What Motivates You To Attend (and Return To) A Match?

[EricW]

What are the features that motivate you to attend a match? What movivates you to drive several hours each way to go a particular match over shooting at a closer venue?

- Fun crowd

- High Round Count

- Extras like food, drinks

- Prizes?

- Challenge - i.e. tough shots, challenging props.

- Discipline that is not available elsewhere (i.e. Action Pistol, IDPA...)

- other?

[Jake Di Vita]

Challenge and Competition.

[Shawn Knight]

The fun of shooting, and the cool(if sometimes crazy) people you meet.

[shred]

for "local" matches (under 2.5 hour drive), the biggies are

* "good" stages (yeah, I know)

* good people

other pluses:

+ scores at the range after the match

+ nice range

+ competition

+ people I don't see often

[P.E. Kelley]

A action shooting match that is well organized with clear unambigious walkthrough instructions, timers, paint, pens, clipboards etc. ready to go on each stage.

Squadmates that don't "need" to be cajoled to work.

You will find me at most any disipline that fits "well organized" that falls on my days off.

Patrick

[short_round]

Good People ... if a match/club has this, the rest seems to work itself out.

[Ray_Z]

Camradary (Don't think I spelled that one right) and competition, in that order.

I've never meet a better bunch of guys. A new shooter is always welcome and at lease one of the other shooters on that squad will take him under his wing. Nobody likes to try something new with other people around. When I tell potential shooters that they will be welomed and other shooters will go out of their way to help them, they always give me that funny look like "Yea, right". But after the newbie's first match they always come and tell me that I was right.

Under usual circomstances I can't hit s^&t with a shovel if someone thrugh it at me. But it's nice to see how well I did when the results come out.

[zhunter]

My "local" match is 30 minutes away, but I DON'T shoot there.

Reasons:

Unreasonable range "Nazi's"

match often does not start on time

competition in my division, Limited is not that great

Scores take several days to be sent out, if not a week.

I drive 2 hours to Malabar:

Great Stages

VERY good competition, I get my butt kicked EVERY time

Helpful shooters that try to give me pointers, Thanks PaulW and Dirtypool

GREAT turnout, lots of shooters everytime.

Squad members score, tape and move along quickly

scores are e-mailed BEFORE I can even get back home

And..... Sonny's BBQ after the match

I also drive to Sunrise, 1 1/2 hours drive, same reasons as Malabar, sans Sonny's

Just my thoughts, your's may vary

[Smokey]

Good People ... if a match/club has this, the rest seems to work itself out.

+1

Starting with good people, everything seems to fall into place.

[AustinMike]

I like going to matches primarily because they are a hell of a lot more fun and interesting than going to a regular target range and standing there shooting slowly at a bullseye (most target ranges have the one shot per second rule)! I'll go well out of my way to shoot a match, usually a good hour to hour and a half drive for most. Good people and fun stages will keep me coming back. This is a volunteer sport, so I want to go to matches where everybody pitches in and helps move the match along. I like a reasonably high round count. It is kind of a letdown to spend the better part of day at a match and only getting to shoot 100 rounds or less! Scores aren't a big deal to me, I can wait to see them whenever, but I'm not a real competive person. I'm curious to see where I rank, but that's about it.

[XD Niner]

For me it is:

1. Friendly, knowledgeable and helpful people.

2. A well organized match that starts on time and proceeds smoothly. One match I shoot every month always starts an hour late so I factor that into my schedule. The other always starts within five minutes of the schedule and I much prefer that.

3. Challenging stages.

4. Strong competion in my division. One of the best ways to improve is to watch and compete against shooters who are better than you and are in the same or similar divisions.

5. A culuture of peer pressure that strongly encourages all to help out with the routine chores such as setup, pasting, scoring and tear down. I know of several people at matches that don't pitch in and do their part. I make sure to avoid signing up for the same squad they are on.

6. Match results that are posted that afternoon or evening.

7. Finally, the most important criteria is how I feel after the match. I almost always had a great time and look forward to more fun the next month.

[EricW]

Thanks all! Keep 'em coming.

One of the things I want to do is have hot coffee and Krispy Kremes (bagels, fruit, etc.) on the range so that people who are farther out can just jump in the buggy and know that there's a snack waiting on the other end. A cooler full of iced down bottled water during the hot months.

