AAR - Coarsegold, CA July 23-24, 2011

[Romeo's Hero]

Another great Appleseed was help in Coarsegold, CA at the Sun Mountain Gun Range. We had 3 shooters in attendance both days (all were new to appleseed  ).

Shooters showed good skill on day one. They battled against the almost 100 degree weather (thank you Mike for bringing pop-ups, they were much appreciated) and all sought to improve upon and perfect their skills. Shooters did a great job absorbing the information and instructions an all showed improvement in their skills, especially in cadence  .

On Sunday all shooters returned ready to prove their skills an hear more history. By days end 2 rifleman emerged, Mike and Dennis (Dennis is looking to take the orange hat after his next appleseed  , and will be welcomed). Bobby also showed great skill with his final AQT score in the 190's, and we look forward to seeing he and hopefully his father at the next shoot.

Thanks you all for making this a great Appleseed - and to Double D for making the trip over to bring us more AQT when we were ran out    (oops  )

[TowedJumper]

I think I have to say a couple of things:

1) Excellent instruction both in content and delivery

2) I don't think I have been as proud of anything in a long time as I was to shoot my 218 AS score on my AQT.  Now I just need to keep working on it.

3) I had a goal of being able to pass this information off to my kids eventually and wondered if I would be OK as a teacher.  I was pleasantly suprised to find myself looking at another student after I relaxed a bit post qualification and find myself instantly ticking off 3 things that needed improvement (left elbow more under the rifle as it was too wide, knee needed to be crooked some as was almost straight, and forehand needed to palm the stock more along the lifeline as was using too much of his fingers).

I know thats nowhere near the same as teaching a class but you have to start somewhere and I am glad you pounded it home Juliette.  Thanks!!!

Now, about time to start my hat collection...

[George Hacker]

Congratulations on your Rifleman's score, TowedJumper.  Well done!

- Shadowman

[TowedJumper]

Thanks Shadowman!  I honestly don't know how those guys in hotter climates like AZ do it.  That heat rolling off the ground was a killer.  I only did my rifleman on the second day after it cooled off overnight.  Most of the lack of focus was mental but it was like somebody pulled my battery out.

I don't think 98 degrees would qualify but it would be cool if there was an Appleseed patch with shimmering heatwaves coming off the top something like the opposite of the cold weather appleseed patch.  Anyway, its a good thing to remember if I ever do become an IIT or higher:  weather affects moods as well as performance so mentoring as an instructor might be one of the more important pieces.  Juliette did a great job overall but I tend not to be happy with anything less than dime size holes in the target or better.  Thats just not to be for me at the moment.