[WalterMitty]

I can see where a small club may be dragging their feet a little on moving to the new scoring program, there are some new "features" that are a pain in the neck.

As has been said before, ask the club. It's a little strange that you would come here to ask what your local club is going to do. It indicates that you aren't a club member and probably not a USPSA member. This may reduce your ability to get the club to do what you want them to do.

As a local club officer and CRO I will tell you that club members have a great deal of latitude in calling the shots at local Approved Level 1 matches. If all the Classes, Divisions and Categories are recognized, there are up to (over?) 180 different buckets you could fall in. (Like the Production Division, C class, Super Senior)

The only way your local club will be compelled to recognize all divisions by USPSA is if they are applying to put on a Sanctioned Match. Among a laundry list of other requirements will be a 50 competitor match minumum with at least 10 competitors in each divison and at least 5 competitors for each category.

Please bear in mind that all USPSA clubs are volunteer non-profits operating for fun. Many do not pretend to be full-service shooting clubs catering to the general public. This means that your sweat equity in the club and your USPSA membership will buy you more consideration than merely showing up on match day, paying the match fee, and asking to be scored as the lone Production Class shooter. (or whatever your particular situation is)

So, if you are now ready to "Win", here's some cheap advice: (which may be worth exactly what you pay for it)

1) Join USPSA. Nobody's going to want to hear you grouse about not being scored as "Limited 10" or "Production" or "Revolver" if you're not classified with USPSA.

2) Join the club. Your match fees probably include a "visitor" fee that would cover a membership if you shoot all year anyway, but if you're not a member you're asking other working stiffs to cover the rent-insurance-upkeep for those months when it is too hot-cold-wet-dry to shoot. Membership also typically gets you voting rights regarding club rules.

3) Show up early to set up, pick up brass, tape targets, reset steel, clipboard, etc, and stay late to tear down. This is the Golden Rule for club matches.

If you'll do those things, it has been my experience, the club will score you as a dyslexic black lesbian amazon if that's what you want.

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It may have been a Ball yesterday, it might be a Ball tomorrow, it might even be a Ball later on tonight, but right now I say it's a Strike and YER OUT! - Unknown offical officiating a popular game.

 

[WalterMitty]

sfcbhunt

What I am saying is that a club scoring only Limited and Open at an Approved local match is in compliance with the letter of the rules if that's how they've specified the match divisions. (USPSA Rule Book, 14th Edition 2001, APPENDIX G, page 100, Recognition) The only way they are required to recognize all divisons is if they apply for Sanctioned or Tournament status. (USPSA Rule Book, 14th Edition 2001, APPENDIX A, page 78 & 79, Check List items #7)

I guess you can call them lazy or ignorant of the rules, but that may not apply.

lowtech

Sir, you are offended for some reason, apparently by my post. You asked an open question in a forum, and for some reason your feelings were hurt by my response. Your sensitivity probably explains quite a bit about why you asked your question(s) here instead of at *your* club.

I guess every once in a while you may come across someone that will get mad because you've asked a question at a club (like, "would it be possible to be scored as Production class?") but that would be unusual. If you've fallen in with a bunch of folks whose attitude is that "as a new guy you keep your mouth shut and listen" you've come across a very rare circumstance indeed. In fact, that is so peculiar as to be nearly unbelievable.

On the other hand while it is also rare for newbies to become offended by the answers to their questions, it is certainly not unheard of. I wasn't the first to suggest you should have been talking to the club, nor was I the first to raise the USPSA membership issue. I think I was the first to recommend you show up and work to support your club. Of course, you figured all that out "before you read this", so why are you upset that my (late) advice matches what you concluded you should already do?

I conclude from your post that nobody bit your head off when you asked your questions, and that you may have a way to be scored as you like. Someday you may look back and wonder how you thought that YOUR "fellow" club members would be offended at a question, of course, that's not for certain.

There are two sides to all this fear and loathing. On the one side are newbies that are afraid of looking stupid for asking stupid questions (or being called newbies). Hence the usefulness of this anonymous forum for newbies to ask questions. I have seen some newbies get hammered by others here (Just ask if a FLGR is a good idea); but while I probably used some plain language with you, I don't happen to think I gave you a hard time.

On the flip side are those of us that do the work to Support the Sport, know the rules, run the club finances and legal compliance, buy the insurance, order supplies, set up and run matches, etc, etc. Most of us (and I include myself) are more than happy to answer questions. However, I will tell you in this anonymous forum, you will learn a lot more a lot faster, if you can accept feedback (good and bad) without becoming emotionally distraught.

DVC

 

[WalterMitty]

sfcbhunt

I agree with you 100%, recruiting and retaining new members is the life blood of any organization. From the shooting sports to bowling leagues to auto racing, keeping a steady flow of fresh blood is crucial to the sport.

At the same time, the parent organization has to try to find a way to keep the "old" heads (some of the hi cap shooters that wax me on a regular basis are teenagers) in the game. It is a difficult balance and the outcome is uncertain.

The clubs that come around will survive, those that don't won't. But this is nothing new; even IDPA runs into similar problems with their extensive rules and restrictions. Many shooters that spend thousands of dollars per year on their shooting hobbies are put off by the game that favors a demographic that thinks $500.00 is a lot for a gun, and anybody that would drop a partially filled mag on the ground is a cheater.

No game, or any organization formed to run a game, can be perfect for everyone. The payoff is a good time with a group of people that share our interests.