I am a big advocate for participating in the shooting sports. I started my boys out in Steel Challenge when they were 7-8 years old and then into USPSA by 12. It’s been something that we could do together and it’s always fun to watch them try to beat each other and their old man.
But, most importantly, it has taught them (and me):
• How to shoot under stress
• How to clearly identify targets and make accurate shots, recognize them while already moving on to the next target, avoid the targets you don’t want to shoot and all while moving and not just standing still in a weaver stance on a square range.
• Reloading fast and smoothly under stress and not shooting to empty before doing so.
• Making repeated headshots on moving targets while you’re also moving.
• Making a plan of “attack” and sticking with it when the buzzer goes off (the mental aspect is huge).
• Making fast and accurate follow-up shots on moving and static targets.
Clearing your weapon quickly and smoothly under pressure if there's a "jam" and continuing on.
• Gaining complete confidence in your weapon, it’s capabilities and yours with it.
Yes, yes, we all know that the stress of a competition is not the same as the stress of a real-life shootout, but I’m damn well more prepared for one than I was before I started and so are my sons.
Plus, it’s fun and the guys and gals that we shoot with are some of the best people a person could know. We’ve made life-long friends in this sport. Watched kids grow up in it.
Our club is very encouraging to new shooters and especially to family groups. We’ve got multiple families that not only participate but excel in it.
We run USPSA the 2nd Saturday of each month, Outlaw Steel the 4th Saturday and Steel Challenge on 5th Saturdays. We routinely run 60 shooters per match and have 15 or so that travel at least 2 hours to come to each match. We run our stages to be challenging and generally have stages that are fun and challenging for all class levels. We have unclassified shooters all the way through Master (and every couple of months a Grand Master factory sponsored shooter) at each match. We run at least 2 certified RO’s with each squad and always work with the new shooters to make sure they are safe and having a great time. Most of us also participate in other matches outside of our club at least once a month in addition to state, sectional and national level matches.
So, for me and my family, it has been a worthwhile endeavor on so many levels that I can’t imagine not participating.
