Area 4 Match

2015 Area 4 Match


It sure was not pretty, for so many different reasons. I'm not going to go in depth, or post a long review, I'll cheat and show the full match video first, and then break up the remaining match into stages with a very brief note about the stage. As a whole, I shot incredibly slow, I had a major issue with the MD and RM, I filed an incident report, because I shot Stage 4 the way Squad 33 did on Thursday, and I was given procedurals. Members from Squad 33, including the person who acted as squad Range Officer told the MD and RM, and we were told his testimony would not count. By Monday, I was the bad guy, the MD posted on his Facebook page that there were people who were out trying to ruin his match and his staff, and making him look like the victim. Guess what Mr. MD, had you acted ethically, you would have tossed stage 4, instead of changing the written stage brief (for clarity USPSA rule 3.2.something) like I suggested for the Saturday and Sunday shooters. You fucked up MD and RM, you had easy fixes, and you wanted to sweep it under the rug. Ultimately it may get swept under the rug, and eventually it will probably be forgotten, but there are an awful lot of people who will remember.

Big shout out of thanks for my friends who stood up for, and with me, both when it happened, and in the days that followed. That was support was noticed, appreciated, and you folks will have my loyalty. For the folks who helped that I had not met before that, my thanks for your honesty and courage in telling the truth even if it was a hard thing to do. I'm sorry the MD crapped on you, and essentially called you a liar, you deserve far better than that.


Full Match:



Video starts where I started on Stage 6.

As a whole, I was slow. I had some early mikes, and I battled all day on feet that were covered in blisters by noon. I did not complain, I did not give up, and I fought thru it all, and did my best to stay focused on the match. I could list a hundred things I want to fix, but my attitude and focus were right where they needed to be, and where I finished, I'm proud of being on the range for 12 hours, shooting 15 stages, and keeping on.




Stage 6:





This should have been a great stage to start, but I threw a mike/no-shoot in the last array. I was keyed up, nervous, excited, and as usual, made a mistake.



Stage 7:





I got good hits, but struggled on the obstructed steel, why I kept after it, I'm not quite sure, more than a few people took the mikes and saved time if they did not get the hits.


Stage 8:







This was one of my better stages for the day. Good plan, but I almost blew it by leaving Position 1 without taking the long steel. Quick recovery, and again, I'm moving a lot better between positions.




Stage 9:






Just slow shooting. I took the extra shots at the end back at the swingers to get my hits, and I did get my hits, but would have been better off taking them, and ambushing them from closer.



Stage 10:





This actually was my best stage on the day, no mikes. Sure, I was slow shooting, but I had excellent hits, and I know I can execute this better and faster,



Stage 11:

No Video




Stage 12:




This was the last stage before break, and I was already starting to hurt. My plan could have been better, I could have reloaded out of the 2nd position, and I could have taken the 3rd paper there, but it required moving my center of balance when squatting down, and I thought it would be easy enough to take it from the last position, and I'd lose less time. No mikes, and I thought I was starting to roll.


Part 2 Incoming