Sanctioned matches you attended. What did you like and what didn't?

[Miggy]

We (as in the wild bunch from Miami) are thinking about having a sanctioned match sometime in the late fall. One of the things we want is to avoid things that bother shooters and copy shamelessly things that other clubs have gotten right.
I'd be obliged if you share your experiences.

[Gail]

Miggy,

     The only thing I can think of right now is sometimes there are stages where us altitudally challenged shooters cannot even reach up through windows, around barricades etc. I once went to a match where a very tall MD designed all of the stages and, there were at least three stages that I could not shoot given the rules for the stage. (the MD was most gracious and made accomodations for me) For one example the most excellent stage that Toni designed for the Fl state match. Most of the shooters could shoot somewhere near the middle of the target where the opening was wide but Terri & I could only shoot near the bottom where the opening was much more narrow. See pic below:


Also accomodations for the less statuesque should not include stepping up on something that nobody else has to step up on. I hope this helps somewhat and I look forward to your match.

Gail

[Daeglan]

Miggy,

     The only thing I can think of right now is sometimes there are stages where us altitudally challenged shooters cannot even reach up through windows, around barricades etc. I once went to a match where a very tall MD designed all of the stages and, there were at least three stages that I could not shoot given the rules for the stage. (the MD was most gracious and made accomodations for me) For one example the most excellent stage that Toni designed for the Fl state match. Most of the shooters could shoot somewhere near the middle of the target where the opening was wide but Terri & I could only shoot near the bottom where the opening was much more narrow. See pic below:


Also accomodations for the less statuesque should not include stepping up on something that nobody else has to step up on. I hope this helps somewhat and I look forward to your match.

Gail

So making Gail the Preditor haul an apple crate around for every stage=Bad idea....she has a pistol bayonet...

[Miggy]

Daeglan, do notice how she delicately once again let me know that our stage sucked 'cause she got more points down than NASDQ after the last Inauguration 

[Daeglan]

Daeglan, do notice how she delicately once again let me know that our stage sucked 'cause she got more points down than NASDQ after the last Inauguration 

Right... invest in rack to make her taller....runs to find something bullet proof to hide behind...

[Chris]

Miggy,
Deviating from the Rule Book is something that annoys the hell out of me. Stage 8 at the recent FL State Championship is an excellent example. You started with a downloaded gun, seated at a table (no problem with that) at the buzzer you grab gun & ammo from table, move to a window and engage T-1 and T-2 through the window, using cover as defined by the Rule Book. No problem so far.
After engaging those two targets you needed to reload before moving through a door. The Rule Book specifically states that if a shooter is using cover properly to engage a target then he is properly covered and does not have to duck back completely behind cover to reload. A number of shooters, myself included, engaged the two targets and... without shifting our feet from our last firing position... reloaded. We were given a PE for not moving back completely behind cover. I pointed out to the SO that  he had no problems with my cover position while I was shooting, and given that, the Rule Book then has no problems with my reload position. He just shrugged his shoulders and said “We'll that's how we're doing it here”. Making up the rules as you go along annoys the hell out of me... as do SOs who don't know the rules.
Chris Christian

[Miggy]

This one? If you neutralized the first 3 targets, how are they gonna call a procedure for a reload? That does not make sense.

 "We make it on the spot" stuff to me is more of an indicator that the people running the stage do not know the rules. We do sometimes a bit of deviation during a regular match if we feel we can learn something new or practice something we usually can't with normal IDPA rules. But a sanctioned match is not the place.

[Chris]

Miggy,
I think that was the one shown in the pre-match book as Stage 8... but it was changed at the last minute at the match. We started downloaded to five rounds and there were only two targets inside the window (the two with the full body armour... making head shots mandatory). Only those two were engaged through the window before moving through the door to engage the remaining targets. And... yes... after engaging those two targets and reloading from that perfectly fine shooting position where the targets were engaged through the window without a peep from the SO regarding cover... drawing a PE for "not reloading behind cover"  makes no sense. But... me& a bunch of others got one. I tried to tactfully explain to the SO (who did seem to be inexperienced... and likely a Marksman Class shooter) that his ruling was not correct. But, I got the bowed up " I'm the SO and that's how we're doing it here" response. Since it was the first stage I shot in the match I didn't feel like making a big deal out it. I ate the 3 seconds quietly (it didn't make a damned bit of difference in the final score. I still couldn't catch Buckland or Walsh in SSR). But, I do get tired of incompetent, egotistical, SOs who can't shoot for shit... but are quite happy to tell Master/Expert class shooters how to do it.
There was another PE later (from another Marksman Class SO... I saw his badge) that was pretty chicken crap... but I didn't have enough of a view from my position to realistically challenge it.
Chris Christian

[tom]

