New Competitor Tomorrow

[dcbfluff]

I'm bringing a new competitor out to shoot at our club match tomorrow. Not a "New Shooter" since he has shot before, but this will be his first match, so he is a "New Competitor" (this is a Dave Thomas thing, and I agree with it: calling an experienced Law Enforcement Officer, Military member, or anyone with firearms skills a "New Shooter" just because they are new to our game is wrong) . A college student in an ROTC program, he has an interest in shooting and his parents put him onto me. Yesterday I took him to the range for a practice session (Range Commands, safety rules, gun handling) and ran into two other RO's from our club that were out there to practice, so he got a pretty good intro.

For me, this is one of the best things about this sport: sharing skills and knowledge with others that share your interest. Working with a new competitor, especially someone willing to listen and learn this is inherently rewarding, but I still get taken by the way people in this game reach out to each other. The other RO's were out there to practice, but they made time to teach.

This kid (young man) is going to his first match tomorrow night, but has already been drilled on range commands and safety, and got some pretty good shooting pointers as well from two RO's/shooters that took the time time to help him. Gotta love it.

[JimmyZip]

Good stuff. Your willingness to extend yourself is commendable sir.

Teaching these skills to such a person can only lead to a good thing. I truly mean this when I say God Bless You!

[kevin c]

Good stuff, introducing and/or mentoring new, ah, "competitors"

Let us know how he liked it...

[Nik Habicht]

Dan,

good job! I once spent four hours on the range with a friend of mine, getting him ready for his first USPSA match. He already knew how to shoot but his experience was limited to military ~35 years prior and indoor commercial ranges. I noticed during the match that he had a much easier time his first day than the usual new competitors who just show up, are safety checked and then have to learn on the fly....

[Rocket35]

Way to encourage a new shooter Dan. I am sure he will thank you....alot!

[Duane Thomas]

(this is a Dave Thomas thing, and I agree with it: calling an experienced Law Enforcement Officer, Military member, or anyone with firearms skills a "New Shooter" just because they are new to our game is wrong) .

I like that.

[Duane Thomas]

I once spent four hours on the range with a friend of mine, getting him ready for his first USPSA match.

You ANIMAL.

[dcbfluff]

Just got back from the Friday Night Fun Shoot with the new competitor: and yea, I think he's hooked. He shot safe, shot well, and had a great time. For sure the help that the other RO's gave him on Wed made difference (no confusion on his part about Range Commands or Saftey Rules). I had planned on having him share my wife's gun tonight (she's also pretty new at this), a G-17, the gun I had him practice with. When we got to the range to help set up (I'm trying to teach him everything) one of the other guys there said that he had a G-17 that he wouldn't be shooting tonight, so "here, use my gun so you don't have to share." I've seen this kind of thing before, the way the shooting crowd all try to help each other.

After the match, while talking to Match Director Charles Kibert and GM Shannon Smith (both former Army guys) this young ROTC student got to not only talk about shooting, but the Army (and his future) as well. I'm pretty happy with the way things went.

Tomorrow we'll go to a steel match, then Sunday a Sanctioned USPSA match.