I’ve been participating in competitive shooting for a while now, long enough that I can remember when there were no predetermined squads at my local match. You would pick what stage you wanted to shoot next and simply wait in line until it was your turn.
While a lot has changed over the years, one thing that has never changed is my excitement to see everyone on match day. It’s hard to describe to someone who has never experienced it—what it’s like spending the day surrounded by a hundred people who all love the same thing you do.
I’ve made more friends than I could have imagined, thanks to shooting sports. This is something that I wish the general public and media could understand. Shooting sports has also helped me through some tough times in life, and I’m willing to bet that I’m not the only one. When I get up in the morning on match day, it’s like everything else just melts away, and all I can think about is improving my times, the new skill I’m working on, and all the things I can’t wait to tell my friends since I saw them last. I’ve congratulated and consoled fellow competitors over the years, not just about shooting, either. I’m talking about kids graduating, overcoming difficult diagnoses and even the loss of loved ones.
While not unique to shooting sports, what I think is still very cool is how it can bring together people of all ages. On any given squad, you could have a super senior, all the way down to a preteen. The best part is that while this may cause some interesting interactions anywhere else, it is usually with respect and common interest at a match. Experienced shooters are usually more than willing to share tips and advice to newer shooters who are still finding their way.
All of this is just at local matches, but let’s consider the excitement of traveling to major matches, meeting people from across the country, and seeing new places. I remember years ago asking on a popular social media group what makes traveling to majors worth it? It sparked a lot of discussion, but the main point was community. After reading what everyone had to say, I decided to go to a few USPSA Area matches. I quickly learned what makes it all worthwhile. Traveling to majors lets you connect to people you might have only spoken to on forums or social media. It also lets you witness some incredible stage times and meet the diverse people who are shooting those stages. Where else can you casually compete alongside world champions and record-holders?
Once you’ve traveled a bit, going to majors becomes like a family reunion of sorts. I get excited to meet someone whom I read about in USPSA magazine or watched video clips of online.
Another aspect of community within shooting sports is working matches, especially majors. It’s a great feeling giving back to the sport you love and even teaching new (and potential) Range Officers some tips and tricks. Even if you’ve worked many local matches, there is something different about working a major. After spending a week working a stage with a group of people, they almost become like another family.
I’ve met and continue to meet so many kind, caring and empathetic people in the shooting community, it blows me away time and time again. Where else would a complete stranger offer to let you borrow thousands of dollars worth of personal belongs, just so you don’t have to go home early if your equipment breaks? Where else can you bring your entire family and feel like you have plenty of people keeping an eye out for your kids? Of all the hobbies I’ve experienced (and there have been a lot, just ask my wife), nothing has been as rewarding and amazing as competitive shooting. If the rest of the world was like our community, it would be a better place.
This article is dedicated in loving memory to Ralph Rookey and Rodney Brown.
Article from the May/June 2025 issue of USPSA’s magazine.
