Behind the Break.

[25/06]

Kerry

I see with the little registered you do very well in competition.

 

Have you competed in other events or are you naturally competative? Do you get aprehensive in competition or are you able to just shoot and not worry?

 

I have notice that some competative shooter shoot alot and some 1/3rd as much and still shoot well in competition

 

I have friend who shoot in the spring some and in the fall and that is it but he is still state level small shoot competative

Edited September 7, 2018 by 25/06
Wrong name

[KerryLuft]

Interesting questions.

 

I am very competitive but not really against others.  I'm interested in seeing how well I can do against my own expectations of how I should perform.  I take my pleasure from the process of getting better and seeing how good I can be.  I believe this helps me to tune out the jitters and shoot each target as it comes (be "in the moment" as they say on Behind the Break), and if I have done sufficient practice to prepare, the rest will take care of itself.  Somebody else may shoot a higher score than I do (usually happens), but if I meet my expectations I call it a win.

 

Also: Those expectations never revolve around a score, a trophy or beating somebody but rather things like, "run your routine properly before every shot" or "make perfect insertions on every target."  If I don't meet expectations I ask myself why, and try to fix it.

 

Some of the attractions of bigger shoots are lost on me.  I don't shop at the vendors (have what I need), don't stick around for the free food and beer (usually lousy), and while I enjoy seeing friends at shoots, I don't regard big tournaments as a part of my social life -- I like the targets they offer.  For many people on the circuit, regionals and other big blasts are very social.  They want to shoot well of course, but they're looking forward to seeing their buddies.  As you know, a lot of those weekends consist of sitting around while shooting the breeze and waiting for your next rotation.  As I only shoot FITASC, I'm on the grounds only for a couple hours and then I'm gone to do something else.  I actually think this helps me shoot better.

 

Anyway.  This might sound a bit pretentious but that's what I have figured out works for me.  Lots of practice to build my confidence going into the tournament, total focus on the targets and the process of shooting them rather than the score, and enjoy it for what I personally get out of it.  And don't worry about what others are trying to get out of it.

 

 

[25/06]

7 hours ago, KerryLuft said:

Interesting questions.

 

I am very competitive but not really against others.  I'm interested in seeing how well I can do against my own expectations of how I should perform.  I take my pleasure from the process of getting better and seeing how good I can be.  I believe this helps me to tune out the jitters and shoot each target as it comes (be "in the moment" as they say on Behind the Break), and if I have done sufficient practice to prepare, the rest will take care of itself.  Somebody else may shoot a higher score than I do (usually happens), but if I meet my expectations I call it a win.

 

Also: Those expectations never revolve around a score, a trophy or beating somebody but rather things like, "run your routine properly before every shot" or "make perfect insertions on every target."  If I don't meet expectations I ask myself why, and try to fix it.

 

Some of the attractions of bigger shoots are lost on me.  I don't shop at the vendors (have what I need), don't stick around for the free food and beer (usually lousy), and while I enjoy seeing friends at shoots, I don't regard big tournaments as a part of my social life -- I like the targets they offer.  For many people on the circuit, regionals and other big blasts are very social.  They want to shoot well of course, but they're looking forward to seeing their buddies.  As you know, a lot of those weekends consist of sitting around while shooting the breeze and waiting for your next rotation.  As I only shoot FITASC, I'm on the grounds only for a couple hours and then I'm gone to do something else.  I actually think this helps me shoot better.

 

Anyway.  This might sound a bit pretentious but that's what I have figured out works for me.  Lots of practice to build my confidence going into the tournament, total focus on the targets and the process of shooting them rather than the score, and enjoy it for what I personally get out of it.  And don't worry about what others are trying to get out of it.

 

 

Pretentious? No. I seem to recall a writer who shared your views:

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

― Ernest Hemingway

[Jakeismydog2]

I enjoyed the one I was listening to today... I think it was Brad Kidd. They asked him about shells, and shot size and payload and velocity and he said something to the effect of "Its not about the postage you put on the package, its about the address you put on it for delivery" I thought that summed it up pretty well.

[dogrunner]

A new one is on. Diane Sorantino. 

[KerryLuft]

Some good stuff there about the merits of an autoloader.

[Snipeaholic]

She had some good points and insights. I especially liked her take on the women shooters and the "help" they get on the range. Also her point about having to be of good character as well as a good shot to represent (be sponsored) a company was refreshing.

Also, what's not to like? She shoots an auto.

[dogrunner]

Got to meet and talk to her last year, she seemed very nice and was willing to talk.  

[dogrunner]

Decent one with Zachary about vision. Also didn’t know he started so young. 

[KerryLuft]

On 9/20/2018 at 10:32 AM, dogrunner said:

Decent one with Zachary about vision. 

 

I thought it was better than that.  So many of us get caught up in techniques and leads and such, yet when if we truly achieve hard focus on the bird -- or better, a detail on the bird -- our hands take care of themselves.  We miss and we think we got the lead wrong.  Of course we did, but it's very likely we got the lead wrong because we weren't truly focused on the target.  It's MUCH harder than it sounds. After six years of working with Matarese, I would say I'm doing it right maybe 50 percent of the time.

 

On 9/20/2018 at 10:32 AM, dogrunner said:

Also didn’t know he started so young. 

 

IMO this is the reason the U.S. shooters are finally starting to beat the British, this year notwithstanding.  We have a generation of shooters in their 20s and 30s who have been competing for many years and have benefited from great instruction along the way.  They are highly experienced and are at the peak of their physical powers. As time goes on -- and provided that the U.S. shooters continue to compete on world class targets -- this trend will become more apparent as more young shooters start elbowing their way onto the podium. 

 

For the first 25 years or so, we had almost no shooters here in the U.S. who fit that profile.  The great shooters were enormously talented but without the years of top-flight international and national competition they had little hope of beating the people who did have it.

 

I also was interested in Zach's take on the exceedingly difficult targets being thrown at many of our regionals.  His point was that these are the shoots where people qualify for our U.S. teams, and if they don't see harder targets they will have trouble in the world championships.  Trouble is, those targets aren't fun for a lot of people who spend a couple grand to attend a big blast and then shoot demoralizing scores.  Don't know the answer, but balancing the needs of the elite against the desires of the masses is a challenge for registered sporting clays in this country.

[john mcg]

Much the same when throwing darts.

[Snipeaholic]

Much to wade through on the Wendell Cherry interview done by Davie Radulovich. I did find it interesting that Cherry said it took four years to learn to shoot and 14 years to learn how to win.

 

Wendell sure has had an interesting go of it. The part about his wife's passing was hard to listen to with a dry eye.

[dogrunner]

havent heard it yet. I know when I shot on a squad with him he didn’t say much but did give me a compliment on my shooting.  

[dogrunner]

Listened to him and Clint today. Wendell talked more than I thought he would. 

[dogrunner]

I really liked Kevin DeMichiel podcast.