Greetings Shooters!
What a weekend! Hot, hot, and more hot. But that didn't deter this group. We had a packed line with 25 shooters (one no-show) on Saturday. Luckily we were adequately staffed with Instructors as Earl, Savage Shooter, and Journey all traveled to help out the regular Coeur d'Alene instructors.
The morning started slow with many of the shooters needing basic action and safety manipulation coaching due to new rifles, some of which were not sighted in. No AQTs were shot in the time standard for score on Saturday, but the afternoon Red Coat target showed great improvement by about half of the remaining shooters. Expectations were high for Sunday!
We broke up the afternoon heat wave with the Second Strike presented in what little shade was to be had.
Sunday did not disappoint and the prone groups showed vast improvement by everybody on the morning squares target. After lunch and a great Third Strike presented by Roland, we started shooting AQTs for score. I believe Kelleye shot the first Rifleman score on the first AQT after lunch. HUZZAH! Ken requalified with three RM scores, must be time to take up the Orange Hat, my friend!
Kurt, a repeat attendee earned his Rifleman patch to the cheers of the mob of youth shooters he brought along. Barry and Steve both shot Rifleman on their first Appleseed event. Steve actually came up to me afterwards to mention that this was his first rifle and box of ammunition, and that his score was-in his words-"all on you", meaning the Instructors. So Huzzahs all around!
We awarded 10 Young Patriot patches to our youth shooters. We saw such outstanding improvement on these youngsters Sunday that it was hard to believe it was the same group Saturday. Riley's groups were getting better with every stage, and needing only a bit more NPOA to get them on target. Shelby, Mikayla, and Meaka all utilized different customized Stage 2 positions. Great innovation ladies, keep up the good work! Tanner and Jayden, keep that focus. Erick and Cooper, sorry the heat got to you, and you had to miss some of the stages. Dry practice those six steps and your positions, and all of you will be shooting better scores next time.
Martin ran a sweet little .300BO bolty and deserves an honorable mention. Study that video I sent you, and you'll be running that bolt fast enough to rule the transition stages! Chad and Lita, thanks for coming back, and I hope Chad's back gets better! Practice those positions and 6 steps with Dry Fire, and I hope to see you all again. Zack and Alisha, I'm glad we could fit you into the class. You both were shooting great at times, just not at all the times!
To all-please utilize Dry Practice to build those positions and ingrain the 6 Steps and Natural Point of Aim. If you would like some Dry Practice targets scaled for in home distances, send me a Personal Message and I'll get them emailed to you.
To my traveling Instructors Savage Shooter, Earl and Journey, thank you for coming such great distances to help out. It was a bit strange to have the Instructor that ran my first Instructor Boot Camp working as an Instructor-in-Training under me. Welcome back SS, it was a pleasure working with you and meeting you again. Earl, you are the rock of Appleseed Instructors, thanks for your gentle guidance. Journey, your skill continues to grow, keep it up. Roland, my boy, you are now a better instructor than I am. Your ability to fine tune shooters is amazing. Andy, thanks also, and I can't hardly wait until you earn your Green Hat! Reina, our newly minted Orange Hat, welcome to the fray! I bet you slept pretty darn good Sunday night!
As I've said before, the very best thing about Appleseed is the great folks you meet. Thanks for making another great memory.
Now I've got loaner rifles to clean.
Please post your thoughts.
Shoot straight!
EERT/Pat