So I have only been to 3 matches but picking up a bit on something Gail said and in general that I like at our matches here in Seattle http://www.nwppa-idpa.com/ is that however many stages there are, there is a different designer for each stage.  We also actively recruit stage planning on line.  Today what I didn't like (but it was good for me anyways) was the stages really favored left hand (good because I need the work, bad in that I would prefer balance).  We also had some stages that worked low cover and were potentially challenges for us of the taller persuasion. 
Two stages we had this time had popper activated targets, one on a spring swinging up, one activating a swinger.  Both seemed to take forever, you would hit them (even the guys with large cal) and it was like slow motion just waiting for the target to appear.  On the swinger because of the left handed nature this also made for what seemed a bit of an unnatural sequence but that is ok. 
Anyhow, variety in the puzzles we solve and the challenges placed.

tom

[Gail]

I got a procedural for the same stage Chris is talking about and is pictured here. The targets were neutralized and I ducked between the window and the door before opening it and I was told I got the PE for crossing the window, for crying out loud the targets were dead!

For an excellent article on making stages more shorter-people friendly check out this months Tactical Journal for Julie Golob's article.

Miggy, I "earned" every one of those 66 points on that stage.

Daeglan, that's not funny 

Gail

[Daeglan]

Daeglan, that's not funny 

Gail

Well crap.. That was spose to make you smile not frown...I grew up in a group where if they weren't ribbing you you weren't liked. Its habit. I apologize for upsetting you.

[MasAyoob]

Daeglan, don't sweat it.

She was teasing you.

The way to tell if Gail is pissed at you, is:

Put an index finger to your mandibular notch, and take a carotid pulse.

If something is still beating, it means Gail wasn't really mad at you.  

Happy to translate while I'm still alive (for now) to do so,

Mas

[Daeglan]

Ok good. i wouldn't want to make her travel to the Peoples Republik of kalifornia to kill me. If she does head this way give me enough warning so i can at least put a couple anti gunner politician between us so at the very least you will be down a few of them too.

[Miggy]

Daeglan, don't open any boxes coming from Florida or Georgia.

Tom, We righties tend to dislike left favorable stages, but they are a necessary challenge. I actually consider a match without a weak-hand only stage a poor one. I love to see the confusion in people's faces when the gun do not "perform" as they want to.

[tom]

Tom, We righties tend to dislike left favorable stages, but they are a necessary challenge. I actually consider a match without a weak-hand only stage a poor one. I love to see the confusion in people's faces when the gun do not "perform" as they want to.

Yeah, I just don't want the whole day tilted one way or the other, and it was really pretty balanced this time.  I learned a little about the transition point between my right and left eye being dominant if I get the gun too far right of the bridge of my nose.  Like I said, I like to learn what I am bad at.

tom

[Daeglan]

Daeglan, don't open any boxes coming from Florida or Georgia.

Tom, We righties tend to dislike left favorable stages, but they are a necessary challenge. I actually consider a match without a weak-hand only stage a poor one. I love to see the confusion in people's faces when the gun do not "perform" as they want to.

Who would be sending me packages from Georgia???

[Miggy]

Daeglan, don't open any boxes coming from Florida or Georgia.

Tom, We righties tend to dislike left favorable stages, but they are a necessary challenge. I actually consider a match without a weak-hand only stage a poor one. I love to see the confusion in people's faces when the gun do not "perform" as they want to.

Who would be sending me packages from Georgia???

She Who Has The Bayonet may be sneaky enough to drive to Georgia and mail you a "take care" package....while we are it, don't take anything from Alabama either.

[Chris]

Miggy,
A couple of thoughts on what I LIKE to see in a Sanctioned Match... I agree that weak and strong hand stages with the targets at the maximum allowable distance are very good. I also like to see longer range (25 & 35 yard) targets. They don't get a lot of use in club matches because of the time it takes to score & paste, but with the additional SOs at a Sanctioned Match they are workable. I like stages that stress accuracy over blazing close range speed (although some of those also need be present). We should test maximum effort skill more than we do. I've seen shooters who had no idea where their guns hit at 35 yards because they've never shot that far. There was a great stage at FL State where two partially exposed mini-poppers had to be hit at about 25-30 yards in order to expose two paper targets... loved it! Another memorable stage was at 2006 Nationals... 35 yard paper partially shielded by barrels... some people cried! Loved it!
Chris Christian

[Miggy]

I like stages that stress accuracy over blazing close range speed (although some of those also need be present).

You are so preaching to the choir......

[mistertaco]

Chris, you might have liked the 2010 NC State ... A +25 yd on one one stage, two paper & two poppers at +20 yds from both sides of barricade on another stage, & also shot prone at SIX 25-30 yds that were in the trees/bushes!

Miggy, this was my first match were there was no squadding or stage ordering. We got to jump around and save a stage for later or shoot in any order. I don't know if I liked it but it was different. I liked the option to shoot with a small group of friends and still have the oppurtunity to follow certain shooters to watch their stages.

If possible, way more tents to shield the sun (and rain sometimes)

Quick question on pasting. What's the protocol on sanctioned matches? I expect to only paste a little, not all day like at NC State today. Maybe I'm spoiled by the other two state matches I've done?
Lee