The Nationals, it is more than just Score!
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:24 am
The Nationals, its more than just score
Many of us may try to deny the truth that in the end, shooting is as much about the interaction with people as it is about our weapons. Most of us tend to be introverts and enjoy our quiet time, our time dry firing in solitude. But this does eventually give way to matches and competitions and hence interactions with other human beings. Some of our social status is dependent on our scores with the top scores receiving some level of reverence. And our egos get a boost from a good score.
This year, the USAS Nationals afforded me an opportunity to enjoy a wide range of interactions with a broad spectrum of attendees. I was helping a few first timers, got to know a few of the officials, saw some old friends, and interacted with team members. Each group has their own interesting to perspectives on the event.
First timers:
Nothing makes you feel more important than helping shooters attending the nationals for the first time. It started at our local PTOs where we reviewed the less than obvious rules for blinders and shoes. For those of us who regularly attend the Nationals and are Target Talka addicts, these rule changes were discussed frequently, hence old news. But I did have a few confused looks when I explained that those shoes would be OK for my little PTO, but at the Nationals we want to see your ankles.
Everyone made it through equipment check with few difficulties, just some slight trigger adjustments. I have to get myself some triggers weights for the local matches!
Everyone was set with the squading for the first day of men’s AP. Draws were random and on the bulletin board for two days. Now the second day was just a bit more of a trick. The firing points were redrawn based on the first day’s results. I managed to track down Keith at his motel to let him know his performance was good enough to make the second relay with the other top performers.
“No, I shot on the first relay today” said Keith with a puzzled look.
“Yes, I know but tomorrow you can sleep in, your starting time is at eleven on point #13.” I explained.
“Geez, how was I supposed to know that they would redraw the starting points?” asked Keith.
“That is what friends are for!” was my reply. I think I lost more than a few minutes sleep worrying that perhaps I was not 100% correct.
Another important activity was getting the first timers introduced to other regular competitors, some of the team members, coaches and officials. I remember one comment from a team member that they enjoyed meeting and talking with shooters, but when getting ready to shoot the match, that was when they needed time to prepare for the match.
A big part of the Nationals is getting together with good people from year to year and so first timers needed to be introduced to some of the regulars and to the team members. Dinners and the afternoons are nicer when you can break bread and converse with other shooters.
Roommates
Only a few can afford to travel to the Nationals, buy meals for the week and afford a room by themselves. Roommates help financially and can also be a good support system. Steve probably had the best roommate, his wife Leslie. I suspect she found the constant conversations about shooting a burden but knew to expect them.
Steve first introduced us in the usual way: “Pete, this is my wife Leslie”
I offered up my condolences to her; “My condolences to you, I am so sorry to hear that.”
Steve stood there puzzled and was actually momentarily speechless. Leslie got a big grin, said “Thank You” and laughed in total comprehension of what I had said and why the condolences (beig married to Steve).
My wife is very supportive of my shooting but has never attended a match with me in our twenty-one years of marriage and has no intentions of changing that tradition. So the next best thing is to find a roommate like Doug.
We only live about ten miles apart but drove separately in part because Doug wanted the freedom and because I had business to take care of on the drive down. I was the “expert” on Columbus. That myth was proven false the first time Doug tried to follow me to a particular restaurant and I got us promptly lost. But Doug was unfazed and remained so for the week. Doug also found many a local point of interest like the infantry museum to visit that I had not considered.
One of the benefits of a roommate is the support you share. Doug and I were discussing our pistols, grips, and other equipment. Doug showed a problem he was having getting his finger on the trigger of his free pistol. After a little discussion the idea was to extend the trigger out and back to the point he could easily reach the trigger without having to stretch his trigger finger. The trigger adjustment was already fully to the rear.
Good old ingenuity paid off. We got all the necessary gunsmith equipment locally such as a paper clip from the motel’s front desk and a pair of pliers in the form of my multi-tool. I went out to diner, Doug was full enough from lunch at Fort Mitchell barbeque that he stayed behind to play gunsmith. By the time I returned, he had a trigger extension by wrapping the paper clip around the trigger shoe and fifty more points the second of FP competition.
Doug did snore a bit, and that is why ear plugs were invented. But Doug did leave the lights on for me when I was out having a beer with the volunteer officials and some of the other competitors.
Other Perspectives
The volunteer officials did provide a third perspective on the Nationals. Some have been doing this or twenty years and prefer this range because that range is boring, the other range is too long, or you are a glorified time keeper on the other range. Of course, the rules are critical to them, but so are range setup and operation and conduct of the match. They have favorite shooters and all know the “hotheads.”
The second perspective is the USAS perspective, and that seems to be just numbers and scores; unfortunately. Now it is possible to bring up topics at the membership meeting and a few people did. More competitors should rather than wasting bandwidth Target Talk.
Bob Mitchell all but said “NO” concerning modifying the Nationals format to a shorter schedule last year at the membership meeting. But this year USAS presented a short schedule for next year. Maybe somebody is listening!
I plan on returning next year to Fort Benning. My goal is to show improvement in my scores, but I also have a goal to enjoy the experience and remain positive again next year at the Nationals.
