why don't more people compete?

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Out of all the people I know that like to shoot so much, very few of them compete.
What prevents most people from participating in shooting games? Would local advertising bring in more people into the sport?
 
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I think there are several reasons.
They don't have the money for ammo is probable close to the top of the list, but I think most are just scared to get out there and think they are going to make a fool out of themselves.

They hang out on some forums that have no respect for new shooters and the challenges that they face getting into the sport. Some actually put down new shooters, and just refer them to the search engine with a nasty post.

We love new shooters and their questions.

I Love this format,
 
Lack of desire; not everyone shares ours. Fear of lack in skill; had many say they need to practice before trying. Logistics; some may have kids or family or work schedule that conflict with match days. Cost; although not expensive match fee wise, some people may find it suitable to spend it on family as opposed to match fees and gear, which commonly most dont have.

Ive had gun, ammo,belt,pouches, holster and even ammo offered to people and noone took it. If they truely want to go theyll find a way. Boomershooter is a pretty good source of advertisement....these foos got me hooked.
 
All in all, it's intimidating. Sad to say, not many folks can get over that. Even people I started with have bowed out due to this fact.
 
Time. I wish I could shoot more matches than I do, I think I only shot 5 matches this year. My iggest issue is that I work rotating shifts and usually only get one actual weekend off a month. If I only have one weekend off I will pretty much always choose to spend time with my kid over shooting a match. One day she will be old enough to come to matches with me but not yet.

I wish I could shoot a match every weekend, and one day I will be able to but for at this point in my life it just doesn't make it to the top of the priority list.
 
I think we have enough shooters. Im happy with it. I dont want shooters that have to be convinced, and marketed to, in order to come shoot a match. we built it, they will come.
But we bring people into our sport by enticing them with flashy-shirted studs and cool internet bling. So what do we expect when they start worrying about what size shirt to get instead of having fun and shooting.
 
Competing is intimidating. People don't like to see their inadequacies, much less expose them to others. Especially if they are an expert mall ninja.

Even if you show up to play, failing on the clock can be a huge problem. There was a guy that came to the Heartland match about 18 months ago and shot really well, was having a great time, it was his first match. Then he dropped his gun on stage 3 and DQed, left, and never came back to the circuit. That kind of inability to move past personal failure is poisonous.
 
I think Mike is right. All of the people who get to the matches, get themselves there and keep themselves there. We all found our own way to the sport and we all keep ourselves in the sport. All in all, it benefits us and our es spirit de corps.
 
Being a fairly new shooter to the sport of 3 gun (about 4 months) and new to shooting in general about a year, the hardest obstacle was intimidation, slowing people down, and a need to practice before trying as Jared Suggested. It took Brian Lambert, Bryon Corry and Rob Romero continuously nagging me to give it a try. If it wasn't for them I would have just continued to talk my way out of it. Now I have to find 3 gun anonymous classes to curve the addiction.
 
mike cyrwus said:
I think we have enough shooters. Im happy with it. I dont want shooters that have to be convinced, and marketed to, in order to come shoot a match. we built it, they will come.
But we bring people into our sport by enticing them with flashy-shirted studs and cool internet bling. So what do we expect when they start worrying about what size shirt to get instead of having fun and shooting.
Say what?

You know why I didn't start competive action shooting until I was 35? I didn't know it existed. Heck I was always a gun guy but I didn't do much with guns since high school simply because the only fun thing to do was to go blast beer cans with 50-100 rounds per year with my buddy's.


Here's my list..

1. Lack of Knowledge - Either they don't even know it exists or they have heard about it but don't know anyone that does it and can help them feel comfortable about giving it a try

2. Scared of "competing" - Most think its a real competition. It's not in the sense that everyone will be watching and judging your performance like my gymnastics league. I liken it to golf. If there are 4-5 guys at any one time actually paying attention to you while you shoot you're lucky.

3. Expense - Ammo ain't cheap! I used to balk at a $50 round of golf and a $5 golf ball I might lose. Now I will drive 2 hours each way, pay $10-15 to play, and shoot up $40-80 in ammo 2 or more times a weekend if I can find a match.

