Rifle Team Weekly Happenings 2021-09-19

Hi Everyone!

I hope that each and every one of you enjoyed the amazing weather this weekend, sadly there aren't too many nice weekends remaining.  I apologize for the length of this email, but this is the first edition of the season so there's a bit more information than usual.

1. If you're interested in joining but haven't because you think it's too late - there's still time, and now is a great time to join as you really didn't miss out on much.
2. The first few weeks will be a rush to get everyone up to speed on competition.
3. Competitions will require 2 weeks to complete.  This takes another practice week away from us every month.

We will need to cram about 2 months of 2-3x per week instruction & practice into the next 4 practices so that we can be as ready as possible for our first competition.    The situation is what it is.  Only you can control how you react to it.  Don't let it intimidate you!  I promise you this:   As long as you regularly show up to practice and put in an honest effort. You will see improvement throughout the season.  Most of the success you'll find in life is started by just showing up with a positive attitude.  While you might not get an award for the best overall score this season; our league also has awards for the most improved shooters.

The best way to help yourself get up to speed is to show up early with a positive attitude and be prepared to listen, learn, work, and most importantly - have fun!  Regardless of how much practice you get in the next few weeks I guarantee that this will feel rushed (Because it will be), training will feel incomplete (It is a less than bare-bones curriculum) and come time for the first competition you won't be performing as well as you think you should be.  A person's career isn't over because they did less than ideal their first time.  Everyone needs to start somewhere.  A career, both at the range and in life is a long term game with lots of opportunity for growth and development and a few rough patches along the way.

For everyone new on the list a bit of housekeeping is in order.

• The "Rifle Team Weekly Happenings" email is a weekly news digest intended on cutting down on the number of messages sent to the list by outlining what's going on with the team, deadlines, meetings, and most importantly - the general idea of what we will be doing at the range this week.
  
  • If you have something to add to a news brief, please submit it to me (zdsimpso@mtu.edu) no later than Sunday 2100 EST.
  • Detailed notices regarding upcoming competitions, trips, and other important events will be sent separately from these messages.
    
    
• When sending a message to the list, or responding to messages from the list please do the following:
  • Please learn the difference between "reply" and "reply to all".
  • Verify that you intend to send a message to our list.
  • Verify that the scope of the message is rifle team related, cannot be put into the news brief, and that it is an appropriate message for the list.
    • Advertisements, Jokes, Threatening & Abusive Content, and Political messages (rifle related or not) are NEVER appropriate.
  • Wait 5 minutes.
  • Double check the scope of the message and re-verify that the message needs to goto all 475+ subscribers on our list and not just a few people.
    • If it passes both of these checks, it can be sent to the list.
      
      
• This listserv is a google group.   Please don't email the entire list asking to be removed.  You'll be messaging 475+ subscribers who have no ability to assist you.  There's only 7 people who can remove you from this ist.   1 - Yourself.   2-6 - A member of the Executive Board.  7 - Coaching Staff.
  • To remove yourself from this list yourself simply goto http://groups.google.com, login, select this group, and click "Leave Group"

With the housekeeping being said, let's get down to business.

As I said earlier, we've got a lot of training to get done and less than minimal time to do it in.

• For everyone that's returning you will be getting reacquainted with Air Rifle for the first two weeks.  Get the rust out and whatnot.
• For everyone that's new to the team we will be working on getting started with Air Rifle, Smallbore and go over general competition concepts and skills

A sample "training" plan for new team members starting this week is:

• Practice 1 - Paperwork, Safety, Equipment Locations, Air Rifle Safety & Handling, Supported Standing
• Practice 2 - Training Goals and Journaling, Air Rifle / Standing, SIghting & Breathing, Shooting Equipment Overview.  Shooting Jacket.
• Practice 3 - Air RIfle, Full Equipment & Shooting Jacket.   Smallbore Safety & Handling.  Smallbore Prone
• Practice 4 - Smallbore Prone, Full Equipment.  Smallbore Standing.  Smallbore Kneeling.   
• 10/19 - Match Targets Due (Air RIfle)
• 10/26 - Match Targets Due (Smallbore)

After our first set of match targets we will slow down, drop back and start backfilling.  Working on developing skills and positions.

• Homework Assignment (5-10min) - Please read this:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking_(poem)#Poem
  • Think about it for a few minutes, and write down what it means to you.  I'm not looking for any type of deep analysis.  Just high level; what your takeaway is.
  • We will be briefly discussing it at the range on Tuesday.  And digging deeper as we start a workshop on setting goals next month.
• This week we will be properly introducing everyone to Air Rifle: 
  • We will be working through the technical aspects of the position and some real basic skills.
  • I can't stress enough the importance of Air Rifle.   In the typical NCAA / NRA Collegiate competition, AirRifle is 50% of the total score; And the Standing Position is 2/3rds of the total score.
    
    
• The most optimistic training plan is that by the end of next week everyone will be sized up for a shooting jacket, and will have shot at least 20 shots Air Rifle while wearing the shooting jacket.
  • Keep in mind, this is based off of the "ideal training calendar" I have.  Reality will differ.
    
    
• If you are interested in joining and are unsure, come down to the range and try us out!  It's never too late to start!

Upcoming Items:

• Next week we will be shooting Air Rifle.
• For Smallbore you will need to either bring your own .22LR ammunition, or you can purchase it from the team.   We sell Federal 711b:  50 rounds for $3, and 500 rounds for $23.
  • If you choose to bring your own ammunition: Please make sure that what you are bringing is a plain lead bullet (It does not have any type of jacketing), and check with me or a team range officer before using it in the team's rifles.  Our rifles are manufactured for precision competition, and are designed quite differently from your standard plinking rifle.  The wrong ammunition through them can quickly strip out the rifling, resulting in a very expensive trip back to Germany for repair.
  • Because we purchase the ammunition we sell through special programs at extreme discounts; Any ammunition you purchased through the team must be stored in team storage and used exclusively for team related practice & competition.
    • Failure to comply with this puts the club at risk of being disqualified from future discount purchase programs.
    • At the moment this ammunition retails for about $70 per 500 rounds......   If you can find it.
      
      
      
• We will be starting our first postal competition at the end of October or beginning of November.   Look for more details in a separate email that will be sent out in a few weeks.
  
  
• We will have a few travel opportunities coming up in November & December.  More details will be released when I finalize some plans with the other coaches.

Once again, I apologize for the length of this message.  But there was a lot to cover. Thank you for your attention, and have a great week!

GO HUSKIES!
- Zach