Better to have good or poor shooters in your group?

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Corey ACP

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What is your opinion? When in competition, IDPA, USPSC, Cowboy Action, or whatever. How do you feel about those in your group? Would you prefer to be squadded with competitors who are above or below your personal skill level....And why? Personally I like to be squadded with those I feel are as good or better than me. I believe it enhances your preformance that day!. I also believe you can learn something from anyone.
 
when i used to shoot service rifle, i always liked to be with shooters that were better than me. it gave me something to shoot for (no pun intended), and for some reason they made me shoot better.
 
I agree, get squadded with the better shooters. Everyone benefits. That said, I also enjoy being squadded with shooters who are trying to improve and are open to suggestions no matter what their ability level.
 
My perfect squad is those who are way above me along with a few that are just barely above me. This way I can really try and see what makes the best the best.
 
All three. I like to help new, and sometimes very old shooters enjoy the sport. I like people of my skill level, we see each other at many matches, get squadded together and harrassed by one another. I like getting squadded with the Ms and GMs, always something to learn and motivation to do better. Some of these folks practically run a class in a club match.

Tons of excellent shooters in my area, TJ, John Benton, Chris Tilley, Council B., Daniel Horner, etc. I enjoy shooting with them all and have benefited greatly from the experience.
The only folks I don't like to shoot with are the tactical SEEL blowhards and unsafe gunhandlers.
 
BETTER IN LIFE

I prefer to be surrounded by betters because I can always get help, and I can always push towards what I see possible.

Of course, my ego can take it.
 
I love to shoot with guys who are better than me. I always find that the better my squad mates are, the better I do as well.
 
I think it's best to shoot with competitors who are better than I am. That said, there is only one or two High Masters that I compete with regularly. The other Masters are great, and I still have a lot of learning to do, but I think (my plan is) that within the year I will be on my own in the local scene, bar the HMs. Now don't take that wrong, I think that just about any Master can take any other Master on a given day, but I just won't have as many guys above me. I like to lead, and I hope that I'll have that chance, but at the same time I wish I had more HMs to look up to...I wonder if the HM's say that?
 
Nah Steve, they are too busy cashing their huge sponsorship checks. At night they sleep on large piles of money with many beautiful women. :D
 
you will have a few more to look up to. LOL
We still plan on making you pay another year at your current level.
 
Ok, I will be honest. Worse shooters. It makes me look better! The key is to never leave that group as you might someday find someone else better then your whole ego will be ruined. Find a bad group, stay at that bad group. Then pray no one good ever comes along! :D

So who does David Tubb shoot with?
 
It is always wise to surround yourself with those with more skill and wisdom than yourself, no matter what the endeavor. If you are G. David Tubb, I would assume you surround yourself with people close enough to your level that they constantly motivate you to keep improving, lest it become easier to find a more skillful shooting partner. ;)
 
Remember, Jon, you have no part to play on how well or poorly I shoot. We can both be HMs at the same time. :)

FWIW, you are my biggest motivator. You're always ahead of me and I know you well. Look out. ;)
 
" wish I had more HMs to look up to...I wonder if the HM's say that?"

Steve,

I can not speak for anyone else, but when I made HM in 2000 I realized a few things.

HM means that one has made it to the top of the crowd of average HP competitors, yet the very bottom of the most "hard core" I mean there are about 50-70 true guru's of this sport right now. I would guess that half of them are on the USAMU or the MTU teams. The other are just hard as woodpecker lips civilians.

HM is a difficult task, but really just the beginning of an even harder journey.

As a middle of the road HM, I have at least 50 maybe 70 shooters to look up to, or target which ever motivates me at the moment.

The only service rifle shooter I can think of that does not need to look up to the next hard dog is Grant Singley(USAMU). There is simply no one doing it better.


John
 
John is totally right as just breaking into highmaster class is maybe a lifetime achevement for alot of folks but you are going to be a very lonely person for several reasons.

For one thing at most matches you might be the only one in that class and you now only shoot for wins as there is never enough of you to make a category thtas not bad but it is a lonely place to be.

Now when you go to larger matches and thats really only perry and a few other choice matches around the country every year is when you get a chance to really compete against the top shooter or at least alot of them and then being at the bottom of that classification your scores are way off what the winners are.

Being in say expert you really most of the time need to shoot a good solid expert score or low master score to win and in master it gets tougher because you more than likely are not even going to be close to winning anything unless you happen to be the one that day shooting a highmaster score's and most of the time thats not going to just get it because there are a few of them.

Now as say last year for me on a xtc corse match I end up with a 778 and thats a decent highmaster score but it did not take me long to realize how much more I have to learn when mckenna shoots a 789.

Those last 3 percentage points are the toughest to earn because it comes down to we better pretty much clean the rapids or darn close and you gotta have a solid 600 and that darn off hand is a killer.

I wish you luck my friend and I will feel lucky to make it to the bottom of that group but you have alot of years in front of you and I would truely like to see you at the top as I know you can do it.

Jon
 
You can not fly with the eagles if you are always pecking with the chickens.

You have everything to gain from competing with those who are your betters.
 
I think you'd learn more from a good shooter because they would be better off explaining what you see as being correct & proper in the way they shoot.
 
My ideal squad

Is one person I know and the rest to be shooters at equal or higher level to me. Since I am not a strong competition shooter, I just ask for consideration and hope I don't hold anyone up. USPSA Revolver C class and IDPA SSR MM.

Regards,
 
I think a mix is good. You learn the most from vastly superior guys, but it is more fun to have a chance of out-shooting some of the folks around you if you are on the ball that day.
 
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