(almost) New Ro

[MI_Packer]

I'm new to the board and basically I found out about it in RO level 1 course last weekend. I had lurked a little beforehand but now I'm ready to ask questions.

I sent my final exam in for scoring already and I'm sure Gary has a pile of them to work through and grade.

My question is - how did you get started as an RO? I've got so many rules swirling in my head right now I'm a little hesitant to get started. My top home club official knows I took the course, should I rely on him to put me with a CRO to continue my training? Like it is my first match as a shooter?

[davidball]

1. Run as many shooters as you can at club matches with an experienced RO in the squad with you. Ask lots of questions.

2. Be as observant as you can of more experienced ROs. Learn from both their strengths and weaknesses. Ask lots of questions.

3. Volunteer to RO at some major matches. Tell the Range Master you are ready to RO and not CRO. Even ask to be put with someone the RM knows is a good CRO/RO so you can learn. Ask lots of questions.

There's nothing like experience. Get a lot of it.

Edited March 29, 2006 by davidball

[Waltermitty]

I'm new to the board and basically I found out about it in RO level 1 course last weekend. I had lurked a little beforehand but now I'm ready to ask questions.

I sent my final exam in for scoring already and I'm sure Gary has a pile of them to work through and grade.

My question is - how did you get started as an RO? I've got so many rules swirling in my head right now I'm a little hesitant to get started. My top home club official knows I took the course, should I rely on him to put me with a CRO to continue my training? Like it is my first match as a shooter?

I got started on one of those typical local club match days when it was time for the experienced RO to shoot and everyone else was busy or more reluctant than I was. I don't mind working and helping out and I don't mind the responsibility, so since that time, the only matches I don't work as an RO are major matches with assigned Stage crews. Or I show up somewhere where nobody knows me...

Congratulations on joining the worker caste, it can be a rocky road at times, but for those of us that feel that Service is an obligation and high calling, it can be very rewarding.

[kimel]

First off, welcome to the board and welcome to the RO Corps!

The best (only?) way to become a good RO is to run shooters. Lots of shooters. Run them at local matches, run them at every match you can. There is a danger in running the same people all the time in that you become a bit too comfortable. That is why running some folks you don't know at a bigger or more distant match can help keep you sharp. It also helps keep the "local interpretation of a rule" from being cast in your mind as the absolute fact.

You don't have to memorize every single rule in the book and be able to quote it chapter and verse. Know what the rules cover and when in doubt, refer to the book.

In 99% of the ROing situations you only will need to refer to 25% of the rules. Those involving proper scoring would be primary among those.

You will quickly become more and more comfortable with the rules and with running shooters. Spend some quality time with the rule book now and then (you will have to every year during the re-cert process) to make sure you are familiar with what is covered there.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

[encoreman]

Welcome M1 to both the forum and the R.O. job. I became an R.O. because I feel that you have to put back into the sport in order for it to grow. Sometimes it's a thankless job, but more than once I've had shooters especially at Area matches shake your hand and say thanks. Like above commented, run as many shooters as you can, be observant of the shooter and the gun. Be lucky and have good R.O./CRO to work with. BTW this forum is very helpful, don't be bashful, just ask away, that's how you learn. Mac

[MI_Packer]

I don't know what I was so nervous about.

Somehow my home club knew I passed and when I showed up on Saturday to help setup the stages I was welcomed by the same faces I shoot with.

On Sunday the CRO squaded up with me and put my scoresheet near the top. After I shot he handed me the timer and said it was time to RO.

I ran most of my squad through two stages and scored the other two stages.

The other RO's thanked me for becoming an RO and so did a couple of the shooters.

The weather was perfect and no bugs yet.

[Loves2Shoot]

Congrats and thanks for joining the ranks of those that give back to the sport by doing a generally thankless task

Edited April 24, 2006 by Loves2Shoot

[LPatterson]

Welcome to the board & the RO ranks. Be polite, be positive and do not let the shooter determine how you score hits. Forget the expression "I think", there are (almost) no perfect doubles but there are no tie goes to the runner. Every bullet will leave some sort of impression on the cardboard, usually the hole will not be perfectly round. The bullet only has to touch the perf it does not have to break it and the bullet is actually bigger than the hole it leaves.

[ima45dv8]

Unless they are brand-new and really are "walking" through the exercise, most shooters will commit DQ-type acts faster than you can stop them. But even if you could yell STOP at the instant they commit the unsafe act, sometimes it's better not to. If it's real quick it's sometimes is better to wait until they are done pointing their gun past the 180, or pointing it at themselves. You have to decide quickly about whether you want to startle someone at that exact moment.

Use the warnings "Finger!" and "Muzzle!" to help the shooter stay safe.

