Quote Originally Posted by Brian.Samson View Post
Some people like taking part in competitions, most people don't.

Sometimes the people that don't like taking part in competitions get badgered so much to have a go they they come up with excuses why they don't want to - when really - "I don't want to" should be enough.

If you don't want to take part in comps as it just doesn't interest you - that is perfectly fine and you're in the majority.

I don't care what people do - so long as they're safe doing it - crack on.
This is the voice of reason, common sense or just plain fact, which ever way you want to look at it. It's also the voice of experience.

For many years I have been trying to get our members to get involved in shooting HFT in both club and regional competitions and whilst there has been some success, it has to be said that Brian has hit the nail on the head. The vast majority of our members are perfectly happy sitting under a covered area, often on a comfy chair with a bench to rest on. They will do this happily shooting targets out to 30 yards and may not even venture onto the long range. Our range I should add is a sterile walled in lawn area which has no bushes trees, hills or dips. To me, it's boring (I'm allowed to say that being secretary) and not a challenge. It does however contain a very important ingredient for any healthy club, and that's members; members who bring almost without exception a camaraderie common to the majority of clubs I have visited and shot with. Is this unique to airgun clubs? I don't know but I like to think it is.

Those members who enjoy a chat and the company of other like minded members/shooters, sharing quality banter, help and support are to be fair of a certain age where crawling around in the mud and rain draws no appeal and having shot HFT for the past 20 years and now approaching the ages of these ladies and gents, I can see their point.

Younger members also have reasons for not getting involved in competitions, sometimes family reasons, sometimes work related and sometimes due to health reasons.

These members however, bring in funds via membership subs without which the club could not survive. As such, forcing members to attend comps is no longer on my agenda. I will encourage and extol the fun and challenge shooting in the woods can bring and will always be happy to let members attend a competition just to shoot the targets and not hand in a score card.

We also have an induction process which requires every new member to attend both our indoor 10M range and our Popham Woods range on a normal club date at least once each, they don't have to shoot but if they do they get coaching and advice and at least can say they've tried it. There is no pressure on completing a course, just pick a few targets and have a go. Some won't come back and will carry on at our Walled Garden range, some will pop up occasionally and just plink at Popham, a small minority with join our FT or HFT teams and welcomed into competition shooting.

I guess what Brian, myself and others are saying is that "you can lead a horse to water, but can't make it drink". I sometimes think that with some clubs, the be all and end all is having every member on a team, I suspect many will be just as happy getting together and having a yak with mates and may not even get their rifles out of their cases.

Bob