July-August 2010 - New Zealand Clay Target Association

Make it fun!The first thing to do is to get them allshooting, until they do they won’t knowif they like it or not. With beginners inany sport it’s a feel of failure in front ofothers that discourages them most. So,take the tension out of your recruits withthe first few shots, it’s supposed to befun so help them to enjoy it. Probablythe best venue would be a club on aweek day with no competitions andnot too many people. The ground willusually have a practice trap somewherethat will throw some easy targets. At thispoint provide the minimum instructionwith the emphasis on safety. Beforegoing any further, check your friend formaster eye, if you don’t know how to doit, find out. This technicality is best dealtwith right from the beginning, beforehe’s missed everything he’s shot at andneither he or you know why. Assumingthere are no problems in that area thenget him to break a few targets as soonas possible. I have never met anyonewho didn’t like hitting something hehad shot at, whether he ever does itagain or not. Don’t forget about recoil,people who have never fired a gun intheir lives have heard about it and it’salways the first thing on their mind, sofor adults a 12 bore and a light load iswhat’s required. Be encouraging andtake the drama out of it. At the sametime, without scaring anyone, do ensurethey are always conscious they are incharge of a lethal weapon.It will be clear soon enough if thefriend likes shooting and whether ornot he is going to be any good at it. Ido not mean a champion, there’s noway of knowing that, but does he havea modicum of ability that can take himShooters today comein all shapes, sizes anddispositionsa few steps further? Most importantly,enjoying it at the beginning is theplatform for whatever comes later.Occasionally you do find someoneyou know almost immediately will atleast make a competent shot. I had abusiness partner a few years ago whohas now unfortunately passed away. Wehad played cricket together in a villageteam and also some tennis. He was anatural ball player and a good batsman.I could beat him at tennis, largelybecause he wasn’t as fit as me but healways played a lot of good shots. Heneeded to know a little about guns andso we used a trap on a friend’s farm andhe started shooting. He used a shotgunin the same deft way he did a cricket bat.I did not throw difficult targets, insteadI allowed him to employ his naturalsense of timing on easy ones and let hisconfidence build. After a while I startedto push the envelope and he would missa few, but he was sufficiently confidentnot to be phased and would quicklycome to terms with the harder birds.First StepsIn the beginning that’s all youcan do, get people shooting, make itaccessible and enjoyable, the rest is upto them, but taking those first few stepsis all important. After that your newrecruit may look for some professionalcoaching. If he can afford it, help him todo so. In a few months if you find he isin the car with you going to a registeredshoot that’s fine. If he shoots at his localclub that’s also good. He has become ashooter.Somebody once said “Democracy isan awful form of government, but everyalternative is far worse”. I agree with thatbut democracy is a numbers’ game andif you want your way you have to getpeople to agree with you on at least afew things. I want to go on shooting; Iwant those that come after me to alsohave the opportunity if they wish to.This won’t happen without numbers ofshooters, the more the better, becausewe will have a voice that will influencethose who govern us and the biggerthe voice the more they will listen. Anorganised voice is even better so doencourage them to join the CPSA. Ifyou introduce only one person a yearto shooting you may duplicate yourselfand that person may do the same andso on. So far as the future of shooting isconcerned that is really our only chance.Acknowledgement: Article by courtsey of Pull! the Officialmagazine of the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association.gunshot 33