Watch the gun and the shooter, and don't be afraid to use your peripheral vision.

When the last shooting position is a port, get the timer up in your vision so you can see whether the last shot was recorded.

Call 'em like you see 'em, but be 100% of what you see before you ring someone up with a penalty or a DQ. If you're not absolutely certain, but have a good suspicion, you may or may not decide to take them off to the side and gently explain your concern. If you do, most shooters will take it as helpful and well-intended. A very few will go away calling you a Range Nazi behind your back. That's their problem -- not your's.

When (not if) you have to let someone know they just DQ'd themselves, (I've never DQ'd anyone -- I'm just there to make the announcement and process the paperwork), consider "I'm sorry, but...." as being the first thing out of your mouth after the gun is cleared. It's not a fun thing tell someone and if it's hard for you, that's good.

If you ever find you don't feel bad when some DQ's themselves, think hard about whether you should be RO'ing.

Have fun and be alert.

Be prepared to start thanking ROs with handshakes and smiles at other matches because you've developed a reflexive sympathy for how difficult a job it can be.

Edited April 25, 2006 by ima45dv8

[Nik Habicht]

1. Be willing to continue to learn.

2. Realize you'll make mistakes --- accept that, and learn from them when they happen. It's only a problem, if you keep on making the same mistake.

3.) Touching on what Mark said about the speed at which people DQ --- in the early months, my mantra when I picked up the timer was: "Stop, the word is Stop." That will keep you form saying any one of a 100 other things.....

[BDH]

MI_Packer, first, ditto the welcome to the RO Corps! Lots of good comments from many people already, but if I may...

Read and practice the Range Officer's Creed (under What is IROA -> RO Creed).

Read and practice the How To Be a Better Range Officer.

Pay attention to this forum, the Range Officials section of the USPSA Forums, and the Rules section of the IPSC Global Village.

As several have already said, be willing to continue to learn. Also, one of the best pieces of advice I ever got was 'if you think that something unsafe is happening, or about to happen, STOP THE SHOOTER, and then sort it out'. That way, the worst thing that will happen is that you offer them a re-shoot if you are wrong. OTOH, if you let them proceed, you may have a real problem (see point #1 and #2 in the RO Creed).

Don't be afraid to ask a more seasoned official for advice on a call. I had an RO approach me recently with a question and while I was pretty sure I knew the answer off the top of my head, I took the time to look up the rule, and then gave it to him to apply and explain to the competitor.

Finally, I would encourage you to apply to work either an Area or Nationals match. While there are certainly some great local RO's that just can't make the big matches (or they are there shooting them as opposed to working them), the big matches usually pull not only experienced range staff, but range staff that are trying to help teach younger staff. It's great experience, and normally a lot of fun!

Edited April 25, 2006 by BDH

[richardschennberg]

BTW, you should never have to do a solo DQ unless you are the Match Director (MD).

If and when you first observe a safety violation as an RO, stop the shooter and have him unload and show clear. Have someone get the Range Master (RM) or the MD (for most small matches with no RMs). Tell the RM or MD exactly what happened and let him confirm that it is a DQ before you have to tell the shooter. Unless the individual has deliberatly disobeyed instructions or repeatedly violated safety rules, invite them back.

Richard

Schennberg.com

[sargenv]

It's kind of weird how things pop into my head. I was RO'ing our sectional match this weekend when I remembered this question on the board here. I think the reason I initially wanted to take the RO class was at a charity match where I was helping out. I volunteered to RO and came to a point where I didn't know the correct rules. It was right then that I wanted more training. Later after I was already an RO, I started helping out designing stages for matches and wanted more experience in doing so. That's when I decided I wanted to go to the next level and become a CRO. At the time there were no classes for the CRO, so I took the class via correspondance. I'm going to retake the CRO class locally when it is offered in July so I can get a bit more input.

I was working my own stage at the section match (one that I designed) and it was evident to me that it was at least a sectional or even regional class course of fire since I found that higher level shooters seemed to have issues with some target presentations. It wasn't anything long range, on the contrary, the longest shots were 15 yard swingers coming from behind a barricade. There were 2 instances where strong hand/weak hand were nearly neccesary but there were handles available for use. I still found that people had problems with the stage. There was a good amount of hard cover and most of the shooters had the most problem with "stripe" targets (aka skunk targets, the ones with most of the C and D zone blacked out). These targets were under 10 yards away but people still had issues with them.

Something that was pointed out to me after the fact was that it was left handed friendly in the way it progressed.

Overall, I got plenty of positive and negative comments. That tells me that some of ths shooters needed more practice and less of the "hoser" stages. Others liked the challenges that I presented.

Vince