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How the game has changed...And a tip of the hat to long-suffering match directors!


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Just an observation from a new shooter, sometimes the awards aren't the issue.

 

My first match was last week, I got a first place ribbon....I was the only one signed up for that class....I finished 17 out of 18 overall...If I would have been made to shoot in a populated class I would have without complaint but it would turn some off.

 

The point is, I took the ribbon with a laugh and enjoyment...I personally know that it means NOTHING in regards to my abilities...have a lot to work on and that's fine.

 

But if it possibly would have made a person excited and return for another match then what's the harm...this sport will collapse without new shooters and active ones at that.

 

Now if I were to get a big head about my first place in a class of none I would need to be addressed by the veterans and shown what it means to win, REALLY win something.

 

I'm not a fan of everybody gets a trophy..I do agree that 1st, 2nd and 3rd are more than enough but why take what seems to be "offense" at someone getting recognition for showing up.

 

I would also say if you didn't go to EOT for instance and are upset at participation trophys...I would say hell, at least they DID participate. 

 

Just my .02 cents

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16 hours ago, One Gun Jimmy said:

Just an observation from a new shooter, sometimes the awards aren't the issue.

 

My first match was last week, I got a first place ribbon....I was the only one signed up for that class....I finished 17 out of 18 overall...If I would have been made to shoot in a populated class I would have without complaint but it would turn some off.

 

The point is, I took the ribbon with a laugh and enjoyment...I personally know that it means NOTHING in regards to my abilities...have a lot to work on and that's fine.

 

But if it possibly would have made a person excited and return for another match then what's the harm...this sport will collapse without new shooters and active ones at that.

 

Now if I were to get a big head about my first place in a class of none I would need to be addressed by the veterans and shown what it means to win, REALLY win something.

 

I'm not a fan of everybody gets a trophy..I do agree that 1st, 2nd and 3rd are more than enough but why take what seems to be "offense" at someone getting recognition for showing up.

 

I would also say if you didn't go to EOT for instance and are upset at participation trophys...I would say hell, at least they DID participate. 

 

Just my .02 cents

Got a few of those myself when I started. Even though it wasn't really earned, I still thought it was pretty cool! And looks real cool on my wall still. Ribbons are inexpensive!

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59 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Got a few of those myself when I started. Even though it wasn't really earned, I still thought it was pretty cool! And looks real cool on my wall still. Ribbons are inexpensive!

 

Still have the trophy from the first match I shot...3rd place Modern from the Cigar City Shooters in Brooksville, Florida on July 6, 1997.

 

There were only three people in Modern and I think I finished dfl overall...I didn't care, it was kinda fun to shoot steel in a timed event...even if I was using .30 Carbine Blackhawk pistols (downloaded lead rounds), a S x S that kicked like a mule (and my ass) and a 92 rifle that didn't have a detachable magazine. 

 

I thought that YOU people were crazy to be dressed like this, in this kind of heat, down in a limestone pit, out in the boonies through 3 gates and a creek, shooting these kind of guns that I hadn't shot since I was a kid...and having fun?

 

Crazy bastards.

 

Still doing it, even though it was kinda fun...that was 26 years ago.

 

 

 

 

20230313_124908.jpg

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19 hours ago, One Gun Jimmy said:

 

But if it possibly would have made a person excited and return for another match then what's the harm...this sport will collapse without new shooters and active ones at that.

 

Bingo - Hold your cards - we have a winner! 

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45 minutes ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

Are there really new first match shooters who wouldn't  have returned for a second match but did come back because they got a ribbon at their first match? 

Doubt it, categories were tough to win back in 96 when I started and I kept coming back.

 

 

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Remember when the Shooter's Handbook was a pamphlet and the Chronicle was a large thick newspaper?  Now the Shooter's Handbook is a large thick book and the Chronicle a pamphlet.  :P

 

Then -

 

DSC_0001.thumb.jpeg.b12194f3afcef340ace82b4c083f9c55.jpeg

 

 

Now -

 

1214282120_DSC_0001(1).thumb.jpeg.4fbe80d081502d048c40dfaa415bba81.jpeg

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On 3/12/2023 at 6:42 PM, Griff said:

One of the vast improvements of the game has been the elimination of attitudes like that!  Or, if not elimination, the hiding of them!  

Yea, that particular MD is no longer shooting and the club moved to another spot! Thank God!

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Wouldn’t mind seeing a fair bit of condensing of the categories. I shoot FGF or FCD. 
 

For a start get rid of the endless number of age divisions. Make it under 16, 16-65, and 66+

 

Also turn Classic Cowboy into a BP category allowing any shooting style like is done with B-Western, and turn up the power factor in that category to 150+. This would for the most part allow the elimination of the other BP categories. The majority of the people I know who shoot FC categories can easily meet the existing costume requirements for CC. The increased power factor could take place of the big bore requirement, although I’d just as soon keep it as well. 

