Drift From "This Sucked" and "I Know the Answer"

[David Benzick]

First and foremost, thanks for the forums, Brian.  What a place to learn about all aspects of IPSC competition.

Thanks for the feedback on our match Shooter Grrl.  Yes our novice and "semi-sadistic" MD learned something from the event.  I made a point of joining him for dinner after the match to discuss these issues.  Your right on the mark when you say that hard is not always good.  I wish you had discussed with me the serious stage design flaw of the reach around targets during walk through.  First I heard of the problem was after the match when I can do nothing to help.  Being 5'11" I "overlooked" that serious design problem.

Thanks to these forums and feedback from ErikW and Shooter Grrl, here's the fix:  I will draw up guidelines for stage design and put into writing the kinds of problems which will be eliminated from stage design without regard to Match Director feelings.  The same guidelines will stress the importance of entertaining our competitors instead of trying to "trick", "get" or unduly stress them for the MD's sadistic pleasure.  Secondarily, there will be an annoucement at the beginning of walk thru asking any shooter who sees a stage design which unfairly disadvantages them to bring it up before the shooting starts.

Using the above strategy, a club officer ought to be able to meet the primary goal of entertaining and challenging the maximum number of shooters the facilities can handle while at the same time keep those who are volunteering their time and energy to design and construct stages coming back to help in the future.

Again, thanks for the forum.  The input is invaluable.  I hope to see you back at our club.