2011 USPSA Multigun Nationals!

My road to the USPSA Multigun Nationals is a bit unconventional, but that is ok, I like that!  I saw an opportunity to step way out of my comfort zone and grabbed it!  I got mixed feedback from my trusted friends in the shooting community that I wasn’t prepared for this and that working a major match was extremely hard work, all the way to you will learn so much and you can’t pass this up.  I can tell you it was the best decision I have made in a long time… sore feet and all. 

A call for volunteers went out across the country to help the understaffed match a week before the event.  I commented on a message board that it sounded like fun, wish I could go and that was all it took.  NROI Instructor Troy McManus messaged me back and said “come on”.  I explained that I am new to USPSA and not certified to RO a major match.  That didn’t stop the invitation, but instead welcomed me with open arms and said I that I they could use me somewhere.  So I booked a ticket and the next Wednesday was on a plane to Vegas!

My first of many new friends was Mike Carraher.  We meet up at the airport and right away he made me feel welcomed and was so nice to explain what I was to expect for the next 4 days.    I told him that he would be my favorite if we could find a Del Taco!  It became the joke of the week to keep me happy was to get me Del Taco.

Thursday morning was the staff meeting, it was so exciting to be involved and I didn’t even know what my job was yet.  Turns out I was to be a scorekeeper!!!  I love that job.  I was wonderfully paired with Fred & “Butch”.  I am sure they were not so thrilled to have a USPSA newbie on their stage, but they were very kind and helpful to me.   On the way back to the hotel for the required NROI course (National Range Officers Institute) was another stop at Del Taco, keeping me a happy girl.  I had the good fortune to meet another Nationals first timer Chris Palmer from Georgia.  We became fast friends and were able to share the experience as newbies together. 

Friday morning, or “Game Day” as Butch called it arrived with my first bit of nerves.  The reality of what I had signed up for hit me and I was a little scared and a lot star struck.  I got a crash course on the dos and don’ts, and off we went.  After the first squad, my nerves settled down and I began to really enjoy the experience.  I didn’t see myself as someone with authority, so I was careful to wait for instructions.  That worked well most of the time, except for a situation when competitors were too close to the pre-loaded shotguns and I found out that I was responsible for watching that area.  As the match progressed, I could feel the trust that Fred and Butch were feeling in me when they said “hey you are supposed to be in charge of that”.  Good to know! 

I was lucky enough to score keep the La Rue match last April hosted my Texas Multi Gun, and squad after squad I recognized shooters from that match.  It was fun for me to “say I remember you” and thrilled that they remembered me too.    There is definitely a proper way to interact with the competitors, and took ques from them on when and how to engage them.  There is an exchange that happened between me and each shooter when they sign their score sheet.  They were either happy or not with their performance, at which I could offer up kudos or remind them that it was still a better day than not shooting at all.  I made many new friends that way, and that felt very rewarding to me.  I enjoyed watching the dynamics of how each competitor prepared for the stage.   Some were very serious and quite, other serious but talkative, and a few just down right hilarious.  Besides the obvious friendships that these shooters have, the support of each other to do well was impressive. 

 It was very exciting to meet the Super Squads! I did my best to contain being star struck and not say anything stupid.  I can say without a doubt being able to RO this match was a huge benefit to me as a new competitor.  I had the opportunity to observe the best shooters in World plan a strategy and work the stage.   That kind of visual education is priceless as it helped me connect the dots in my brain on marksmanship and how to move the body in the most efficient way possible. 

These gals met for the first time
at USPSA Multigun Nationals!
Both are from the Vegas area
and are future competitors!

Looking at the match from the female perspective, there were not many gals around, but the ones that were there are completely awesome.  There were women there working hard with the set up crew, working as lead RO’s and several that competed.  The women in the stat shack were also experienced competitors, and it really hit home to me how skilled all these women are.  Not only do they run the behind the scene work, they are shooters as well.  It left me feeling inspired that the women in competitive shooting have a very bright future… and the sport needs us.  There were many women there in support of their husbands/boyfriends and kept the squads organized.  I asked some of the gals that were spectators if they were shooters too, and many of them said yes!  They were new shooters and not ready for a match of this caliber… yet!  These women are leaders regardless if they know it or not and I was happy to meet them. 

Working a major match is exciting, but is a really crazy thing to do.  Why on earth would anyone want to get up early and go to be late, be on their feet all day walking the stage hundreds of times, plus set up and break down over the course of 4 days?  In the middle of your braining telling your feet that the situation sucks and you can’t believe you volunteered for this, your eyes are already looking forward to next time to you can do it again because of the people you get to spend time with and the sense of accomplishment you feel by creating a great experience for the competitors. 

I am very happy that I decided to jump into this opportunity.  A special thank you to Michael Voigt, John Amidon, Kim Williams and Carl Schmidt for welcoming me to the USPSA family, and for the invitation for me to come back next year, with the requirement to get certified.  Too cool!