles. For instance, putting the match into the pads, syncing them. Designing the stages. Pulling and setting up the props. Getting registration set up (pre-registration saves a lot of entry time on match day). All that and dealing with the host range are the MD’s responsibility, though can be delegated.

[Boomstick303]

Networking.  With the amount of interest you have shown in the sport, if you want to become an MD some day, a lot of it has to do with relationships and networking.  I am not sure how much you have interacted with your local MDs, but that is where to start.  Become a board member of one of the clubs in your area.  This will also increase your ability to network with other boards, and Board Presidents and the MDs in the area.  For out USPSA club I now step in for our current MD when he cannot direct a match do to his personal schedule, (attending matches out of the state, and other personal appointments).  I have a lot to learn, but every time I act as MD it helps me become a better one.  

 

Ask questions and pay attention.  You can learn a lot just by observing current MDs putting on matches and asking questions.  

 

Once you find yourself in the position, if you aspire to become a USPSA certified Match Director, keep a log of the matches you are an acting MD.  This log helps in many aspects, as it can be a tool to correct mistakes you made from prior matches, things you would like to work on, and things that can make for a better product for the end users, which are the shooters attending the match.  I am not sure if I want to go down the path of becoming a USPSA certified MD, but I keep a log just in case.  I mostly keep that log to create a better end product on my end, but if the day comes I want to get certified that log can go a long way, in helping someone working towards that goal.  

 

 

[Sarge]

1 minute ago, Boomstick303 said:

Networking.  With the amount of interest you have shown in the sport, if you want to become an MD some day, a lot of it has to do with relationships and networking.  I am not sure how much you have interacted with your local MDs, but that is where to start.  Become a board member of one of the clubs in your area.  This will also increase your ability to network with other boards, and Board Presidents and the MDs in the area.  For out USPSA club I now step in for our current MD when he cannot direct a match do to his personal schedule, (attending matches out of the state, and other personal appointments).  I have a lot to learn, but every time I act as MD it helps me become a better one.  

 

Ask questions and pay attention.  You can learn a lot just by observing current MDs putting on matches and asking questions.  

 

Once you find yourself in the position, if you aspire to become a USPSA certified Match Director, keep a log of the matches you are an acting MD.  This log helps in many aspects, as it can be a tool to correct mistakes you made from prior matches, things you would like to work on, and things that can make for a better product for the end users, which are the shooters attending the match.  I am not sure if I want to go down the path of becoming a USPSA certified MD, but I keep a log just in case.  I mostly keep that log to create a better end product on my end, but if the day comes I want to get certified that log can go a long way, in helping someone working towards that goal.  

 

 

What’s a certified MD?

[Boomstick303]

Just now, Sarge said:

What’s a certified MD?

 

From my understanding it is a process that you go through working with USPSA to become a certified Match Director.  

[Maximis228]

For me it started with stage design. The local MD was moving and the club was having a vote at the end of the season for a new eBoard (President, MD, and RM). I threw my name in the ring and ended up running MD for 5 years while continuing to help out after the next batch of motivated guys took over. 

 

To me... it comes down to "Be the change you want to see". Dont like slow matches... make them more efficient. Don't like the stages? Design your own and submit them. Dont like the props, build new ones and donate them to the club. There are tons of ways to get involved. I suggest starting with something that riles you up. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Maximis228

[Sarge]

3 minutes ago, Boomstick303 said:

 

From my understanding it is a process that you go through working with USPSA to become a certified Match Director.  

Sorry never heard of it at least in recent years. I’ve been an MD off and on for over 10 years including several level II and a level III. I think I remember hearing of an MD program way back in the day? Pretty sure there was an MD handbook but that was just to help get started

[Boomstick303]

3 minutes ago, Sarge said:

I think I remember hearing of an MD program way back in the day? Pretty sure there was an MD handbook but that was just to help get started

 

Over the last couple of years I have had two or three conversations about the program.  One of those conversations is where the Match Director log was hatched from.  To my understanding it still exists.  I could be wrong but due to the recent nature of those conversations I would say one still exists.  

 

I am pretty sure all of the USPSA certified ones have meetings to share ideas, and try to make things better as I recall that being one of the talking points of the discussions as well.  

 

I do not see anything on the USPSA.org website in regards to this, so you might have to contact NROI directly about it.  

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Boomstick303

[shred]

The most important thing an MD can do is train their replacement.

 

[perttime]

33 minutes ago, Mcfoto said:

That’s a good start. There are plenty of other roles. For instance, putting the match into the pads, syncing them. Designing the stages. Pulling and setting up the props. Getting registration set up (pre-registration saves a lot of entry time on match day). All that and dealing with the host range are the MD’s responsibility, though can be delegated.

Yes.

MD has the overall responsibility, so should have a clue about all the things that are needed to produce a good Match.

Also about who can handle the details of running the Match. So, getting some experience in running the details should gradually increase your understanding of what you need and who you need.

-----------------

I'm not in USPSA, but in IPSC you sometimes need to pay attention to the difference between Roles and Certifications. There's MD, RM, Stats Officer, Chief Range Officer, RO roles but there's also training and exams that get you a certification for the role/title. The certification might or might not match the role that you have in a particular Match.

 

[Tom Freeman]

22 hours ago, Boomstick303 said:

 

From my understanding it is a process that you go through working with USPSA to become a certified Match Director.  

 

Nope.  Not a real thing.

[Boomstick303]

It would seem I misspoke.  It is a Range Master Certification and not a Match Director Certification. 

 

As we age our memories suck.   

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Boomstick303