I'm also wondering about the round count necessary to draw M's and GM's from distant corners. I'm planning 6 stages of steel initially for the steel match I'm starting up. But I'm wondering if 8 stages would be more attractive to getting the hot rocks to get in the car and drive 2 hours.

Is there a round count or stage count threshold for most people. I hate to admit it, but there is for me. I've passed on more than one match because it was a six plus hour drive for only one day of shooting.

[shred]

Are we talking "big" match, or monthly local match? Bigger matches get more rolled into the equation--

- schedule (can get there and back in a weekend or do I need to take vacation? Will I be at the range all day? Can I do it in one day?)

- distance (just how long am I going to be sitting in the car? Is anybody else from around here going so we can carpool?)

- shooting value (rounds, challenge, skill, quality, ...)

- cool stuff to do when not shooting (why I go to international matches)

- who else is going (competition, friends, ...)

- cost ($20? $50? or $100+?)

- awards (if I'm dropping $50+ on entry fees, it would be nice to get more than a $1 ribbon if I do well)

- unknowns (if it's not IPSC, I'd better know what I'm going to get)

These factors weigh against each other some, but around here 6 stages/150 rds is a large club match. To get people to drive further than ~3 hours and/or stay overnight would probably take either amazingly good stage designs or 8+ stages/200+ rounds. Steel matches tend to draw less shooters just due to the 'unknown' factor and the 'I can't shoot steel" meme some people are stuck with.

Breakfast food is OK, but I don't rely on it-- seems like they always run out or have food I'm not hungry for-- I'd rather get my own on the way.

[EricW]

OK. Right now:

- Local Monthly match

- 150 to 200 rounds (current plan 150, may go to 200 if it brings the M's and G's)

- Match Fee Tentatively $15

- Match rolled up and put away by 2:30 pm - leaving enough time to drive home even if you're far and still have time left in the evening.

[MarkCO]

What are the features that motivate you to attend a match? What movivates you to drive several hours each way to go a particular match over shooting at a closer venue?

- Fun crowd

- High Round Count

- Extras like food, drinks

- Prizes?

- Challenge - i.e. tough shots, challenging props.

- Discipline that is not available elsewhere (i.e. Action Pistol, IDPA...)

- other?

One biggie for me on a match like you are talking is start and finish times being conducive to travel. PEOPLE putting on the match are a biggie. The ROs must know what they are doing and have done it before, strict, but fair. GOOD prompt communication re questions, area amenities, etc. High round count, over 150, is a positive, but I really like more challenging stages with at least 2, if not 3 or 4 ways to complete the course that are fairly close in times overall. Like a stage with 4 ports, and 1 or two can be skipped, if you can make the long hard shots, or with speed, can be hosed. Prizes don't make much difference to me really. An excellent trophy match for $50 is better than a bad prize table match for $200. Picking a weekend that does not compete with any other decent matches.

[vluc]

I like to shoot. Time permitting, that's what I do. Not all stages will be challenging, not all cof's will be well constructed, not all people will be pleasant, not all RO's will be capable, but that's a part of it. By myself or with my shooting partners, I like to shoot.

If I let little things bother me, enough of them are out there that you would just not go.

Edited July 31, 2006 by vluc

[joseywales]

What are the features that motivate you to attend a match? What movivates you to drive several hours each way to go a particular match over shooting at a closer venue?

- Fun crowd

- High Round Count

- Extras like food, drinks

- Prizes?

- Challenge - i.e. tough shots, challenging props.

- Discipline that is not available elsewhere (i.e. Action Pistol, IDPA...)

- other?

-Challenging & fun stages (lots of movement, moving props, multiple options on how to navigate the COF, with a balance of near/far, no-shoots, hardcover, and steel targets. I really enjoy the stages that test a variety of shooting skills).

-The crowd (friendly, fair-minded, fun to be around [can take a ribbing & dish one back out], and instructive [when solicited, gladly educates the less experienced shooter on stage tactics]).

-Round count (higher is better, as long as it doen't detract from the challenge, e.g., a COF with 15 targets @ 3yds that is there just to 'up' the round count detracts somewhat from the challenge).

-Prizes, food, drinks (not a factor).

[Flexmoney]

EricW,

I think you are going the wrong way on the round count for a monthly match.

