Staying Black Badge Qualified

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DiMP

DiMP

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I took my Black Badge course a couple weekends ago and it was a lot of fun. I didn't realize until the course that in order to stay qualified that I need to shoot one match a year. This might seem like an easy requirement for most people who work normal jobs, but I've been looking on Practiscore, BCIPSC, and ABIPSC websites and every match listed through the end of the year falls on work days for me. I work shift work and our holidays get submitted at the beginning of the year, so when I was booking time in January this year, I didn't even know I'd be getting into this. I also notice some of these matches fill up pretty quick and there is an option to be put on a wait list. How much notice do you tend to get that you've moved from wait-list to being in the match? The closest matches seem to be ~3 hours away on average

I guess my question would be this. At the end of my BB course we ran a mini-match. If I reached out to the instructor, would attending this mini-match count to keep me qualified if I can't find a real match to attend before this time next year?

I've began to 'follow' every range within about 3 hours of me on social media to try to watch for any upcoming events that may not be listed on the other places (practiscore, IPSC websites, etc)
 
If not, you have to redo the course. But they might offer you it for a reduced cost. I don't want to travel to the city everytime to shoot a match as IPSC is dying west of the city.

I think it has to be a sanctioned match and not just a practice.
 
I believe it needs to be an IPSC sanctioned level 2 to maintain qualification. A level 1 or unsanctioned club match will not be enough I don't think.

The wait list means if you get to be next up, when ever, they reach out to you and see if you still want to shoot. Could be hours or weeks ahead of the start date.

Any matches in the lower mainland fill up within 3 minutes of being posted. If you can travel to the island or interior the matches are fairly easy to get into.

The IPSC BC season ends Labour Day weekend. So sign up for a match after that but before the end of next season and you will be fine.

Look for IPSC BC matches on the ipscbc calendar not practiscore.


This is poco a week ago
 
I shot IPSC in Alberta years and years ago.
As I recall, one needed to shoot 2-3 sanctioned matches a year to stay current, and your best 5 (?) for placement on provincial teams for nationals - not sure if that is still a thing.
I got the impression during my time that IPSC is geared toward those that want to compete, and quite a few are 'all in' and part of that 'clique'.

As I understand it when I was involved, the majority of money that IPSC generates at a provincial level is used to sponsor provincial teams going to and shooting the Nationals and at a National level, sending teams to the Worlds. When I realized how much money these teams were actually getting, one could take the view that IPSC is about getting mediocre shooters to pay for good shooters to compete. You could compare it to a ponzi / pyramid scheme.

If you are more a 'casual competitor' and don't care about going to nationals (or most of your match fees subsidizing someone to go), there are other competitions like IDPA or whatever your local ranges put on.
 
Albertan here. Just did my BB course a month ago.

On the Sunday, 3 guys showed up at noon to shoot the mini match. All had failed to do a match last year, so needed to shoot the mini match under an instructor to become active again.

Not sure if that is just an Alberta thing, but thought that was worth sharing how it was done here.
 
Check with your provincial IPSC rep, that's the best way to get reliable info. You do need to shoot a sanctioned match, so joining in a BB mini match won't qualify, although I've never heard of it needing to be at least a level 2, I think level 1's are fine. Also I think there is a grace period of 1 year, so you have all of next year as well. Here in Ontario people who hadn't shot a match in the past year have a status of "Final", they can still sign up for a match under that status. Also, if you do lapse, the remediation depends on how long the lapse was. If it's just one year then you don't need to repeat the whole BB course, you just need to arrange to show up and shoot a practical, demonstrating you haven't forgotten how to be safe. :)

Again, don't believe what I'm saying, talk to a BC official, or email them so you have the response in writing. Edit: never mind I see you're already checking AB. Being SE you may have opportunities to shoot in Alberta as well, if that works. Once you do your first shoot and are an "IPSC member in good standing" you can shoot anywhere in the world, so you might even have opportunities to shoot in the U.S. from where you are.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far everyone. I really enjoyed the course and the mini-match we shot at the end. I don't have an interest in competing on a serious level, I think I was just disappointed to learn that if I didn't end up shooting a match within a year, then I'd be SOL to shoot anything in the future until I retook the course. As someone stated above, IPSC does seem to be geared toward the more serious competitor and not to the casual-out-for-fun type shooter

I really enjoy small town living, but it is a drawback for things like this where the nearest events tend to be 3+ hours away. I'll continue looking, and if something lines up with my shift-work schedule I'll try my best to attend
 
80% of the people at any given IPSC (level 2) match are not high level shooters or serious competitors. IPSC has to pay for range space, they cannot have low attendance and keep functioning. They have to push 80+ shooters every day to pay for everything. Part of that is having up to date qualified competitors so matches run smoothly hence the one year limit. If you are having trouble meeting that then email the training officer and explain your situation. They try to be easy to deal with but they need to be contacted to help you. training@ipscalberta.com

You seem to live in Crowsnest pass. The closest matches to you would me, BTSA, Canmore, Brooks, Milo, Taber, Lethbridge. You actually have tons of options compared to most places in the province. In fact I would put you about a hour away from the most ideal place to live to attend the most matches.
 
DiMP said:
I'm about 40 min from there in BC, about the 2.25 hour mark from Lethbridge for the closest matches. Brooks/Canmore/Taber being 3 hours
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I PM’D you. IMO I think as time goes on this will become a lot more user friendly. With participation at an all time low we will need to be more flexible.
 
beltfed said:
As I understand it when I was involved, the majority of money that IPSC generates at a provincial level is used to sponsor provincial teams going to and shooting the Nationals and at a National level, sending teams to the Worlds. When I realized how much money these teams were actually getting, one could take the view that IPSC is about getting mediocre shooters to pay for good shooters to compete. You could compare it to a ponzi / pyramid scheme.
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You're definitely not wrong. Us regular shmucks are basically paying the way for the top 5 in each division to shoot all the major matches for free, plus free ammo for the year for some people, plus a little extra on the side for pocket change. I basically decided that they can all go screw themselves and stopped going to level 3 matches. What's the point of shelling out $300 bucks for a day on the range in the sun, a below mediocre lunch, and a score that comes nowhere near the top shooters. Waste of time if you ask me. Akin to a ponzi scheme, as you said.