Many of us may try to deny the truth that in the end, shooting is as much about the interaction with people as it is about our weapons. Most of us tend to be introverts and enjoy our quiet time, our time dry firing in solitude. But this does eventually give way to matches and competitions and hence interactions with other human beings. Some of our social status is dependent on our scores with the top scores receiving some level of reverence. And our egos get a boost from a good score.
This year, the USAS Nationals afforded me an opportunity to enjoy a wide range of interactions with a broad spectrum of attendees. I was helping a few first timers, got to know a few of the officials, saw some old friends, and interacted with team members. Each group has their own interesting to perspectives on the event.
First timers:
Nothing makes you feel more important than helping shooters attending the nationals for the first time. It started at our local PTOs where we reviewed the less than obvious rules for blinders and shoes. For those of us who regularly attend the Nationals and are Target Talka addicts, these rule changes were discussed frequently, hence old news. But I did have a few confused looks when I explained that those shoes would be OK for my little PTO, but at the Nationals we want to see your ankles.
Everyone made it through equipment check with few difficulties, just some slight trigger adjustments. I have to get myself some triggers weights for the local matches!
Everyone was set with the squading for the first day of men’s AP. Draws were random and on the bulletin board for two days. Now the second day was just a bit more of a trick. The firing points were redrawn based on the first day’s results. I managed to track down Keith at his motel to let him know his performance was good enough to make the second relay with the other top performers.
“No, I shot on the first relay today” said Keith with a puzzled look.
“Yes, I know but tomorrow you can sleep in, your starting time is at eleven on point #13.” I explained.
“Geez, how was I supposed to know that they would redraw the starting points?” asked Keith.
“That is what friends are for!” was my reply. I think I lost more than a few minutes sleep worrying that perhaps I was not 100% correct.
Another important activity was getting the first timers introduced to other regular competitors, some of the team members, coaches and officials. I remember one comment from a team member that they enjoyed meeting and talking with shooters, but when getting ready to shoot the match, that was when they needed time to prepare for the match.
A big part of the Nationals is getting together with good people from year to year and so first timers needed to be introduced to some of the regulars and to the team members. Dinners and the afternoons are nicer when you can break bread and converse with other shooters.
Roommates
Only a few can afford to travel to the Nationals, buy meals for the week and afford a room by themselves. Roommates help financially and can also be a good support system. Steve probably had the best roommate, his wife Leslie. I suspect she found the constant conversations about shooting a burden but knew to expect them.
Steve first introduced us in the usual way: “Pete, this is my wife Leslie”
I offered up my condolences to her; “My condolences to you, I am so sorry to hear that.”
Steve stood there puzzled and was actually momentarily speechless. Leslie got a big grin, said “Thank You” and laughed in total comprehension of what I had said and why the condolences (beig married to Steve).
My wife is very supportive of my shooting but has never attended a match with me in our twenty-one years of marriage and has no intentions of changing that tradition. So the next best thing is to find a roommate like Doug.
We only live about ten miles apart but drove separately in part because Doug wanted the freedom and because I had business to take care of on the drive down. I was the “expert” on Columbus. That myth was proven false the first time Doug tried to follow me to a particular restaurant and I got us promptly lost. But Doug was unfazed and remained so for the week. Doug also found many a local point of interest like the infantry museum to visit that I had not considered.
One of the benefits of a roommate is the support you share. Doug and I were discussing our pistols, grips, and other equipment. Doug showed a problem he was having getting his finger on the trigger of his free pistol. After a little discussion the idea was to extend the trigger out and back to the point he could easily reach the trigger without having to stretch his trigger finger. The trigger adjustment was already fully to the rear.
Good old ingenuity paid off. We got all the necessary gunsmith equipment locally such as a paper clip from the motel’s front desk and a pair of pliers in the form of my multi-tool. I went out to diner, Doug was full enough from lunch at Fort Mitchell barbeque that he stayed behind to play gunsmith. By the time I returned, he had a trigger extension by wrapping the paper clip around the trigger shoe and fifty more points the second of FP competition.
Doug did snore a bit, and that is why ear plugs were invented. But Doug did leave the lights on for me when I was out having a beer with the volunteer officials and some of the other competitors.
Other Perspectives
The volunteer officials did provide a third perspective on the Nationals. Some have been doing this or twenty years and prefer this range because that range is boring, the other range is too long, or you are a glorified time keeper on the other range. Of course, the rules are critical to them, but so are range setup and operation and conduct of the match. They have favorite shooters and all know the “hotheads.”
The second perspective is the USAS perspective, and that seems to be just numbers and scores; unfortunately. Now it is possible to bring up topics at the membership meeting and a few people did. More competitors should rather than wasting bandwidth Target Talk.
Bob Mitchell all but said “NO” concerning modifying the Nationals format to a shorter schedule last year at the membership meeting. But this year USAS presented a short schedule for next year. Maybe somebody is listening!
I plan on returning next year to Fort Benning. My goal is to show improvement in my scores, but I also have a goal to enjoy the experience and remain positive again next year at the Nationals.