Coaches and instructors

Everyone needs instruction

It makes us squirm when we look at TV and see someone picking up a gun for the first time - how can they get it so wrong? Has no-one shown them how to do it? Don't they know what their cheek bone and that notch in their shoulder are designed for? It is equally annoying when journalists call shotguns "firearms" or even "rifles" - and don't get us started on the confusion between pistols with revolvers!

Despite the advances in computers and artificial intelligence, there will never be a replacement for a human teacher or instructor.

Basic instruction and plateaus of achievement

There are three key points in a shooter's career where instruction is required:

• getting started: all the basic stuff leading to an ability to "break a few clays",
• improving technique, breaking bad habits, and learning new habits,
• overcoming plateaus of achievement - the must frustrating thing in any sport.

The first is a one off - and, unfortunately, may be the only instruction session some shooters ever pay for!

The other two are required forever - because shooters will get into bad habits and they will suffer from plateaus of achievement.

Every teacher knows that "doing is learning" - you don't get it from a video or a self-help book, you get it from being taught and doing it - preferably doing it lots of times.

DryFire as part of an instructor's toolkit

DryFire provides regular intensive practice.

This best instruction is modelled on the following steps:

• "this is how you do it,"
• "this is what you are doing wrong,"
• "this is what you need to practise,"
• "now go away and practise, shoot 500 targets and come back for your next session."

The last step is where DryFire helps. The pupil can shoot 500 targets at home in a week and be ready for the next session to check that the lesson has been learned and to ensure that no bad habits have crept in along the way.

Shooting grounds

The photo below shows one of the skeet layouts at Doveridge Clay Sports which can be found here.

Turning a visitor into a member

Potential shooters turn up on their own, with a friend, at an open day or at a corporate event.

Most of them will enjoy the experience but only a few will be converted into long-term members for the shooting ground or club.

Even if they come again, perhaps with a friend and sharing a gun, many of them become quickly disappointed at their relatively low scores - they don't feel they will ever crack it!

The key to converting visitors and retaining them as members is to show that they can build their skills, they can become competitive - and they don't have to take months to do so.

DryFire can help

Let's face it, weather conditions are not always perfect and a bunch of people trailing round the shooting ground in the pouring rain, freezing cold or driving snow is no fun!

If you have space to set up a DryFire system in your club house it can really help:

• to demonstrate gun and range safety,
• to show the importance of gun mount,
• to demonstrate hold point, acquisition, swing, shoot and follow-through on a few DryFire targets,
• to give them an opportunity to have a go at a fairly straightforward DryFire target - a going away bird for example.

All of this builds confidence, it breaks through the unfamiliarity barrier (and possible fear barrier), it dramatically improves the chances of them breaking a real clay with their first few shots - and we all know what that first broken clay feels like!

Generating additional revenue

At first glance it may seem that DyFire is a threat to shooting grounds - after all, if someone can take over 100 practice targets every evening with DryFire that must mean fewer clays and cartridges at the shooting ground?

The opposite is true.

It would be nice if someone did come home from work, have tea/dinner, get in the car, drive to the shooting ground, buy 100 clays and 100 cartridges and shoot 100 targets - 7 nights a week, 52 weeks a year. It isn't going to happen! Apart from the cost, people don't have the time to do this every day.

The truth is that confident shooters shoot more.

DryFire builds confident shooters and that is reflected in:

• improved scores,
• more visits to the shooting ground at weekends etc.
• more cartridge and clay sales,
• more competition entries,
• more requests for instruction to spot faults, to learn good habits and to break through plateaus of achievement,
• more chances of upgrading kit: from a second-hand starter to a better quality gun.

Summary

• A demonstration DryFire system can help with the everyday work of a shooting ground.
• Shooters who use DryFire at home are more likely to shoot more and spend more.
• Wordcraft International offers a good margin to shooting grounds who wish to stock and sell DryFire to their members.