The Delta-SEAL-SWAT operator moves up to the shooting point. The buzzer goes off, and the operator draws and fires a volley of rounds at the paper targets at the speed of light. The operator moves off point at a full sprint, rocking a lightning-fast reload while moving to a secondary position. The operator/competitor fires off 25 rounds knocking down steel plate after steel plate; all twenty-five steel plates drop within 3 seconds. The operator shot a perfect round with zero mistakes. Oh, and by the way, he used his non-dominant hand to shoot the round.
Yep, this is complete fiction. If you head to a match and see this "operator " ring up the Guinness World Records, they don't exist. The problem with this scenario is that many people believe you need to be an operator to compete; you do not. Not one bit.
Yes, you will see outstanding shooters when you compete. However, they come from all walks of life, many outside the military and law enforcement realm. The overwhelming majority of shooters will be just like you, there to have fun and compete in a sport.
It is perfectly fine to be hesitant about shooting sports because of the misconception pushed down through social media or someone's cousin-uncle-brothers best friend's sister that had a bad experience at a match, or shooting in general. Hesitancy is natural, but don't let it stop you from having a ton of fun at a sport made for every age, shape, size, gender, etc.
The Fear Of Being Terrible
Who likes to fail at any sport? Nobody. It's an even worse feeling to fail in front of peers. At the local level, in shooting sports, it doesn't matter if you show up and not place or even end up at the bottom of the leaderboard. Placing and rising on the leaderboard will come in due time with practice and shooting more competitions.
Conversation With A Future Competitor
Future Competitor (FC): I love shooting. I started in December going to the range. I'm still learning, but I really enjoy it. The guy at the counter at the range always teases me about when I'm going to sign up for a match…but honestly, the fear of being terrible and where to actually start is quite challenging!
Me: Don't worry about being terrible! I know, easier said than done, but I had the same fear, but everyone there will help you out. The first place to start is to look at matches in your area at Practiscore
FC: Right.. it is easier said than done…especially if you are a girl; they probably expect you to show up with a pink pistol. Awesome! I'll take a look [at Practiscore]!
Me: So many girls shoot, and not everyone is prior service or LEO.
The fear of failure is evident in this conversation, BUT I guarantee once they take that step into the shooting arena they won’t turn back.
Even shooting instructors hesitate about shooting their first match. Liz, a longtime firearms instructor, said, "When it comes to training another woman to handle a pistol and shoot, I have all the confidence in the world. However, when it comes to actually shooting in a competition, I am at a standstill. Even training with some of the best retired military men who instructed me and gave me direction, I still hesitate to complete a shooting competition. In my mind, I have that one shot during that competition to not make a mistake. I am afraid to fail, which is not an option for me."
Shooting Your First Match
Callie Farill, veteran and firearms instructor, recently shot her first match. Callie has been shooting for years and decided to step into the shooting competetion arena.
Q: What was your first shooting comp like?
Callie: I attended an outlaw match with RPGi. I had some experienced shooters that were guiding me on how to stage plan. I had low expectations and went into it with the mindset of just having fun. Everyone was super nice, and we all had a great time.
Q. Did you prepare?
Callie: Yes. The weekend before the match, I attended an RPGi competition prep course. He gave us the in and out of how the rules work, 180 rules, and commands we would get here, along with some practice stages. I also watched a few YouTube videos on USPSA stages.
Q: How did people treat you?
Callie: Awesome! Everyone was super nice and had great attitudes!
Q: Did you need specialized gear?
Callie: This was an outlaw match. Any gunbelt will work. The big one for this was having retention on your pistol. There were physical exercises for the stages. It's important that your pistol stays in the holster. If it falls out, you DQ.
BOTTOM LINE
It’s fine to be hesitant, but don’t wait, you may be missing out on an incredible experience and find a new passion.
VIDEO: My thoughts...don't be hesitant about signing up for your first match. You do not have to be an expert to sign up for a competition. There are so many types of matches: pistols, shotguns, rifles, modern, old school, cowboy, 22, 50 cal...all sorts of competitions. It is competition, don't get me wrong, BUT it is fun and a sport (and no pressure to place or win).
PS: Now, if you've never shot before, there might be some problems :)
Where To Start
Talk to a competitor, pick their brain, ask questions. If they don’t help then move on to another one, guarantee there is a friendly competitor out there.
Find a match. Head to Practiscore, most matches are listed there.
And have fun!