New Shooters

[rhino]

Ultimately I think most people who try it and stay were introduced to shooting sports by someone who reached out to them. One-on-one contact.

I never tried NRA Action Pistol until someone who did it made a point of inviting me to try it. It's one of my favorite games now.

I try to recruit and cross-pollinate when I can. If I know someone who shoots IDPA that I think would enjoy USPSA too, I encourage them to try it. Etc.

 

[gh2]

Recruiting new competitors is a challenge. However, I don't believe USPSA competition should lose its identity for short term gains in participation. The goal should be to raise people to this level, not lower the bar to suit potential shooters. Give new competition shooters a goal to reach.
Is the sport expensive? Yes, but no more so than many other popular past times that normal folks pursue. Let's face it, we're not searching for the person that spends his or her evenings knitting to join us! We need gun people to discover the rush of competition, those that can forsake the 60inch HD TV to buy his new Dillon 650!
Friday Night Steel, due to dynamic leadership and easy access to the masses, has been a phenomenal success. These events should be targeted as a feeder system for other forms of competition. Local USPSA clubs that wish to increase participation should take advantage of the recruiting opportunity presented to them every month at Marion County Fish and Game. I believe the leadership at MCF&G would encourage participation in all shooting sports. They have a platform (Chizzle forgive me if I speak out of line here) that isn't being utilized.
To project a positive image of our sport, and to reach untold numbers of potential participants, a charity shoot, with all proceeds going to a worthy cause such as Riley Children's Hospital, could be considered . The street bikers do it, go kart racers do it, the Colts do it, and they all get coverage on local TV because of their charitable contributions. Of course someone has to notify the TV and radio stations of the human interest "shooting for kids" charity event at bla bla bla range on such and such a date. Invite one of the blond weather girls to a private shooting lesson (Coach!) prior to the event! Now THAT's TV !

 

[bwframe]

They have a platform (Chizzle forgive me if I speak out of line here) that isn't being utilized.
To project a positive image of our sport, and to reach untold numbers of potential participants, a charity shoot, with all proceeds going to a worthy cause such as Riley Children's Hospital, could be considered . The street bikers do it, go kart racers do it, the Colts do it, and they all get coverage on local TV because of their charitable contributions. Of course someone has to notify the TV and radio stations of the human interest "shooting for kids" charity event at bla bla bla range on such and such a date. Invite one of the blond weather girls to a private shooting lesson (Coach!) prior to the event! Now THAT's TV !

Genius!
That would kill a lot of birds with one stone!

 

[tnek]

Ultimately I think most people who try it and stay were introduced to shooting sports by someone who reached out to them. One-on-one contact.

I never tried NRA Action Pistol until someone who did it made a point of inviting me to try it. It's one of my favorite games now.

I try to recruit and cross-pollinate when I can. If I know someone who shoots IDPA that I think would enjoy USPSA too, I encourage them to try it. Etc.

Your the reason I have spent a lot of money on guns and gear sir!! I was happy just shooting IDPA untill you conned me into USPSA! Then I heard about this thing call "3 gun",,,, well there went my retirement fund.

But seriously you cant goad or coax someone into it. They either want to find out more if you tell them or not. People who want to get more into it after they try one match or so will or they walk away maybe shooting a match once great while if bored.
Some guys have to try different things to find what trips the trigger. I spent a year doing HighPower before I ever tried pistol matches. Id rather paint my house than do HighPower now. Half the day in the pits for 50 rounds?? Nahhh.
IDPA?? Thats what I really started in and was PASSIONATE about for several years, now I personaly would shoot one only if it were the only game in town. Hate the restrictive rules. Good luck to those who still do.
If I had the money and I could figure out how to get the wife to let me, I would get a RV and be a vagabond driving from match to match on the weekends.
BUT since Im not good enough to make a living at it I do what I can.
Still waiting on the "Team White Castle" sponsorship

 

[riverman67]

I like shooting for money but want affordable and fair equipment rules. It just seems a lot of times I am competing against a guys wallet.

It sounds like production or single stack would be right up your alley
USPSA production is just what it says , 9mm pistols right off the shelf and the list of allowed modifications is pretty short.
I have some equipment that I am willing to let you use to see if you like it

 

[riverman67]

