Introducing New Shooters to the Games

Maritime Storm

Maritime Storm

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Another thread brought up and interesting question, how does your club introduce new shooters to the games? Our club in recent years has struggled with this issue, we have a number of veteran competitive shooters, some classing A and AA, a few hunters, and some recreational shooters. Over the years we've noticed an issue bringing in new members, whereas the membership is a good hearted bunch, they do take their shooting quite seriously and this can intimidate new shooters. The new shooter comes in, watches these veterans missing very few if any targets in their practise rounds, they get 4 different doses of advice from 4 different shooters on what they are doing wrong, and they leave feeling overwhelmed and down by how bad they did. because the veterans make it look easy. To remedy this, we inacted a policy, one member of the executive(or 2 depending on volume of guests) will host the new shooters on a seperate field from the veterans for the first visit, and preferably the second as well. This is done to coach and encourage the new shooter to find his/her own style, rhythm, and comfort zone without intimidating them in anyway. Afterall, they are their to try the sport and have fun, if they enjoy themselves and leave feeling good about themselves, they most likely will return. We haven't had a long time to use this system but so far the results have been encouraging. What does your club do to help bring the new shooter into the games so that they will continue the path towards eventual competition?
 
I dont compete,I just shoot. If its a newbie one of us on the executive will walk through a couple rounds with them to show them safety and basics. Then they squad up with some experienced members and get advice.
 
When i first joined our local range i always had the most fun when there were several people there with me, rather than secluded off by myself. I found most people who enjoy shooting treat time at the range as "show and tell" and are always thrilled to show off their new guns.
I would think one of the best ways to show someone new a good time would be to bring them around, introduce them to everyone and regardless of if they only brought their single shot .22 they got from their grandfather, let them shoot some clays, some steel targets, a few rifle rounds at a gong or something, show them all the different fun things they can do while there and make sure they're invited and encouraged to come out to any events that are going on.
 
We don't have any serious competition shooters anymore, although a few of us are still shooting quite a few clean rounds. New shooters usually watch a round or two and then join in and shoot with the regulars. I usually seem to be the one to help out new skeet skeeters and sometimes even trap shooters, although I seldom shoot trap. Most new shooters feel very comfortable after their first day of shooting, and as a result our numbers have been growing rapidly.
 
My club does it on an ad hoc basis. Most often there is a regular around who can show a newbie the ropes. I've done it many times.
 
you over thinking this .As long as you better shooters are of good nature, and willing to mentor new shooters. I can see no problem. Throw them into the gauntlet, and see who rises to the top. That's what happened to me. {I should have run away, and saved huge amounts of money}
 
I'd say it's mostly depending on the individual shooter.

I just started shooting trap last month. But it wasn't a spontaneous decision. I got PAL/RPAL for over 3 years and really didn't do anything with it. I initially thought about IPSC but the cost is very high when you look at the cost for the course, range membership, and ammo, not to mention the whole restricted and ATA limitations. I looked up other firearm sports and came across clay shooting. I spent a good 3 months doing research, reading info online and watching youtube videos on how to shoot, hold positions, feet positions, knowing to keeping both eyes open, watched a few Olympic rounds, then find the nearest range was about 30 minutes away (which is half decent drive). Then I ended up buying possibly the cheapest new trap gun you can find (Winchester SXP Trap 32"), bought a few boxes of different types of ammo (by this time I already knew what ammo are for trap), and headed to the range for the first time

The range officer greeted me and signed me in. He walked through the entire process thoroughly, and I just stayed with him and nodded and asked a few questions, although I knew most of the stuff already through the research. First round of trap was also the first time I shot my brand spanking new shotgun. I got 9/25 using IM choke. I then switched to full choke based on range officer's recommendation, saying it will help me center the hits. I then did that and got 15/25 on second round. I did 8 more rounds in a span of two weekends and ranged between 15 - 19. I know I still need to work on straightaway targets, that I need to put more lead on these rising targets. I feel that if you did your homework you will enjoy the results. On my second time on the range, I met up with another guy who started the game 6 months ago but yet cannot consistently break targets. He had a BPS so the people at the range didnt think it's problem with the gun. They told him to look at the target and shoot instead of looking at the gun and aim, and he began to break targets one after another. I mean... I could have told him that...
 
Kenny; The group is good hearted, but take their shooting very seriously. I'll give you an example, one of our regular members purchased a new 725 with past spring, and it has taken him a while to come to accept it doesn't fit him well, the stock was too long and low for him. A while back now he took the gun and had the stock shortened and an adjustable recoil pad fitted, while the gun was out, he purchased a new Citori 20ga in the interim, this fit him like glove, he shot quite well with it. When the 725 came back, he adjusted the stock to where he thought it should be, and took it out to shoot a round, it still needed some adjustment but it was quite a bit better than before. 5 members(myself, the member in question and 3 others) on the squad and another member pulling, every station he got 4 different opinions on what he should be doing and why he was missing. The membership was trying to help. At Station 6, he got another dose of the same, then one member asked him who he was listening to, he turned to them and said "not a single one of you". He shot the station, and pointed out to the group, too much help was in fact none at all, worse it was annoying to listen to. All of these members can teach a new person on their own, quite sucessfully, put a group of well meaning and capable coaches all together and you have several techniques and views on how they shoot particular stations. The end result is the new shooter starts to feel that they are doing everything wrong and it becomes work, not pleasure. When it stops being fun, the new shooter moves on. A new person showing up at your club, generally is wanting to try the games, most have not shot a flying target before, have no comprehension of target lead, some may never have fired a shotgun before, more importantly they are at your club to enjoy themselves. Some will show up with a gun that is inappropriate to the games(a single shot, bolt-action, tactical folding stock pump), which means you also have to cater what they are trying to do to what brought for a tool as well. They want to shoot their gun above all else, appropriate or not, you can offer them use of a target gun, some will try it, alot won't and it can be a touchy subject. Keeping this activity fun and safe should be priority one, learning to actual shoot Skeet properly should be further down the priority list for the first couple of visits.
 
