How about Shooting Coaches?

Pete Wass

Pete Wass

Well-known member
I have had the theory for a time that most of us if not all could benefit greatly by having a Shooting Coach, just as other athletes have coaches. I think for older folks, such as myself, who have a declining ability to remember things, someone who would watch us when we shoot and what we shoot in, could cut the learning curve greatly.

I don't know if he still does this but Tony Boyer offered seminars for a few years. It seems to me that some of the top RF shooters could make a few bucks; perhaps pay for their trips by offering shooting seminars. Wadda ya think?
 
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Pete

A great idea.

An old friend of mine offers clay shooting coaching days and has done for the past 10+ years. I see no reason why something similar wouldn't work for .22BR.

I also know of a world class fly fisherman that does the same thing.

1 coach per 6 students max, group students by experience levels, novice, intermediate, expert.
 
Originally Posted by Kuyper
Hello everyone,
I'm a Kuyper College student renting a flat in Grand Rapids. I don't have much money, but I want to hire a shooting coach near me. Are there any workshops, domyhomeworkonline classes in Michigan?
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Hello,

Try contacting someone from Wildwood Firearms Training and Range in Harbor Springs or Ultimate Protection Firearm Training Academy in Clinton Township. They should be open.
 
Pete Wass said:
I have had the theory for a time that most of us if not all could benefit greatly by having a Shooting Coach, just as other athletes have coaches. I think for older folks, such as myself, who have a declining ability to remember things, someone who would watch us when we shoot and what we shoot in, could cut the learning curve greatly.

I don't know if he still does this but Tony Boyer offered seminars for a few years. It seems to me that some of the top RF shooters could make a few bucks; perhaps pay for their trips by offering shooting seminars. Wadda ya think?
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Pete, I think back to when I started & was gathering equipment & learning some of the nuances of the game from Gary, Paul, & yourself. Conversing about what to stay away from condition wise, paying attention to a certain flag mainly was a huge help.
I try & pay that forward with the guys at the club here & they've all improved their skills.
A good mentor is priceless.
Someone watching over your flags as you shoot should help for something you're missing. I see it quite often, & at the same time could also still use some mentoring myself! Its amazing to me at just how stubborn I can be, or how inattentive I can be. I also wonder just how much I really care? :)
If you need some help let me know, we'll both be confused!!!LOL :rolleyes:

Keith
 
linekin;839025 or how inattentive I can be. Keith[/QUOTE said:
Keith,

I often ask myself, why bother to put out those flags then not look at them!:confused::(

Ken
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Shoot the coach? Isn’t that a little drastic?

Getting a coach is not that easy. There is more than one way to shoot a match and every shooter seems to have a method in which to do this.I know this is the rimfire page but methods work for rimfire and centerfire alike. Three- four years ago while I was on a run of successes, a fellow wanted to come to my place and be coached on my method of going through a match. He knew I was a runner while he was a pecker. Over the phone I explained what I do or how I do what I do and he said he could never adapt to that method. So I said why bother coming over if he wasn’t willing to change anything? And so he didn’t.
I will say this though, a coach can help you go through the paces and may pick up on little hitches you may be overlooking.
 
Shooting coaches

A coach is a good idea Pete, but a mentor is a better one. When me and my son Bob first started Rim Fire shooting
we had not a clue of what it takes to shoot a good target. We needed a mentor and an old guy by the name
of Al Hadfield took the time to help us with Ammo, Guns and what I think most important the WIND Al was a good friend
and a great mentor to me and Bob, I hope anyone who needs coaching will find someone like Al ,
Ray
 
When I retired from rimfire BR, I had thoughts of doing an article on major things that helped me to get from middle of the road to winning. There was one big thing, and I never see it mentioned. Now, of course I'm assuming you have equipment suited to the task, i.e., great rifle great ammo, but it takes more than top equipment to win. It'd be intersting to sit around a table with Tony Harper, Ken Camper, Harry Deneen, DJ Hepler, Bob Collins, and others, and discuss this type stuff.
 
Kent Owens said:
When I retired from rimfire BR, I had thoughts of doing an article on major things that helped me to get from middle of the road to winning. There was one big thing, and I never see it mentioned. Now, of course I'm assuming you have equipment suited to the task, i.e., great rifle great ammo, but it takes more than top equipment to win. It'd be intersting to sit around a table with Tony Harper, Ken Camper, Harry Deneen, DJ Hepler, Bob Collins, and others, and discuss this type stuff.
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That would be so nice Kent...
I'll give a leg and a kidney, well,... maybe just a kidney, as legs are too useful for benchrest, to be on front row listening!
Please do broadcast...
 