For a Major, I want 200+ rounds. For a monthly, I don't want to have to load/buy 250-300 rounds (reshoots/mikes). It gets to be too much. 100-125 is plenty. Just make use of them in quality stages.

Now, more stages are often fine...if you have the resources to build them (and I mostly mean human resources).

What I would be more concerned about is squad size. That dictates the timing of your match.

[9x23]

I just look for one thing, GOOD COMPETITION.

I want to shoot with and learn from good shooters

in my quest to be the best I can become. I am

fortunate that my club is within 2+ hours and

has great competition plus great friends with

all the other bonuses. It has been like that for

over 20 years.

[mscott]

I like to shoot a lot of bullets, but in real life 150 rounds for a monthly match on about 6 stages would be plenty. I am more interested in a 22 round course you have to really think about than 32 round hoser stages. One thing I hate is getting backed up. I like to see one or 2 people from the next squad shoot, but not the whole squad. I also look forward to interesting targets like swingers and texas stars.

[38superman]

I've travel more than 600 miles (one way) twice this year and will do so again for nationals.

The first was to the Fla Open, and the second was to Mi. Targeting Education.

I went to Fla because it was the first major of the year and I love visiting the area because there is so much to see and do beyond the range.

I went to Mi. because I needed the match for the point series and because it is fun to shoot with a different crowd and meet new people from time to time.

Always fun to get the "who is this guy?" looks from the locals.

Tls

[LPatterson]

Eric,

Since any match is a 3 hour minimum drive, I prefer a match in the 6 stage 150 round stage. What would be nice is for more people to show up for setup because even 6 stages gets to be a bit much for the same 4-6 people every month.

Montana & Wyoming share the same problems in that 50,000 people is a big population center so matchs draw from the outlaying areas where people are driving 2-3 hours to get to a match and aren't available for setup.

I don't think food is an incentive/requirement though 1 club has coffee & donuts or HOME BAKED COOKIES (Thanks Carrie). What is nice is when the shooters stay to help with the tear down instead of doing a shoot & scoot. It is nice when a 4-5 hour setup job can be torn down & put away in an hour with help. I may add this to my signature:

"If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem."

[Shooter Grrl]

I'll go anywhere once

What makes me go back is legal course designs and range officials that don't appear to be making up commands on the fly!

[smokshwn]

Eric to echo some comments already made.

120-150 rds of quality stages is plenty for a monthly match.

Good competition or at least the air of competition. Not everyone has to be cutthroat, however we at least need to acknowledge that a very large part of this sport is based on being competitive. I know there are plenty of folks who just shoot for enjoyment and I applaud them, but I hate the "oh that's ok its only a local match" attitude. I like being able to use the local matches as AAA practice for the bigger matches I travel too.

Good organization and squad balance. One club I shoot with usually only draws two squads. One group of "buddies" all get together on one squad and the other squad gets hosed with the task of taking on all the newer/first time shooters. Squad #1 finishes in 3-3.5 hrs and Squad #2 take at least an hour or more longer. No fun. (no disrespect to new shooters just suggesting to spread the work around evenly)

Good Match organization. Prompt start times, and predictable end times. This helps tremendously with travel planning and honey do completion time. I should never have to plan to be an hour late simply because I know the match does not start on time.

Challenge my shooting skills. Even through the occasional whining I like the opportunity to practice difficult skills in a match atmosphere.

Food or goodies is not an enticement for me as I usually take care of myself.

Good luck, Craig

Edited August 2, 2006 by smokshwn

[EricW]

Just got off the phone...apparently having a match that isn't a total clusterf*** is a major draw for a lot of people. So maybe I can stick with 150 rounds and a side match if there's time.

This will be a steel match primarily, so I think that avoiding a total cluster shouldn't be too tough. I'm stealing shamelessly from a neighboring club's system. The clipboards have built in calculators. The stage times will all be tabulated by the RO's during the match, so all that's left is to dump stage times into a spreadsheet and send out the email.

At the risk of my life and the safety of my vehicle, I may have a flash back to the days of Speed Steel Past....where the stop plate was a soda can size plate at 40 to 50 yards.

I'm also going to do some fusion stages where we will have a 5 plate steel challenge course with walls, barricades, and movement. If nothing else, it will be interesting. I hope people like the format and come back for more.