New shooter attendance enigma

[paul0731]

I wanted to compete in IDPA, and found one place an hour from me that hosted idpa matches, but on a day I couldn't attend. The uspsa matches were closer and on better days. So I shot uspsa and haven't looked back.

Edited March 11, 2010 by paul0731

[Mitch Harrington]

I wanted to compete in IDPA, and found one place an hour from me that hosted idpa matches, but on a day I couldn't attend. The uspsa matches were closer and on better days. So I shot uspsa and haven't looked back.

We are really lucky to have the number of USPSA matches available each month within 100 miles of us. Paul, do you really call what you do shooting?!?

[GISMap]

We don't have an IDPA group, but our USPSA group easily draws 15 new shooters a match and we have had 75+ shooters show up on our saturdays, we have practice on Monday nights and that draws many people that don't shoot saturdays.

[wurm]

My local IDPA club has been getting a pretty regular stream of new shooters since we got a new match director late last year. The new match director is a friendly guy who realllly seems to like teaching new shooters the ins and outs of IDPA and shooting in general. I'm assuming word of mouth is drawing at least some of these new guys in. I talk to the new guys and whenever USPSA comes up I hear from some of them that they think USPSA is all about expensive race guns. When they find out I shoot Production (when I get a chance) when I shoot USPSA and that it just takes a couple of extra mags they seem a bit surprised. Most of out IDPA shooters seem happy to shoot maybe once a week and our practices provide that for them.

[Sarge]

So a new shooter will come with their Glock or whatever, watch all the Open and Limited guys tear up a stage, while they stumble through it with their production gun. They leave thinking, I can't compete with these guys using my Glock, I'm going to go where everyone is using production guns.

That statement pretty much sums up the disconnect between the understanding of the two games. For the record,I shoot only USPSA (production, with a Glock) and really don't have an interest in IDPA.

Production shooters don't compete with anyone but production shooters for one thing. We all shoot together but a smart production shooter won't even think about how the other shooters in different divisions run the COF.

Also, give me those long COF's any day.

[John Z Sr]

Loads of great things said, bottom line is to get new shooters out, any of the games, make them feel welcome, encourage them, and share in their excitement as they get better and skills improve. Then maybe they will get another new shooter out with them, and all the games can grow

[Pezco]

All I know is the USPSA shooters in SW Ohio made me feel like part of the gang which has kept me coming back. Not to mention the competitive nature of the sport which aligns well with my personality.

[Sarge]

All I know is the USPSA shooters in SW Ohio made me feel like part of the gang which has kept me coming back. Not to mention the competitive nature of the sport which aligns well with my personality.

Likewise PEZCO. You are one of the first guys I ran into when I started at MRPC way back in..... 2009. It turns out most of the shooters around here are good people. I got alot of advice from you and many others that helped me get started and eventually lead to me getting in up to my eyeballs in this game. Thanks!

I have since given back to the sport by helping other new shooters get involved. Last month a new MRPC member wanted to give USPSA a try but had NO equipment other than a gun. I met him at the range and went over alot of stuff. He actually got to see things that we all take for granted like CR Speed belts and DOH holsters, etc. He was finally able to make the connection as to how it all worked. He has since bought a few items that will allow him to shoot a match soon.

[MTBfarms]

I remember when I first started shooting and wanted to go to a match of some sorts. The first thing that came to mind when I saw "USPSA" was open guns that I saw on TV. Then I saw IDPA, they all shoot what I'm shooting. (normal looking guns that don't cost that much) Obvious choice for me to shoot a since all I had was glock 19 and 3 mags. That is a ccw gun which is the intent of IDPA. Several years later I still shoot IDPA, but Love the high round count, fast pace of USPSA.

I did not know the difference between the sports when first starting. It just seemed like IDPA was the way to go for a nervous young guy wanting to try the shooting thing.

I do believe the "open guns" are intimidating at first. "I can't compete with that"

They will try our sport eventually and they will LOVE it.