It could help the sport

Kent Owens said:
When I retired from rimfire BR, I had thoughts of doing an article on major things that helped me to get from middle of the road to winning. There was one big thing, and I never see it mentioned. Now, of course I'm assuming you have equipment suited to the task, i.e., great rifle great ammo, but it takes more than top equipment to win. It'd be intersting to sit around a table with Tony Harper, Ken Camper, Harry Deneen, DJ Hepler, Bob Collins, and others, and discuss this type stuff.
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one thing Benchrest has been short on is folks sharing what they have learned. Paying Forward can only help. It's one thing to be super competitive and I get that but there is a long way from telling others what one has learned and their actually being able to beat one with the knowledge. A person ive observed who is very open and giving is Jerry Stiller. He seems to willingly state the facts and tell what he has learned. Good on him.

Pete
 
hambone said:
pete

a great idea.

An old friend of mine offers clay shooting coaching days and has done for the past 10+ years. I see no reason why something similar wouldn't work for .22br.

I also know of a world class fly fisherman that does the same thing.

1 coach per 6 students max, group students by experience levels, novice, intermediate, expert.
Click to expand...
i think coaching is great outside of days of matches no competer should be behind the line with scope on days of matches
 
Not quite coaching, but related: I think that many would benefit from videoing themselves shooting. A while back I was trying to help someone more than half way across the country. At my suggesting he set up his phone on the bench next to his and videoed himself taking several shots, and emailed the video to me. Based on that, I was able to improve his results significantly. IMO many shooters would be able to spot their own weaknesses using this same technique. I also think that the same thing could be done with wind flags, with the camera looking over the shoulder of the shooter, framed and focused on the flags.
 
pete wass said:
one thing benchrest has been short on is folks sharing what they have learned. Paying forward can only help. It's one thing to be super competitive and i get that but there is a long way from telling others what one has learned and their actually being able to beat one with the knowledge. A person ive observed who is very open and giving is jerry stiller. He seems to willingly state the facts and tell what he has learned. Good on him.

Pete
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i think sharing has been great down thru the yrs i have watched many help others.
 
Rayhill said:
A coach is a good idea Pete, but a mentor is a better one. When me and my son Bob first started Rim Fire shooting
we had not a clue of what it takes to shoot a good target. We needed a mentor and an old guy by the name
of Al Hadfield took the time to help us with Ammo, Guns and what I think most important the WIND Al was a good friend
and a great mentor to me and Bob, I hope anyone who needs coaching will find someone like Al ,
Ray
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I agree with mentorship Ray, Al was also my mentor. Would bug him 2-3 times a day sometimes and he never complained. Living 3000 miles apart did not help but Al was always there in Spirit.

Regards,
Joe
 
I had wanted to ask Al

Joe Friedrich said:
I agree with mentorship Ray, Al was also my mentor. Would bug him 2-3 times a day sometimes and he never complained. Living 3000 miles apart did not help but Al was always there in Spirit.

Regards,
Joe
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about what to look for in no wind conditions. I noticed he always seemed to shoot well in them but I waited too long. My idea on coaching was to simply watch the other lad shoot, observing flags and their table manors and discuss it with them after they have finished shooting. I guess it's easy to get the wrong idea about the process but there is nothing wrong with observing and reporting that I am aware of.

Pete
 
Pete, no worries here whatever it takes to help someone. I did not have anyone, zero help except what could be read on the forums till I got ahold of AL, the rest is history.

Regards,
Joe
 
joe friedrich said:
pete, no worries here whatever it takes to help someone. I did not have anyone, zero help except what could be read on the forums till i got ahold of al, the rest is history.

Regards,
joe
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i didnt have any coaching shot nights after milking in 70 s did go t6o camulis terrible at 200 last group no sighter 5 on record one hole.320 got taped on shoulder by fellow name4d miles hollister sad you are the type fellow i like to see just try to rember how ypou did that.
 
Coaches

My club is talking about organizing a rimfire BR seminar this winter to aid newer shooters in honing their skills. I am relatively new to the game but benefited from our weekly fun shoots where we could talk and learn from each other. I also have had help from a few mentors who aided me in reading flags and learning what do do for certain conditions as well as methods for cleaning my bbl between matches. All has helped. One of our top UL shooters gave me a set of simple wind flags to supplement the junk I was using. He has been a great help. I am lucky to live where we have several top shooters all at the same club. It forms a core group of knowledge which feeds all the rest. I will say that sometimes we don't agree but my approach is when somebody shows me a technique that works for them, I will try it and if it works, adapt it to my bag of tricks and if not, I set it asside. For example, I shoot fast. I like to keep a rhythm or cadence to my shooting. One shot about every 20-30 sec or a bit less. I usually finish a 25 bull ARA card in 10-11 minutes unless there are tough wind conditions to slow me down. One day a top shooter walked by as I finished a card in 9 min and said, "You are shooting too fast. You will do better if you slow down." I had just scored a perfect 2500 so, I looked up and like a smart a$$ said, "Nope, don't think so.", lol. He is a slow and methodical shooter and frankly does very well like that. It works for him. No wrong answer there. I have made mistakes that might have been avoided if I had gone slower but those are rare.
 
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