DustyDawg48
Master
I can't really add much more to what has been said here other than to add my voice to things listed. Everybody has had a 'first match' and I find actually attending your second match to be harder than the first, especially if it did not go as well as some had initially planned. I recommend to new shooters to only go as quickly as they can do so all while being mistake free. Competitive shooting isn't and shouldn't be a One and Done type of experience and looking at it as a perfect venue to shine a light on areas of your gun handling abilities that need work is probably the best way. It will be humbling, those first few matches, but not so much so that it should interfere with you enjoying yourself and looking at new gear, new training exercises and new friendships.
Remembering that it is a game, not tactical training, is also recommended. And as with all games there are some silly rules along with some wonderful ones so be prepared to find out that you do have to do a few things in a certain order or earn a penalty. It can be confusing, frustrating, expensive and infuriating but nothing that was easy was ever probably worth doing anyway. The competitive shooting sports are wonderful to be a part of, no matter which discipline you decide to pursue, just go and go and go again, help paste targets and reset the steel, leave your brass until the end of the match and try to find time to ask questions about everything you can! My only regret I have is not finding out about IDPA/USPSA sooner.
Remembering that it is a game, not tactical training, is also recommended. And as with all games there are some silly rules along with some wonderful ones so be prepared to find out that you do have to do a few things in a certain order or earn a penalty. It can be confusing, frustrating, expensive and infuriating but nothing that was easy was ever probably worth doing anyway. The competitive shooting sports are wonderful to be a part of, no matter which discipline you decide to pursue, just go and go and go again, help paste targets and reset the steel, leave your brass until the end of the match and try to find time to ask questions about everything you can! My only regret I have is not finding out about IDPA/USPSA sooner.