BB course date..Is it just me or is it impossible to get?

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nwills

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Oakville, Ontario
I've been wanting to do my BB course for a long time. Going on close to one year now!

I come on this website and check the IPSC Ontario site on a regular basis.

The number of courses in the GTA (Wentworth or other?) area are very few...maybe 4 per year (correct me if I'm wrong).

Every time I see them posted on the IPSC website it shows "Sorry Course Full". Courses in other areas such as Windsor, Sudbury, Kingston etc...do not book out nearly as quickly.

It seems like the number of courses organized vs. the number of people in the GTA that want to do a Black Badge course is disproportionate.

I'm sure that if I stayed on top of the process in a much more involved manner I could of had one of the limited spaces on the Wentworth course but between being the father of two young children and having a career...it's very hard for me to check the IPSC website obsessively!

I've also contacted the course coordinator and was simply given a confirmation of the fact that there are no more spaces available and to keep checking the IPSC calendar for upcoming courses....which is what I've been doing for almost a year now!

Any instructors that read this want to initiate an additional course in the close future....I'm under the impression that having a full class will not be an issue.

Or any advice? What do I have to do to finally get this unobtainable Black Badge!!:confused:
 
stormbringer said:
Hmmm I was going to book a course for Feb but saw that two were already listed so I did not go any further.
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Two?

I only see one that would be considered by someone who lives in the Greater Toronto Area....Wentworth. The Windsor course is nearly 4 hours away and would require Hotel etc...

Not to mention the Wentworth course is fully booked and was fully booked almost immediately after it was posted!

What is the standard capacity for a BB course? How many students?
 
nwills, last year there was 21 courses in Ontario from February to December. 10 of them were at EESA, Waterford, Brant, Wentworth, Waterloo and Sharon clubs (all within 1-1.5 hour drive).

I'll check with BB coordinator if he need help to maintain a waiting list for the courses.
 
euxx said:
nwills, last year there was 21 courses in Ontario from February to December. 10 of them were at EESA, Waterford, Brant, Wentworth, Waterloo and Sharon clubs (all within 1-1.5 hour drive).

I'll check with BB coordinator if he need help to maintain a waiting list for the courses.
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I stand corrected.

Yet I still feel that if there were 10 courses within driving distance of the GTA and they were all fully booked, could there be room for more courses?....instructors willing and able of course!

Maybe my perception that it is somewhat difficult and there is a relatively high demand for the Black Badge course in the GTA is wrong.....but it sure does seem that way based on my personal experience...maybe others will chime in and share their experience.
 
It seem like it is currently not possible to track the actual demand for courses in given areas, nor how many people have signed up but haven't show up for their course. I am going to look into that.

BTW, in my records, 3 out of those 10 courses last year wasn't fully booked.
 
yes, there is a demand and there is a core group of instructors who are active and trying to keep up with the demand.
There are also new instructors being trained, but they all have families and jobs and lives outside of IPSC.
Contact your club's IPSC rep and ask them if they can put up a signup list for a BB course at your club.
If you have the range time and a group for that date, I'll bet they can send you an instructor for the weekend too.:)
 
Built it, and they will come.

Having been there and done that in a past life, I can tell you that BB Courses in Ontario form from many seeds.

You'll get instructors planning thier own to fill in a few free weekends.
You'll get club reps organizing them to get the eagre beavers at the club playing.
You'll get individual hopefuls asking the right question at the right time, and voila!

If you are looking for a BB course, start by asking the guys in your own club, then work your way up. Don't be shy.
 
Canuck223 said:
Built it, and they will come.

Having been there and done that in a past life, I can tell you that BB Courses in Ontario form from many seeds.

You'll get instructors planning thier own to fill in a few free weekends.You'll get club reps organizing them to get the eagre beavers at the club playing.
You'll get individual hopefuls asking the right question at the right time, and voila!

If you are looking for a BB course, start by asking the guys in your own club, then work your way up. Don't be shy.
Click to expand...

this....I work shift work so I don't always have entire weekends off. Last year I use my own personal vacation day to teach a Black badge. I wish I had more weekends off,...but unless I find a 9-5 mon-fri I am working within my limitations.:(
 
maurice said:
this....I work shift work so I don't always have entire weekends off. Last year I use my own personal vacation day to teach a Black badge. I wish I had more weekends off,...but unless I find a 9-5 mon-fri I am working within my limitations.:(
Click to expand...

Back when the BB was carved from flint by the light of a whale oil lamp, I was the club rep for a spell. It was in the C-17 days, when everyone thought having a BB meant an exemption for normal cap mags.

I inherited a list of 90 names of eagre beavers.:redface:

At best, the range we could use could hold 9-10 shooters. At best, I could get the range for one weekend a month. For every 8 shooters I managed to get into a course, 9 more would sign up.:rolleyes:

In that time period, I think I managed use use, bend, fold, mutilate, and exploit like family members every active BB instructor within 100 KM.

Some were happy to sign up for dates well ahead of time. They gave me a window of opportunity and I filled it with warm bodies.

Other times, I {edited to remove incriminating details} and then asked nice if they might be free on X weekend.;)
 
hello all
Yes my course at Wentworth fill up in three days and I am sorry that I could not fit everyone in but I am limited to 10 people in the course, also one of the problem is also getting range time.
Once we have to nice weather back I will be holding some Black Badge course at Silverdale and a second course at Wentworth if I can book sometime range time.
If you are a WSSC member and want to do the Back Badge course come see me at the club as I am a Member there and I am also on the board.
You can also pick up one of my card which has my contact info on it from the office.
 
There are 2 people from Hamilton and 1 from Sarnia coming to the Windsor BB course. Guess it depends on how bad you want your Black Badge cert.
 
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