Well, after thawing out, time to update. I had a blast! I wasn't trying to win or anything, but I did better than I expected I would. Here's a rundown:
After arriving and checking in, there was a new shooter orientation. Rules were went over, equipment checked, and a quick range/weapons competency test of 6 rounds fired was given. After that, squads were assigned and the match began. Everyone was very helpful and offered tips and advice frequently. I will definitely be back next month.
Some things to take away:
1. I need to practice - Everything, dry fire, drawing from concealment, mag reloads, etc. I didn't do bad, but I definitely have room for improvement. I will definitely do this a LOT more on my range trips, so they are more productive
2. Gear selection - I used my G26, my EDC gun. While it/I performed fine, I definitely feel that a duty sized pistol would be a definite plus (thinking a G17). I definitely feel that something that has a larger grip and longer sight radius would only help, besides, I've always wanted one lol
3. It is really easy to tell who does it for fun and to improve skill and those who do it to win. I saw everything from people dressed in normal clothes with a 1911 to people with 5.11 pants, shoot me first vest, and a Glock 35 with a match barrel etc. It's really neat to see the different approaches to it. There was even a guy there shooting a 10mm Glock
4. I need to take more time to get a better grasp on the scoring methods. It was explained to us in the new shooter orientation, but I wasn't 100% on understanding, so I didn't worry about taking extra shots on the stage. I was more worried with getting through the stage correctly and safely, so I'll worry about that in the coming days.
Thanks for all of the advice, I really appreciate it!