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Team shoots

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John VM:
 In light of the discussion on BR central about the World Shoot, I would like to carry this over to a hopefully positive discussion on this sight.
 What can we do to better prepare for a Team orientated shoot like the World Shoot?
 Can we shoot more shoots with teams involved? Can we come up with a detailed plan to study, if we make it on to the team, that lays out how to best support each other. The American teams are not the only ones who have been bit by teams falling apart. It is almost inevitable that some one will have a blooper, mistake, powder in the action or chamber, so focused they shot their group on the sighter moment. Do we start hucking gravel at team members if they are on the wrong target. Do we even watch for team members struggling and needing a back up rifle?
 The team format does change how things are done, you can win or lose by one shot from any of the team members, you all go down when it goes wrong.
 In light of the time and expense involved in qualifying and competing at the world level, shouldn't this be discussed? We do have quite a few shooters who have competed at a World Shoot looking at the amount of competitors we have in Canada. Some have been fortunate and hard working enough to be able to attend several and some a few but the experience should allow for some great ideas.

Pesky ab:
Distance is a big problem, no way for the guys in the west to practice with the guys in the east as a team and develop a strategy.
 there are many ways to prepare as team , biggest hurdle is distance followed by no real team SOP , we are making great improvements but could do better ,the Aussies have a good system looking from the outside , not sure how to fix the distance part.

John VM:
 Distance is a problem but it is for the aussies to. They have an East and West thing happening also, but if I recall right many showed up at the east west shoot and at the nationals in Holton last year. At that time we could have picked teams and tried to beat each other to simulate how it would work at the worlds. Even if we cannot always get together as the official team before the world shoot we can get together with former team members and people who are wanting to contend and work on a team at any shoot large enough to gain some experience. It may not be perfect but it will give everyone an experience in shooting as a team instead of doing it the first day of the world shoot.
 The other thing I brought up would be a booklet that we can add or change as we go but it would outline how we should approach the world shoot so that everyone is on the same program. Things like how the shoot works using teams and having spotters behind the line with their rifle ready with a few spare rounds in case a team member runs into problems. We all have had experiences that we can relate to and possible ways of figuring this out to minimize damage. Can we share or have a designated spare rifle if someones breaks down should be discussed before hand and not with a minute to go before seize fire.
 

rpollock:
John, some of things you talk about like a spare rifle at the line, was done this year and previous years. I agree more can be done. However we had a team member this year refuse to wear the team shirt. Go figure, he took the place of other people who would have been thrilled to wear the team shirt, not only that but took the sponsors money for shirts and bought a single shirt then didn't wear it. You are right, in the future we will need a handbook for how to be a team player, but nobody saw that coming from a grown man.

John VM:
 That is disappointing news. I would have liked to wear the shirt even if I didn't get to go.
 I was glad to see the Canadian teams do as well as they did overall. I am glad that they have implemented a spare rifle at the matches I am just hoping we can take all of our experiences and put them together to prepare every team that goes, to be the best they can be without little disasters becoming major disasters. With the time and money involved and with sponsors interests included it might be something to consider if we want the program to grow and succeed.

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