Re-thinking How to Attract New Shooters
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, David Levene, Spencer, Richard H
Hmm...looks like the "divide and conquer" tactic is working very well for the anti-2nd Amendment folks. I don't think any sort of appeasement/sell the action shooters out tactic is going to work. Notice the number of shooting events already dropped. No action shooting event took any of their spots. If anything, we should be looking to recruit action shooters, especially for rapid fire.
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Jose Rossy
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- Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:17 am
- Location: Troy, Ohio, USA
I'm talking about the paramilitary sports of IPSC and IDPA. I personally don't care that they shoot human silhouettes (as that's what I would do to an intruder in my home), but a lot of the people in the great middle do not find that appealing.sparky wrote:Hmm...looks like the "divide and conquer" tactic is working very well for the anti-2nd Amendment folks. I don't think any sort of appeasement/sell the action shooters out tactic is going to work. Notice the number of shooting events already dropped. No action shooting event took any of their spots. If anything, we should be looking to recruit action shooters, especially for rapid fire.
And you are still lost in the focus on the elite level. I'm talking about the grassroots level.
Paramilitary my ass. IPSC is just a game. IDPA is also just a game. We won't gain any ground by trying to appease some middle. What have you ever seen that indicates we would??? FWIW, many, if not most Olympic events were derived from violent activities. Boxing, fencing, wrestling, javelin, etc. Discuss those things with the middle if you want to try persuade them. Or better yet, take them shooting.Jose Rossy wrote:I'm talking about the paramilitary sports of IPSC and IDPA. I personally don't care that they shoot human silhouettes (as that's what I would do to an intruder in my home), but a lot of the people in the great middle do not find that appealing.sparky wrote:Hmm...looks like the "divide and conquer" tactic is working very well for the anti-2nd Amendment folks. I don't think any sort of appeasement/sell the action shooters out tactic is going to work. Notice the number of shooting events already dropped. No action shooting event took any of their spots. If anything, we should be looking to recruit action shooters, especially for rapid fire.
And you are still lost in the focus on the elite level. I'm talking about the grassroots level.
But this b.s. about trying to sell out IPSC and/or IDPA shooters is an idea that cannot ever be productive. If anything, we should be recruiting like crazy from the IPSC folks for Rapid Fire; 4 seconds for them isn't that bad, and 6 and 8 seconds are an eternity to a good IPSC shooter. I've talked to a few that are interested.
Considering how IPSC is one of the fastest growing shooting sports out there, we should be looking to them for tips on recruiting.
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Jose Rossy
- Posts: 414
- Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:17 am
- Location: Troy, Ohio, USA
[quote="sparky] We won't gain any ground by trying to appease some middle.
Considering how IPSC is one of the fastest growing shooting sports out there, we should be looking to them for tips on recruiting.[/quote]
If we don't recruit people from the undecided middle of the population, any growth is a zero sum game.
Go ahead and support the run and gun sports. I have made my decision otherwise.
Considering how IPSC is one of the fastest growing shooting sports out there, we should be looking to them for tips on recruiting.[/quote]
If we don't recruit people from the undecided middle of the population, any growth is a zero sum game.
Go ahead and support the run and gun sports. I have made my decision otherwise.
I think this thread should be renamed "How to Prosletyze in the Shooting Sports" . Getting New shooters should be an effort to get someone who is not active in target shooting at all, rather than stealing from other disciplines.
As for the IPSC, IDPA Rapid Fire thing, Forget it. The problem is not speed, its accuracy. Those people cannot shoot worth a darn, but they can sure pull the trigger fast. This is based on running a Rapid Fire event at the Bianchi Cup two years in row. Most of them cannot hold the black on 10M target with two hands. One hand most cannot hold the white. And then they are too embarrased to come back, because they are performing so bad.
As for the IPSC, IDPA Rapid Fire thing, Forget it. The problem is not speed, its accuracy. Those people cannot shoot worth a darn, but they can sure pull the trigger fast. This is based on running a Rapid Fire event at the Bianchi Cup two years in row. Most of them cannot hold the black on 10M target with two hands. One hand most cannot hold the white. And then they are too embarrased to come back, because they are performing so bad.
I'm not against recruiting from those that don't shoot, I just don't see the need to sell out other shooting disciplines to do it. It's an appeasement tactic that I just don't think will ever work, and will hurt every shooter in the U.S. in the long run. We have a prime example of how appeasement tactics worked; check out the UK. Anyone see any Rapid Fire or Sport Pistol happening in the UK? Have you seen what their free pistols look like lately? How many new shooters are shooting ISSF events there? It just doesn't work.
I think we should make an effort to get current shooters interested in ISSF events here in the US. Shooting isn't like religion or being married. You're not limited to one at a time. You can shoot more than one discipline.
While sadly, there has been a noticeable decline in the emphasis in accuracy in IPSC (used to have more 35-50 yard shots, more limited exposure targets, etc.) I think they're still a potential pool of shooters. Many of them can be accurate when emphasis is placed on it. Check out who wins the Masters competition (new website: www.themasters.org ) every year...usually people with an action shooting background. This, despite the fact that 2 of the 3 events emphasize accuracy (Precision and Long Range events).
Regarding the comment about how the IPSC shooters who were approached only wanted money, I don't think that asking a few paid professionals is really representative of all IPSC shooters. Would you ask Kobe Bryant how he'd feel about taking some time to try out for the US Basketball team and say his answer would be representative of all basketball players out there? I think your average non-pro IPSC shooter who doesn't have to worry about contractual obligations to attend certain events, winning competitions to pay the bills, etc., would be much more approachable and open to the idea.
I think we should make an effort to get current shooters interested in ISSF events here in the US. Shooting isn't like religion or being married. You're not limited to one at a time. You can shoot more than one discipline.
While sadly, there has been a noticeable decline in the emphasis in accuracy in IPSC (used to have more 35-50 yard shots, more limited exposure targets, etc.) I think they're still a potential pool of shooters. Many of them can be accurate when emphasis is placed on it. Check out who wins the Masters competition (new website: www.themasters.org ) every year...usually people with an action shooting background. This, despite the fact that 2 of the 3 events emphasize accuracy (Precision and Long Range events).
Regarding the comment about how the IPSC shooters who were approached only wanted money, I don't think that asking a few paid professionals is really representative of all IPSC shooters. Would you ask Kobe Bryant how he'd feel about taking some time to try out for the US Basketball team and say his answer would be representative of all basketball players out there? I think your average non-pro IPSC shooter who doesn't have to worry about contractual obligations to attend certain events, winning competitions to pay the bills, etc., would be much more approachable and open to the idea.