How to tell if someone have potential in 10m air pistol?

[newto10mpistol]

I'm really curious about this as just had my first 10m air pistol experience (school event by local ISSF) this week.

Shooting is not the most popular sport in my country so they are trying to promote the sport and recruit in schools. It's just a short session (around 1.5 hours) for beginners who've never tried 10m air pistol. Personally, I have no prior knowledge about the sport apart from Yusef Dikec and Kim Yeji after they went viral in the Olympics. But I'm very interested to the sport as I've only played team sports before.

So after the introduction to the safety and technique, we had around 60 shots in total (10 shots each in 6 rounds, with some teaching in between) and all of my shots are on target. The instructor told me I have potential as I shot well as a first timer, and asked me like 3 times to apply for the practice classes in the future.

I don't know about the standards but I'm not delusional. To say I have potential for the sport just because I hit my shots is a little bit strange for me and I would like to know if they're trying to deceive me so that more people can join the sport.

Thank you in advance.

[Ramon OP]

Nobody can give you a guarantee. Start shooting because you are curious and want t advance a bit. See if you like it and, if you do, work hard for years to get to be the best you can.

[thirdwheel]

Well done and did you enjoy it? Well you have got as far as hunting out this site and asking questions so you it sounds as if you may have. Well if you got all 60 shots on the target card for the first time in picking up a target pistol - yes you are doing well, did your pals do the same bet they did not. Guess you may be in the UK as there is a schools programme running and in fact the national final is being shot on Friday. Shooting is about 30% raw natural ability and 70% hard work through training. Give it a go and see how it develops for you, and nah they are not going over the top encouraging you, very few beginners land all their shots on the card. Good luck!

[Rover]

It would be helpful if you included your location.

Perhaps he observed you holding your mouth right. Without that, nothing else matters.

https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.vHXjWgRHJ ... ImgDetMain


Just kidding. Ramon gave you the right answer. It's not whether you have ability,
it's just do you want to have fun.

[Bret P]

Every individual has potential in something, and you already know this.

Some of your friends will be better at maths, long distance running, geography, sprinting, science, swimming, lifting heavy stuff etc etc.

If you like a sport that's great, train in that sport, if you have a natural talent for that activity then you will go far.
Many people don't work on their natural talent, for example; they maybe the fastest runner but they don't like running. Others just don't try enough different things or worst still, they become fixed on one sport e.g. football and they get good at it but don't have a natural talent for it, so they will never make a good team or national squad.

I have a natural good aim and even at the age of 51, picked up a pistol on 6th September 24 and my PB is already 540. Trying to improve to a much higher ability etc.
But I have to train every day, I like the process and hopefully will be able to shoot at an international standard.

Natural talent is one thing, hunger to succeed is another and willingness to put in the hours is yet another.
You need all three to be of a high standard in anything, but can do alright with just two of those three. This applies to work, sport and most things in life.

If you like shooting go for it, if you want to, learn to enjoy the process.

I hope this is useful.
Good luck and take care
Bret

[atomicgale]

Perhaps he observed you holding your mouth right. Without that, nothing else matters.

Trust Rover; he knows!

[BrazosbyNemo]

I watched my daughter try out for her high school rifle team. Lots of kids tried out. She made the cut. I watched her get her butt whipped. In her defense it was, and is, a very good HS team. Though she was at the bottom on the team she did enjoy it. Any open practice she was there because she wanted to be and made sure we got her there. She slowly got better. By the time she was a senior in HS she set 6 national CMP records and was the best to have ever shot at her HS. Did she have some sort of natural talent? Maybe. Did she have the drive and desire to be the best? Absolutely. Did she have the desire to be the best when she started out? No she didn’t. She was just happy to survive and was having fun. She learned as she went that kicking butt was more fun than losing. After that she learned to be competitive and to win. There were kids on her team that started out better, much better. They did have natural talent. I honestly didn’t think my daughter would ever be better than them. I was wrong. She gained the desire and out worked them and demolished them. So natural talent is good. Enjoying it and putting in the hard work is the key. Not a month or two of hard work. Multiple years of hard work and unwavering desire is the key.