Competition Notes - Finishing In The Middle Is OK!

I learned a very valuable lesson yesterday at what was actually a great USPSA match - set realistic expectations for yourself.

Yesterday, I simply wanted to have fun, shoot well, and put down another solid classifier. With the exception of a pretty bad bobble on the classifier and checking out early (mentally), I had what I felt was a GREAT match! No mikes, shot 97% of available points while moving efficiently through stages, and got to watch a Limited GM ply his trade.

Then... the scores email comes out and I'm finding myself more than a little confused. I didn't shoot like a man possessed but I certainly didn't feel like it was good for 11th out of 20. What the heck!?!? I only blew up on one stage!

I looked hard at the Overall results for the day in Limited and made a rather humbling realization... I'm playing with the big kids now, a small fish in a very competitive pond.

There were 3 Grand Masters shooting in Limited yesterday. You read that right... 3 Limited GMs shooting a club match. What an awesome day!! Then, we had 2 A-class shooters burning up the scoreboard, followed by a deep core of solid B shooters, one insanely quick "U" (bet he won't be there for long), a couple of inspired C performances, then me. I shot better than most of the "C" shooters, held my own near the "B" ranks, and would have been in the thick of it had I cleaned my classifier instead of borking it.

This is my second really "serious" season in USPSA shooting and I achieved most of my 2012 goals. Most of those goals were individual challenges, not largely driven by the skill level of my fellow competitors. This year, I'm looking at the company I want to keep, and the folks I want to keep up with. I'm on track, with a lot of hard work, to make "B" in both Limited and Production this year and I want to make it in both.

"B" is where it starts getting serious. C-classified shooters are good, many are lifelong competitors and are accomplished marksmen (and women). I like to think of the B as the "deep end" of the pool. It gets real, and it gets live. Serious competitors all, and every one of us itching to take the next step up.

Check out the video below - THIS match is what "middle of the road" looks like in the USPSA Limited division. I ain't no slouch behind the trigger... there truly are some gifted shooters roaming the Front Range and I'm very proud to mingle with them, even if I'm just on the fringe for now.

Click Here For The Match Video