Novice Classification

[glock172630]

Gentlemen and Ladies,

There has arisen a difference of opinion at a local club about the existance of a Novice class. One person says he cant find any mention of it in the rule book, and therefore it doesnt exist, and therefore anyone who shoots less than marksman in the classifier remains "Unclassified.

Another disagrees, saying that it is a "generally accepted" class, and that the lowest common denominator these days is so low that we should accept that anyone who shoots less than Marksman but completes the classifier should have SOME kind of classification, rather than EXCLUDING them from the game, per se.

Comments?

Guidance from MD's or HQ?

Thank you,

Glock172630

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Appendix 8E lists the classifications and the scores needed to obtain those levels of classification. Novice was left out of the current rule book.

Only mention of Novice is under Sanctioned match which loosely states a MD may or may not allow a Novice to shoot a sanctioned match.

If I were a MD at a local club (I think I still am ) I work with those not able to make MM class if they want so they can improve their skills to that point. We also still include Novice in our results since there was a class for it and some never go up from there.

[AikiDale]

Opinion: If it is not in the rule book it does not exist as an IDPA classification. However, if it is felt, by a local club, the designation 'unclassified' will lower a new shooters self esteem and be detrimental to his personal growth and that this situation may be ameliorated by referring to him as 'novice', then, by all means, please....for the sake of the children, use the term novice.

eta big grin. That sounded a little harsher than I intended....

Edited August 10, 2008 by AikiDale

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Opinion: If it is not in the rule book it does not exist as an IDPA classification.

Although I agree with this, what about the local shooters that have a signed card from the old rule book giving them the Novice Classification? They are still paying members but don't play the game enough to develop better skills. Do we change their class now that it is no longer listed?

Gary

[ChuckS]

Opinion: If it is not in the rule book it does not exist as an IDPA classification.

Although I agree with this, what about the local shooters that have a signed card from the old rule book giving them the Novice Classification? They are still paying members but don't play the game enough to develop better skills. Do we change their class now that it is no longer listed?

Gary

Hi there

The rule book says

"7. Obtain a valid classification and maintain it by shooting the

classifier at least once every twelve (12) months (except master

class shooters)."

This pretty well covers their old classification.

Later,

Chuck

PS: Things change

[AikiDale]

Opinion: If it is not in the rule book it does not exist as an IDPA classification.

Although I agree with this, what about the local shooters that have a signed card from the old rule book giving them the Novice Classification? They are still paying members but don't play the game enough to develop better skills. Do we change their class now that it is no longer listed?

Gary

Yep. Like ChuckS said, things change. Novice becomes unclassified. "A rose by any other name...."

[Jane]

Depends on what "mention" means.

While not listed in the classification tables, the word "Novice" is used on page 1:

"Shooters are then classed by like-skill levels with progression from Novice (NV); to Marksman (MM); to Sharpshooter (SS); to Expert (EX); and, finally, to Master (MA)"

from which one could infer that the skill level not adequate for Marksman is called "Novice".

As someone noted earlier in this thread, the word also appears on page 63:

"MDs may approve novice class shooters to participate in the sanctioned match. This is not mandatory."

Also, on the website where IDPA club contacts keep track of shooter classifications NV is one of the options:

[RobMoore]

I always (in the two years I've competed ) took Novice to mean someone whose classifier score was not good enough to make marksman, even though the current rulebook doesn't list it as + XXX.XX for each classification.

ETA:....and unclassified was someone who has not shot the classifier for that division.

Edited August 10, 2008 by RobMoore