Recruiting new competitors is a challenge. However, I don't believe USPSA competition should lose its identity for short term gains in participation. The goal should be to raise people to this level, not lower the bar to suit potential shooters. Give new competition shooters a goal to reach.
Is the sport expensive? Yes, but no more so than many other popular past times that normal folks pursue. Let's face it, we're not searching for the person that spends his or her evenings knitting to join us! We need gun people to discover the rush of competition, those that can forsake the 60inch HD TV to buy his new Dillon 650!
Friday Night Steel, due to dynamic leadership and easy access to the masses, has been a phenomenal success. These events should be targeted as a feeder system for other forms of competition. Local USPSA clubs that wish to increase participation should take advantage of the recruiting opportunity presented to them every month at Marion County Fish and Game. I believe the leadership at MCF&G would encourage participation in all shooting sports. They have a platform (Chizzle forgive me if I speak out of line here) that isn't being utilized.
To project a positive image of our sport, and to reach untold numbers of potential participants, a charity shoot, with all proceeds going to a worthy cause such as Riley Children's Hospital, could be considered . The street bikers do it, go kart racers do it, the Colts do it, and they all get coverage on local TV because of their charitable contributions. Of course someone has to notify the TV and radio stations of the human interest "shooting for kids" charity event at bla bla bla range on such and such a date. Invite one of the blond weather girls to a private shooting lesson (Coach!) prior to the event! Now THAT's TV !

Genius!
That would kill a lot of birds with one stone!

This is a great Idea .
One of the reasons that I like FNS is the time that it takes place .It is much easier to get my Wife or my kids to a match at 1800 than 1000.
At 1000 on the weekends they are working or sleeping in I am fighting an uphill battle when I leave at 0600 for a match at Riley. It just aint happening

I would be willing to help in anyway I can

 

[riverman67]

Ultimately I think most people who try it and stay were introduced to shooting sports by someone who reached out to them. One-on-one contact.

I never tried NRA Action Pistol until someone who did it made a point of inviting me to try it. It's one of my favorite games now.

I try to recruit and cross-pollinate when I can. If I know someone who shoots IDPA that I think would enjoy USPSA too, I encourage them to try it. Etc.

You have caused me to spend much money sir
I try to do the same , I am working on few guys at work and my kids .
I offer equipment when folks say that is why thet aren't going to show up and know a lot of other do the same .
One of the things that the shooting sports in Indiana has to offer, that should be highlighted in some way, is a good bunch of people to spend your limited recreational time with.
The folks that are looking to get into competitive shooting are the easy ones to snag . All that is needed is a little encouragement , an invite to a match or a class , the offer of a needed piece of gear.
I think for me at least , Knowing just enough to not look like an idiot was important . I knew going in that I wasn't going to be competitve but I thought that shooting matches would be a good excuse to practice skills that I needed to become proficient with a handgun. I was correct in both assumptions. The things that held me back were questions like what the hell is a cold range? What is the 180 rule? What division should I shoot in? When and where are the matches?
It's all stuff that doesn't really matter, once you get started and meet a few people that you can ask questions comfortably. It's getting someone to that first exposure that is tough.
Talking to people about it gets them interested but I think some type of demonstration with a small stage set up that folks can shoot . Couple that with few shooters answering questions about displayed gear and divisions should help

 

[Coach]

Sorry Coach for misunderstanding your original concept of this thread and going in the wrong direction of what you intended. I guess my newfound joy of the sport may have made me a bit over eager to chime in before thinking. I still believe rimfire should have more of a presence though.

Maybe one should observe the established sporting institutions and mimic what has been successful for them which is logo recognition. If enough of us wore USPSA (for example) logoed clothing maybe people would inquire more. I would find it easy to imagine that if at a match, there was whichever particular range's attire for sale that most people would grab some and exposeing it to the population at large. I've seen some pretty "cool" multi-gun shirts, AR15 shirts, hats and the like but I haven't really seen any of the other shooting sports displayed on anyone. If the attire was loud enough maybe people would stop us and ask questions. Skulls, we definitely need skulls.

Don't worry. Every post has contributed something. I just did not want this to swirl that way completely. It is easy to get into the downside. No one is more negative than me.

Your are exactly right about gear and clothes. We need to do more of that.

 

[mongo404]

This is all some great Ideas but the other thing that you have to do is get the volunteers. Remember this sport for us is all vounteer work. I love it so I'm there. But thats another thread coming soon

 

[Josh Ward]

Ultimately I think most people who try it and stay were introduced to shooting sports by someone who reached out to them. One-on-one contact.

Agreed!! ie our newest shooter on sunday.....that took me a lot of arm twisting, now shes hooked....

Recruiting new competitors is a challenge. However, I don't believe USPSA competition should lose its identity for short term gains in participation. The goal should be to raise people to this level, not lower the bar to suit potential shooters. Give new competition shooters a goal to reach.

I agree whole heartedly here as well.....we can't "dumb it down" to reach the masses....instead we need to help them up

 

[mongo404]

Shall we make it a goal this next season for all of our shooting companions to get at least one new shooter out to a match? Stowers and I are working on one now but with the season ending its going to be a little difficult to keep him interested. Hes from around here at home. Offered him gear and the ammo. Just pay the entry fee. Hell then I told him Id waive his first time just to get him hooked then something happened and he couldnt make it. Maybe that is another thing to offer first match is on us?

