Hi Everyone,
If we don't get rained out again (like Jan and Feb) the April match is this Sunday April 6th.  Hope to see you there!

We have had lots of new shooters join us in the past year and Alec does a great job on the New Shooter Safety Briefing, but no one ever talks about what else to do during a match. So here is some information that might be helpful to our new shooters as well as a little review for those of you who have been around for a couple of years!

Shooting a Match with SDPS
By Bob Peake

 The purpose of this article is to help you understand how to shoot a match and work together with your squad in such a way that everyone has a good experience. We will discuss the different responsibilities of the people on each squad and how we can all work together to get through the match smoothly and quickly.

The Safety Officer is responsible for maintaining a safe environment in the bay and ensuring the active shooter is safe and follows SDPS and IDPA rules. They will ask the shooter if they understand the course of fire (COF), tell them to load and make ready, observe them during their shooting to ensure they are safe, and have them unload and holster their gun when they are finished. The Safety Officer will announce “Range is Safe, Tapers and Brassers”.  They will then walk to the targets and score them along with the shooter and the scorekeeper for that shooter. As soon as scoring is completed, they will return to the starting position and start the next shooter

 The Scorekeeper or Assistant Safety Officer helps the Safety Officer by looking for improper use of “cover” by the shooter, and records any procedurals given by the SO during the course of fire. After the course of fire they write down the score for each target and have the shooter initial their score when they are done scoring. They also announce the names of the next “shooter”, the shooter “on deck” and the shooter “in the hole”.

 Tapers, after the targets are scored by the SO, the holes need to be taped over before the next shooter. There should be one person waiting at each target with tape to cover the holes immediately after they have been scored by the SO (but not before!).

 Brassers, there are two reasons for picking up the brass after each shooter. First is safety, so no one slips after stepping on brass lying on the ground. The second is many of our shooters reload and want their empty shells back for reloading. There should be one or two people who immediately after the “range is safe” command is given by the SO begin picking up the shells that were left by the last shooter. After picking them up, offer them to the shooter when they return from having their targets scored, or put them on the table next to the brass bucket so the shooter can either collect them or throw them away.

 Shooter In The Hole. This means you are third in line to shoot the COF. When you are “in the hole” you should use the time while the current shooter is shooting to gather up anything you need to shoot, down load magazines if required, put on your cover garment if needed, and start thinking about the COF. You do not need to tape or brass when you are “in the hole”.

Shooter On Deck. This means you are the next shooter. As soon as the current shooter and SO walk to the targets to score them, you should go to the starting position for the COF, double check your equipment, and be ready to begin as soon as the Safety Officer returns from scoring the previous shooter. The “on deck” shooter not being ready is on of the biggest single delays in the time it takes to shoot the entire match.

 Current Shooter. After you have finished shooting the COF, walk with the SO to score your targets. When done scoring clear the range quickly so the next shooter can begin, initial the score sheet, collect your brass or put it in the brass bucket. Then take a few minutes while the next one or two people shoot to reload your magazines, take a breather, and get organized to move to the next bay when your squad is finished shooting.  After your “break” you should return to the squad and continue taping and brassing for the rest of the squad.

Normal Match Day Scenario:
Arrive at the range at least 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the match. Sign in, pay your fees, sign up for a squad, pick up your score sheets, then go to the safe table and put on your gear.

After the walk-through by the Safety Officers to review all the COF’s there will be a brief Shooters Meeting to cover any announcements. Next, go with your squad to your starting bay. If you are a new to SDPS shooter, there will be a short safety meeting before you join your group and you will be assigned a “buddy” for the day, who is an experienced shooter, to answer any of your questions and help you through your first match with us.

 An SO on your squad will walk through the COF for the current bay and the ASO will call the names of the Shooter, Shooter On Deck and Shooter In the Hole at a minimum. If you are one of these three people, please take action based on the descriptions above. If you are not one of the next three shooters you should move to a safe position to watch the COF.

 As soon as the shooter is finished and the “Range is Safe, Tapers and Brassers” announcement is made you should walk directly to a target and be ready to tape the holes after it is scored by the SO and reset the target if it is mechanical, or you should begin picking up brass for the shooter.  If there are more people on the squad than needed to tape, reset, and brass, you can just hang back in the safe area and alternate taping and brassing duties with others on the squad for the next shooter. Do not follow the SO and Shooter like a herd of sheep walking the course of fire…this takes extra time to clear the target area and will avoid accusations of gaming and dry firing the scenario which is against IDPA rules.

 After you have shot this stages COF, go to your gear bag, reload your magazines, and take a break for no more than one or two shooters then please re-join the squad and help with taping and brassing until the entire squad has shot the COF, then you can all move to the next bay as a group.

 After shooting your last scenario for the day please stay with your squad and help tear down the scenario and store the gear at the back of the bays or in the trailers.   If you don't know where an item is to be stored, just ask someone. If everyone pitches in it only takes about five minutes to dismantle a stage at the end of the day.

 As the number of shooters coming to our matches grows, everyone being aware of what they should be doing, working together, and being ready when it is their time to shoot will make our events safe, fun, and we will be able to finish in the least amount of time without feeling rushed.

 Happy Shooting!