Are you having a bad competition shooting season?

Don’t worry; it happens to us all. When I initially thought of writing this article, it was going to be from a different perspective, more of an “I know people that had a bad season” type of view. And then karma decided to have her way with me. Other than a good showing at the state championship, my 2018 season was a total dumpster fire.

It was as if I caught a bad case of leprosy every time I got behind the trigger. Things just fell apart. I’m not talking about the occasional train wreck; more like a flaming bag of sh*!.

I know other shooters that had a terrible season like this. Some of them almost quit the sport entirely. I even managed to talk one off the wall, sort of speak. Thank God they didn’t stop because they ended up doing exceptionally well down the line.

I spent considerable time in 2018 staring blankly at the scoreboard after matches (aka “The Wailing Wall”). I kept pondering the question, “What went wrong?” I concluded that sometimes you never know.

Looking back at it now, I still don’t know what happened. I didn’t change equipment, ammo, or anything for that matter. Did my brain eat itself? “Yep, most likely.”

If you haven’t had a bad season yet, get ready because it’s coming at some point. I know hundreds of shooters, and it happened to all of them. We are all in the same boat, and sometimes the craft has a hole in the bottom.

On one occasion, I witnessed an exceptional shooter falter during the first part of a competition. The guy came to me and said, “Man, something just doesn’t feel right.” He then proceeded to make a slight adjustment to his rifle. After that, fate smiled upon him, and he smoked all of us that day.

In any sport, several issues can disrupt a very delicate balance. If one thing is off, the whole place can burn straight to the ground. It’s the little things that can and will get you in trouble.

I think what I’m trying to say is never give up. If you do, at some point, you will look back and say, “what if?” I read a quote from Thomas Edison that is proper in this case. “I have not failed. I just found ten thousand ways that it won’t work.”

If you are competing with top-tier shooters, there is zero room for error. When you look at it from that perspective, having a bad match or even a whole season isn’t that surprising. When you lose, try not to get frustrated. (I know, it’s easier said than done.)

Think of it as an opportunity to learn what not to do next time around. There isn’t a single champion who hasn’t spent time on the outside looking in.

I shy away from tooting my own horn, but it serves a purpose in this case.

Remember when I was talking about having a lousy competition season in 2018? Well, the next year, with no rhyme or reason, turned into my best year. I was in the top four places overall at 95% of my matches. Glad I never threw in the towel, but that was never an option if you know me.

Given enough time and patience, everything will turn around. Don’t get frustrated, and learn from your mistakes. If you do that, you will eventually be a top competitor in your sport.

Getting knocked down is a part of life. Getting back up is your choice.

Mac R.

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