I'll just go to my local level 2 matches and spend a couple hours of my time with my buddies on the weekends.
 
Do you belong to a local range? If so, find out the requirements to become an IPSC affiliated range and see if your board will support you. It’s easy in Ontario and I expect similar in BC. We did that, now we can run matches when it works for us - and others can spend 3 hours travelling to you…and if your matches are decent, they will.

You can be the Club IPSC Rep and the match director..it’s a bit of work but I’ve found it’s been totally worth it to shoot the matches/stages we like to shoot when we are able to shoot - and it earns a bit of extra money for the club too.
Organize a couple of BB courses at your range and grow your local component.

We started with 5 guys and two matches a year…We now run a full program of an IPSC match and a 3 Gun match every month and we have a core group of about 25 club members and a waiting list for another BB course this fall.
 
Aeroguy said:
You're definitely not wrong. Us regular shmucks are basically paying the way for the top 5 in each division to shoot all the major matches for free, plus free ammo for the year for some people, plus a little extra on the side for pocket change. I basically decided that they can all go screw themselves and stopped going to level 3 matches. What's the point of shelling out $300 bucks for a day on the range in the sun, a below mediocre lunch, and a score that comes nowhere near the top shooters. Waste of time if you ask me. Akin to a ponzi scheme, as you said.

I'll just go to my local level 2 matches and spend a couple hours of my time with my buddies on the weekends.
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IPSC does not pay for anyones ammo.... Top 4 per division got free entry into nats and maybe a t-shirt or stippend. Every other match they had to pay their way or get a comped entry due to their volunteering. At least this is how it is in Alberta.

If you think thats unfair or your province is different, show up at your AGM and change it.
 
chaoz2001 said:
IPSC does not pay for anyones ammo....
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No, that is the match or ammo or individual shooter sponsor. lol

Look, I'm not against folks getting paid to shoot if they can swing it, but when you are involved in a sport for fun and you have to shoot so many matches a year - and a good portion of those fees you've paid to shoot those matches goes to other people you compete with to subsidize their shooting - that leaves a sour taste in your mouth... or not. And IPSC wonders why they have issues with member retention.

To suggest a new shooter gets involved in the politics of IPSC to change fundamental operations that have been in place for likely decades is a bit rich.
 
beltfed said:
No, that is the match or ammo or individual shooter sponsor. lol

Look, I'm not against folks getting paid to shoot if they can swing it, but when you are involved in a sport for fun and you have to shoot so many matches a year - and a good portion of those fees you've paid to shoot those matches goes to other people you compete with to subsidize their shooting - that leaves a sour taste in your mouth... or not. And IPSC wonders why they have issues with member retention.

To suggest a new shooter gets involved in the politics of IPSC to change fundamental operations that have been in place for likely decades is a bit rich.
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Sorry but the matches/IPSC is not paying for anyone's ammo. If a sponsor does, well that's up to the sponsor. Reality is most sponsorship is just discounts on products. Anything more then that is to maybe a small handful of people, maybe 3-5 in the country and they expect you to dance through hoops to get it.

Most people attending the AGMs I have been to are the "few matches a year" shooters. That's the majority of members period.

All action shooting sports have issues with shooter retention. That because of the overall costs, uneven volunteering, and bumps in the road to improvement. A 2 day match 3 hour drive from home easily pushes 750$.

IPSC has plenty of issues but you seem to be trying to dislike it.
 
No where in my posts have I said IPSC has supplied or is paying for anyone's ammo.

Yes, provincial and national teams have received ammo to shoot matches, either subsidized by their area or via a match sponsor.
Does that come direct from IPSC? No. Does that come via competing in IPSC and placing well enough to represent ones province, country or a sponsor? Yes.

I'm not "trying to dislike it", nor am I trying to convince anyone else to dislike it. I'm pointing out items that the OP and others may not know about this sport, based on the original questions in this thread.
 
Aeroguy said:
....stopped going to level 3 matches.....

I'll just go to my local level 2 matches and spend a couple hours of my time with my buddies on the weekends.
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I need to do more reading to learn the differences between the Level 2 and Level 3 matches. I assume it's based on skill level or number of stages or competitors?
 
Innavedaw said:
Do you belong to a local range? If so, find out the requirements to become an IPSC affiliated range and see if your board will support you. It’s easy in Ontario and I expect similar in BC. We did that, now we can run matches when it works for us - and others can spend 3 hours travelling to you…and if your matches are decent, they will.

You can be the Club IPSC Rep and the match director..it’s a bit of work but I’ve found it’s been totally worth it to shoot the matches/stages we like to shoot when we are able to shoot - and it earns a bit of extra money for the club too.
Organize a couple of BB courses at your range and grow your local component.

We started with 5 guys and two matches a year…We now run a full program of an IPSC match and a 3 Gun match every month and we have a core group of about 25 club members and a waiting list for another BB course this fall.
Click to expand...

Does it require additional training to be a match director? And I can only assume if there is no matches within a few hours of me that it might be tough to find a BB instructor near us. Nothing against the guys at my range, but my club is very much interested in hunting and only the type of shooting that goes hand in hand with it. I became the range director 2.5 years ago and there doesn't seem to be much interest when I've talked about organizing any sort of matches that involve anything other than bench style shooting
 
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