 

[slow1911s]

New shooters/new to a club - these folks should shoot their first match for free.

Buddy/Coach - new shooters are assigned an experienced shooter as a coach for their first match. The experienced shooter pool would be on a volunteer basis. But, give them someone to give tips, advice, feedback, and encouragement to return with a friend.

Loaner gear - active shooters could donate older, no longer used gear to clubs that can be loaned to new shooters for their first match. It wouldn't take much to have a belt, mag holders, and a few plastic holsters on hand to make this happen.

I agree with George - a charity match would be a great way to get good publicity for the sports. There used to be a match in Vermont that supported this organization - We are AWARE There are several local organizations that could be supported by one match. Put one together, call Fox 59 and tell them to bring a camera.

 

[mongo404]

Somthing else is maybe a push toward female shooters Maybe have a few ladies only Cause we all know if mama's happy everybodys happy. Get some of our female shooters to help so the ladies arn't intimidated by the mostly male dominated sport and RO's

 

[rvb]

What should be done to recruit new shooters into the shooting sports?... How do we get younger shooters involved? When I say younger I am talking 15-23 years old.

Younger shooters in that bracket is tough... before that they have free time, at that age the sport is competing with part time jobs, the draw of the opposite sex, homework, and hangovers. I've seen many kids who were regulars get to that age and disappear for a few years to these distractions. Getting a NEW youth into it at that age is VERY tough... the trick is to make girls/cars/parties sound BORING! haha.

What would be a good move on the part of Indiana shooting sports is to rent a table at the 1500. Have video(s) running, pamphlets to hand out,

The problem here is the equipment race perception. Real or not. Once a person sees an open gun, their eyes glaze over, no matter how much you talk about divisions and classes. People expect to be able to come out with the exact gear they own, and you talk to them about loaner gear or how they have to buy a few dollars worth of gear and their eyes glaze over more.

Get into the schools do some meet and greets show some videos..... get the gun stores involved and the sponsers & buisnesses on Ingo

Schools? Really? Think that would fly these days? Think any of those kids whose families aren't already involved in shooting are going to get their parents to go buy them a gun?

As for stores, unless the owner/workers are into it, they won't really promote it, or promote it well. You might talk them into handing out fliers. Most I've talked to say there is no additional market for them in promoting the sports, but they might hand out a flier as a favor. They make more $ on the guy who comes in every couple months to buy whatever some magazine said was the latest and greatest.

No matter how you put it this is a brutally expensive sport. It would be different if, like other sports, there was just one big "ouch" to get into it, but this sport has obvious reoccuring expenses which there really isn't anything we can do about.

Really? $15-$20 for entry fee plus ammo and gas? Maybe $50 w/ factory ammo? If you own a gun you can probably start up for <$200 in gear (holster, couple of mags, pouches). Compare that to golf? Video games? Hell the movie theater? Fancy cell phone plans? Modifying cars? Theme parks? Dinner at a restraunt? Sure it's more expensive than watching TV (well, depending on how much you pay for TV service). Sure it aint free, but I don't see how you can call it brutally expensive when the start-up and participation cost is so reasonable compared to many other activities/hobbies. And there are ways to reduce match cost by as much as half by helping setup/work the matches, by reloading ammo, and carpooling. Some weeks matches cost me no more than $20-$25 total. I understand some can't afford it. I can't afford as much as I used to (when single!). But no hobby is free.... Those priorities are the reason my cell phone only costs me $8/mo.

New shooters/new to a club - these folks should shoot their first match for free.

I agree for new shooters. Not new to club. I don't expect to shoot for free just because I haven't been somewhere before.

Buddy/Coach - new shooters are assigned an experienced shooter as a coach for their first match. The experienced shooter pool would be on a volunteer basis. But, give them someone to give tips, advice, feedback, and encouragement to return with a friend.

Ding! Who a person interacts with is critical to getting them to return. Some of that is on the shoulders of the shooter to let people know they are new. I've shot entire matches (even RO'd) with newbies and at the end had them tell me it was their first time!! I HATE hearing stories about first timers who won't go back because they were squadded w/ someone who gave them a hard time.

Loaner gear -

sometimes helps, but people are often reluctant to accept.

Best way to reach people is sites like INGO. Look how many new shooters expressed interest in this thread. And it's free advertising. And over a period of time, reading many threads, a person may become interested, vs 5 minutes of badgering in person....

New shooters have to WANT to be there. Unfortunately "build it and they will come" does not apply.