4. Time/convenience - Shooting matches is a huge time waster. Get to range at 9:30 leave at 2:30-3:30 for 5-7 stages and 2 minutes of actual shooting. I'd still love to see someone try to setup a 5-7 stage club match or steel challenge like a golf course. Once your certified to shoot unsupervised ie you take RO course or something similar you can show up anytime to the range any day of the week pay your $30-40 (like a green fee) and shoot the match. Turn in your scores and they go up on the online weekly match scores. I think it could make a viable business as I'd go shoot evey night of the week and I know I could talk others into going. My old oilfield buddy's do a lot of golfing and clay shooting during office hours to entertain clients and themselves. This would be right up their alley too. Like golf or sporting clays or that cool indoor golf carting track in OKC.
 
Maybe we don't need new shooters so much as new places to shoot. The Field of Dreams! If you build it they will come (?). But more people that are serious about shooting acts as a sort of insurance policy for 2A, and that is highly desirable.
 
I've had to stop competing all this year. It's time and money for me. I currently have neither. Late last year my wife and I got a call from DHS saying they took custody of my two adopted children's brother and sister. We took them in and should finalize an adoption with them early next year. My wife quit her job to stay home with the 3month old and a 2yr old. Good bye money. Now I work full time and go to school full time. In a couple of years when things normalize I can hopefully get back in. Until then I will watch you guys and cry on the inside.

To be a competitive shooter takes time and money, something a lot of shooting enthusiasts with families don't have.
 
Jesse Tischauser said:
That's the most ignorant thing I've ever heard you say.

You know why I didn't start competive action shooting until I was 35? I didn't know it existed. Heck I was always a gun guy but I didn't do much with guns since high school simply because the only fun thing to do was to go blast beer cans with 50-100 rounds per year with my buddy's.


Here's my list..

1. Lack of Knowledge - Either they don't even know it exists or they have heard about it but don't know anyone that does it and can help them feel comfortable about giving it a try

2. Scared of "competing" - Most think its a real competition. It's not in the sense that everyone will be watching and judging your performance like my gymnastics league. I liken it to golf. If there are 4-5 guys at any one time actually paying attention to you while you shoot you're lucky.

3. Expense - Ammo ain't cheap! I used to balk at a $50 round of golf and a $5 golf ball I might lose. Now I will drive 2 hours each way, pay $10-15 to play, and shoot up $40-80 in ammo 2 or more times a weekend if I can find a match.

4. Time/convenience - Shooting matches is a huge time waster. Get to range at 9:30 leave at 2:30-3:30 for 5-7 stages and 2 minutes of actual shooting. I'd still love to see someone try to setup a 5-7 stage club match or steel challenge like a golf course. Once your certified to shoot unsupervised ie you take RO course or something similar you can show up anytime to the range any day of the week pay your $30-40 (like a green fee) and shoot the match. Turn in your scores and they go up on the online weekly match scores. I think it could make a viable business as I'd go shoot evey night of the week and I know I could talk others into going. My old oilfield buddy's do a lot of golfing and clay shooting during office hours to entertain clients and themselves. This would be right up their alley too. Like golf or sporting clays or that cool indoor golf carting track in OKC.
Agreed.
 