 

 

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 There are reasons why we have age based categories. Think a bit about why,

 

Best wishes

 

TJB

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28 minutes ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 There are reasons why we have age based categories. Think a bit about why,

 

Best wishes

 

TJB

Yeah, but every 5 years?

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The whole competitive aspect of the game is about shooters working at feeling better and being able to take pride in their performance.  Hopefully matches will never be so small that everybody can be in the top 5 Overall.  So if more categories help more folks feel good and cause them to return, then that works for me?  

 

We finish a match and look at the score sheets to see how we did.  

>Overall -- Ooooh!  121 out of 419 shooters -- oh well!  But look at that, I beat my arch- rival Frank.  He was 125!

 

>Category-- 7th  in my category out of 29 -- not terrible.  at least I won a 7th place ribbon. 

 

>Stages -- HEY, Look at that -- I was 5th in one stage and 4th in two others!  and I shot CLEAN!   --and if I hadn't focused on shooting Clean, my times would have been better.

 

SO WHAT  if I had to shop around for a success story!  I had an OK match and I'm looking forward to the next one!   It doesn't affect anyone else, other than make the big winners share a tiny bit the spotlight on their shiny 1st place buckle.

 

That's how it works for many shooters.  Many more shooters get satisfaction and continue to play than would happen if just the Overall Scores were published.  It is why categories came about and it is a factor in keeping clubs populated, IMO. 

 

We ought to stop being troubled over awards for small category winners, and start appreciating the bigger crowd that still shows up to shoot.   Failing that,  all of the categories, including 'Overall' winners lists will gradually become too small to pay the bills for our matches.

JMHO.  

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On 3/10/2023 at 11:46 PM, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Based on thousands upon thousands of world-wide comments on youtube videos, the close targets make us the laughing stock of the shooting world.   I know the reasons given for big/close being popular, but is it possible that this also prevents some folks from joining up? 

I personally have met a number of shooters that do have "cowboy" guns but have no interest in SASS because they argue there is no challenge at all when it comes to shooting/hitting the target.  

 

The category debate comes up pretty regularly.  While I agree there are an excessive number of categories nobody seems to be okay with combining their particular one.  Personally I think a simple way to halve the categories would be to get rid of the gender based categories, and maybe offer just a Top Lady at bigger matches.  I also don't really understand the need for a costume based categories.  Again, maybe at bigger matches offer a top B-western and Classic award but no need for separate categories.     

 

Edit:  I'd like to redact my earlier comment about the costume categories, the firearm restrictions/requirements along with other aspects unique to their particular category do make it a different sort of challenge and individuals shooting in a costume category should not be lumped in with another category.  

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 This is first a BUSINESS than a game  .In order to make a PROFIT you need warm bodies . The more that shoot and are happy the more $$$$$

 

Best Wishes

 

TJB

 

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45 minutes ago, July Smith said:

I personally have met a number of shooters that do have "cowboy" guns but have no interest in SASS because they argue there is no challenge at all when it comes to shooting/hitting the target.  

 

The category debate comes up pretty regularly.  While I agree there are an excessive number of categories nobody seems to be okay with combining their particular one.  Personally I think a simple way to halve the categories would be to get rid of the gender based categories, and maybe offer just a Top Lady at bigger matches.  I also don't really understand the need for a costume based categories.  Again, maybe at bigger matches offer a top B-western and Classic award but no need for separate categories.     

I support combining Cowboy, Wrangler and 49er into one category.  I also think Senior and Silver Senior could be merged without being unfair.  After that, the natural aging process starts to matter enough to justify 5 year increments in my opinion.

 

I'm not a big fan of costume categories either, though I believe they all have some firearm and equipment requirements as well. 

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11 minutes ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 This is first a BUSINESS than a game  .In order to make a PROFIT you need warm bodies . The more that shoot and are happy the more $$$$$

 

Best Wishes

 

TJB

 

Show us one 'gun game' that isn't a business ;)

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2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Show us one 'gun game' that isn't a business ;)

 I totally agree.

 

Best wishes

 

TJB

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21 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Yeah, but every 5 years?

Yea that's a bit much, maybe it should be every 10 years.

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We are not a big club here in Prescott, AZ, but we have a monthly match that usually has 20 to 28 shooters.  Our Mar. 2023 match had 18 shooters and 7 were in Cattle Baron and 2 were in Elder Statesman.  The rest were in "pick your category wisely."

See a lot of folks everywhere with an IJAFG button on there hats or shirts or gun cart.  Went to a club match in Renton, WA in 1995 as a spectator and said "this looks like fun!!"  Haven't turned my back since then.  Have met many amazing people over the past 28 years, and sadly many of them have passed away or quit shooting for various reasons.  I try to watch a good western movie or TV show everyday because it brings me back to my youth when America was at it's best.  Feel sorry for the young folks of today because their future world the way it is going sucks.  All of us have our old west fantasy world that takes us away from the crap world we now live in every time we strap on our sixguns.  It's a few hours of breathing fresh hour outdoors and being with the best people in our beloved country.  Enjoy what you have today because you don't know what tomorrow will bring.

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