-rvb

 

[mongo404]

All good points but we have to start somewhere. Just looking for suggestions.
When the new board took over at ACC they started with I think 60-70 members now we are over 250 and I think that has alot in part to do with having a booth at the 1500 letting people know where we are and what we do.

 

[BrandonM]

Kinda being in the situation that everyone is talking about, I started out shooting in competition when I was 19, now just a few days into my twenties as I type this. This being said, it much more difficult for anyone under the age of 21 to get starting in shooting sports without having a parents that is either very supportive, or involved in competitions already. Furthering this, I have a few pistols, but only because my dad gifted them to me (IC 35-47-2-7 Sec. 7. if anyway wondered about that). With the laws and the current feeling that schools put into student (Guns are bad and will kill you) its pretty hard to attract fresh blood into the sports unless they truly have a desire for it. I think its much easier to convince someone who is in there teens to go bowling rather than shoot. Sadly, I think thats just the way it is.
That being said, its the few, random, kids like me who can try to help bring late teens to the range. As a few of you have gone to FNS, I tried to bring somebody everytime I went It just takes time, and possibly more ranges (I know easier said than done) to help it grow.
Personally, the only reason I got involved into shooting sports was this site. I use to race motocross pretty competitively, so it was not very difficult for me to come out because I already had experienced the "jitters of a new sport" before. Unfortunately, not many kids this days have that option. To add, with the economy as it is, its hard being this age, going to college, and so on..to afford and have time for it. Thats my rant lol

 

[downrange72]

I like the booth idea, but does anyone know the cost? How would the cost be split up (clubs)? Who would man the booth (Would there be enough volunteers from various clubs)?

The charity event is also a great idea. Heck they are all great ideas.

 

[Beans&Bullets]

I'm new to the sport and appreciate all the help many of the "old vetrans" have given me. I've shot 2 matches and 1 instructional league. I'm hooked and can't wait to shoot again. I would be willing to give a day of my time to man the booth on a Sunday. I can put tapes / videos in, and show my enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I"d be a very poor choice to give advice or coaching as I have so much to learn.

 

[Mike Elzinga]

Here are a couple musings, worth what ya paid for em:

on recruiting... have 1 club member from each club donate 1 hour a week to do something to recruit new members, talk at your town's chamber of commerece, speak at a boy scout meeting, corner some cops at the doughnut shop, fireman sitting around the station, Tv news people about the "local star shooter" even if that is used loosely. Set some pamphlets out at the barbershop, oil change place or laundromat. Talk to neighborhood watch committees or a single moms support group.

on match experience.... i think every club can have 2 members that bring a spare rig and ammo. if you are a brand new shooter, you shoot free, totally free, club reimburses the club owner who provided the gun for ammo cost. I quite often bring a spare rig in case my primary breaks and enough ammo for 2. Having 1 or 2 extra shooters wont affect the cost of the match at all, if it was 20 extra, yes, but not 2.

i have always been a big fan of letting kids shoot uspsa with .22, but that idea tends to get overruled pretty quick.

I would also be cautious of using terms like "bring them up to our level", i dont mean to attack whoever said it, as I am taking it out of context, but if we want new shooters it is very important to be open, kind, and inviting. Dont have this "us" vs. "them" idea, stay off the pedestal and soapbox and just show how fun it is. Dont talk about how everything is tactical and this is 1 step shy of SWAT training. Just overall dont be a bunch of dicks. No one wants to go back to a match where someone shot poorly and then moaned and cried, or where everyone did threat scans on their way to the bathroom. Always be encouraging, but from the right perspective. If a guy shoots poorly dont encourage him to improve so he is as good as you, compliment him on his safety and remind him he still had fun, then invite him to join you for lunch after. There are a lot of egos and overly strong personalities and that will hurt the game as long as it exists, lets all do our part to help.

New shooters (particularly women) are often overwhelmed by all the "help" they are getting on technique. Assign new shooters a "mentor", let the mentor help them, and everyone else, STFU! Also, if the new shooter is a chick, dont stare at her rack, dont offer to "help the lil lady" or ask where her husband is, just treat her like a regular person, a titless, non sexable person.

just a couple ideas, dunno if they help or not

 

[JJGatesE30]

New shooters (particularly women) are often overwhelmed by all the "help" they are getting on technique. Assign new shooters a "mentor", let the mentor help them, and everyone else, STFU! Also, if the new shooter is a chick, dont stare at her rack, dont offer to "help the lil lady" or ask where her husband is, just treat her like a regular person, a titless, non sexable person.

Lots of truth to that actually.


BTW, my wife and I have not gotten into any kind of competition shooting yet but we have kicked around the idea. We have been involved in various forms of competition for years (mostly sports cars) and with guns being a fun side hobby, it just makes sense we take it further.

It would be fun to watch one of these events sometime