Maritime Storm said:
All of these members can teach a new person on their own, quite sucessfully, put a group of well meaning and capable coaches all together and you have several techniques and views on how they shoot particular stations. The end result is the new shooter starts to feel that they are doing everything wrong and it becomes work, not pleasure.
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Exactly right and why I have little tolerance for people offering advice I didn't ask for and never offer it myself unless asked. I used to be polite about it but not any more.

The worst example was a few years ago while taking shooting lesson from a high-priced instructor and another student started offering his opinion on my shooting. Eventually I told the guy, "Listen, I am paying for his advice not yours. Keep your f**cking mouth shut."

An experienced shooter can often see why another person is struggling but control the urge to tell him/her unless they ask.
 
Claybuster, I'd be pissed also in that scenario.
Newbees need to be allowed to make their own mistakes and try to correct them. If they need advice, they'll ask, but if you let their mistakes go too long, you risk losing them. I think reading and watching youtube, and also watching the better players on your squad helps a lot. BUT, everyone does things a little different. If a newbee was to do everything that I do, he'd end up totally confused and tied into a pretzel.
A while ago, I tried to teach my wife how to shoot skeet ( she's OK at trap, and she kills me on the rifle range). Now there's an instance where you learn to just shut up and let her shoot!!...C.
 
after many years of seeing new shooters bombarded with advice, some good and some bad i am convinced the best teaching method is no more that one or two pointers at a time from some one who is a top shooter with a good shooting technique. and then let them get out there and shoot undisturbed to get some targets under their belt and then as they gain some experiance a little more tudoring of just a few pointers at a time. Too much advice all at once is just overload and there is enough going on with just learning the basics to start with. I have also used this type of training to teach 100's of people to fly cast over the years at my fishing lodge and have had good results. As it happens women are far easier to teach flycasting to than most men as they actually listen. and this is from a man HA, HA.
 
I didn't read all the posts, but what I have seen work well is having just a few dedicated volunteer members who are experienced and actually able to teach shooting look after all the new members.

As above the whole flock of members descending on the new guy doesn't work well at all.
 
When I start a first time trap or skeet shooter out for his first round, I could care less about shooting technique, my priority is that the person handles his gun in a safe manner, and learns the basic rules. If he doesn't do anything unsafe, and he doesn't cause big delays for the other shooters, I call his introduction to the sport a success.
 
skeeterC said:
Newbees need to be allowed to make their own mistakes and try to correct them. If they need advice, they'll ask, but if you let their mistakes go too long, you risk losing them. I think reading and watching youtube, and also watching the better players on your squad helps a lot. BUT, everyone does things a little different. If a newbee was to do everything that I do, he'd end up totally confused and tied into a pretzel.
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My idea of good advice is to refer a new shooter to an instructor I know so he/she can be grounded in the fundamentals.

Good instruction is invaluable. It doesn't take much talent to watch someone shoot and say, "You were behind!" A good instructor can explain why you were behind and advise you on how to not to miss the target in future.
 
In our club, there is never a problem with a newbie obtaining some one on one tutoring. There is always someone ready to help -- our club is a very social entity. Also, each spring we have a "novice Program" in which we recruit new shooters from hunter safety classes. Participants must be (a)Any person 18 years of age or younger (b) Any student 24 years of age or younger. Students get breaks on ammunition and shooting fees and takes place over 4 weeks. You can see the details at http://www.ft-sc.com/
Cheers
 
I let new shooters watch me shoot... I miss enough to make anyone feel like a champ... also keep a 20 gauge 1100 choked skeet on hand as a loaner, and a flat of cheap #8's in the trunk... I will happily donate to start a new shooter.
 
I've been wondering all of this myself. I have a membership to a club and I can't wait to go shoot skeet but the hardware can be so different that I don't know where to begin.

I'll go up one of these days and just watch... maybe introduce myself, and move on.

I can't wait to try, though.

Great post!
 
stubblejumper said:
When I start a first time trap or skeet shooter out for his first round, I could care less about shooting technique, my priority is that the person handles his gun in a safe manner, and learns the basic rules. If he doesn't do anything unsafe, and he doesn't cause big delays for the other shooters, I call his introduction to the sport a success.
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Agree 100%. From this point on, if they take to it they can improve pretty rapidly just by shooting more targets. I don't think I've ever really seen a new shooter get frustrated that they couldn't score as well as more seasoned people. There are tons of first time trap shooters at our range that shoot 12-16s all day and leave happy. If they're not scared off by the grumps they usually come back.
 
Actually Grouser, our youth committee is trying to base what we are doing here in Moncton, off of the successful program you have in Fredericton. The last few new shooters to come, have had a better introduction and experience, in my opinion, then previous guests. By giving them a one on one intructor, and a field of their own to try out on, they can try the sport without stress. The last pair of guests had a great time, one was a hunter that had never fired on a clay target, out shooting a new gun he had never used before, and clearly wasn't impressed with his shooting. Possible gun fit issue here, we did recommend a pattern test to confirm. We pointed out that the games are a learning curve, we all start out by missing more than we hit for a while until we learn how to hit a moving target. Despite the cold and his score(which he kept track of), seemed happy at the end of day. His friend showed up with a 50 year full choked semi and wanted to shoot skeet. We pointed out choked that tight, Trap may be a better choice, we wanted to shoot Skeet, so we shot Skeet. His second round, he shot a 16, hit all targets on 3,4,5 & 8, had a great time, and I expect will see him as a member in the spring.
 
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