mike cyrwus said:
I think we have enough shooters. Im happy with it. I dont want shooters that have to be convinced, and marketed to, in order to come shoot a match. we built it, they will come.
But we bring people into our sport by enticing them with flashy-shirted studs and cool internet bling. So what do we expect when they start worrying about what size shirt to get instead of having fun and shooting.
Ok first with the flashy-shirted studs and cool internet bling, that is a great way to get younger people interested in shooting involved in the sport. Clearly you did not have anyone to look up to when growing up or strive to be like. Those guys in the jerseys, most of the time, are guys to look up too. I just started the shooting team at OSU and I asked them why they have not been to matches and most of them said time and money but some said intimidation. Now I agree with them 100% if there are guys out there who have the mindset of "we have enough shooters" than hell I don't blame them for not wanting to be around that. If the sport does not grow it will die out eventually and I do not think any of us want that. And guess what there still is a business aspect to it. You need to have flashy things and guys in jerseys to make money to keep the sport alive. I'm sorry you feel the way you do about the shooting sports. From your posts it sounds like you have a real problem with sponsored guys and "guys in jerseys." Jealousy? I was a new shooter to the sport after I got out of the military and the ONLY reason I found out about it is because word of mouth from working as a firearms instructor. There are a lot of veterans coming home that would love to get involved in the sport but do not know where to start or do not even know about the sport. Everytime I go to a Heartland match I try to bring new shooters because it's a relaxing environment and not that difficult of a match. Everyone I have brought has come back to shoot again. Thanks to all the boomer shooters out there that make it a fun environment. I am bringing two new guys to three gun at USSA this weekend. They are using some of my gear but afterwards I am sure they will be buying gear for themselves as long as they have fun. I hope when we go on Sunday we do not get squaded with a-holes who don't encourage them. Finally we will not have matches to attend if the companies or even local club matches are not getting the business they need to keep matches running.
 
I always wanted to compete. Mostly because I always wanted to shoot, and hunting alone didn't get it done. Tried in college, shooting coach didn't want to fool with me, Army National Guard had a high power team, I pestered them for months to let me tryout, and made the team. Then came budget cuts and a family, so I was out for about 15 years. Bought a pistol I didn't need, so I had to shoot matches to justify it. Found Boomershooter, and you guys completely wiped out my savings because I had to try 3 gun. Not to mention my kids wanting to shoot as well. So, I was driven to compete. Eventhough intellectually I know I suck, I still think I'm going to win every match I enter, (probably a diagnosis for this mindset). But, my pitfalls were like Jesse alluded to. Time, money, knowledge. I didn't have any fear to compete, because I have no shame. But even though I was driven, had my life situation not had a drastic change, I probably wouldn't be here. So, I think for a lot of folks, where they are in life dictates where they spend their time and dollars. I'll even take it a step further, and say many of the youth introduced will fade out, not to return until their lives are more settled.

As an aside, I must say I really appreciated not getting snarky replies suggesting I use the search function for my noob questions. Smartass replies are always fun though. ;-)
 
Jesse Tischauser said:
You know why I didn't start competive action shooting until I was 35? I didn't know it existed. Heck I was always a gun guy but I didn't do much with guns since high school simply because the only fun thing to do was to go blast beer cans with 50-100 rounds per year with my buddy's.
Me too, exactly

Even when I did find out, I thought it was something only "those" guys did/could do.
I was assured I could do it so I went to a match.
After the first stage I realized that pretty much anybody can do it.

I tell the new guys all the time to slow down & just get their hits.
They'll have a lot more fun going slower & hitting the target than trying to keep up & missing everything.
 
Jesse Tischauser said:
Say what?
You know why I didn't start competive action shooting until I was 35? I didn't know it existed.

4. Time/convenience - Shooting matches is a huge time waster. Get to range at 9:30 leave at 2:30-3:30 for 5-7 stages and 2 minutes of actual shooting. I'd still love to see someone try to setup a 5-7 stage club match or steel challenge like a golf course. Once your certified to shoot unsupervised ie you take RO course or something similar you can show up anytime to the range any day of the week pay your $30-40 (like a green fee) and shoot the match. Turn in your scores and they go up on the online weekly match scores. I think it could make a viable business as I'd go shoot evey night of the week and I know I could talk others into going. My old oilfield buddy's do a lot of golfing and clay shooting during office hours to entertain clients and themselves. This would be right up their alley too. Like golf or sporting clays or that cool indoor golf carting track in OKC.
First sentence: me, too. But I didn't even know anyone who shot a gun period until I was 23, and that's because I went and bought a gun and shot it. I didn't find out about shooting for sport until I ran into this website, when I was 29. I think I found BoomerShooter via OSA, where I'd been browsing and posting infrequently for two years and never once stumbled across a post about competing.

Second part: having a place to shoot that functions like a golf course is a great idea. I would do it.
 
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