Shoot like a politician...really!
11/29/2018
Shoot like a Politician...
I know most of you think "politician" is a dirty word...I happen to agree with you in most instances. However, as shooters we can always learn something new by observing folks who are good at their jobs and relating it's application to our shooting skills. I use pro basketball players as an example of a pre-shot routine... watch a good player before he makes a free throw. You can watch him shoot 20 times and the routine he uses never varies. We should use the same discipline in our pre-shot routine.
Back to our politicians. During the course of my conversations with shooters at our gun club or when visiting other clubs for competitions, I hear shooters talking (complaining) about things that interrupt them during the course of shooting an event. Announcements, car horns (usually an alarm...which no one pays any attention to anymore!) guys with loud or funny sounding calls on adjacent fields...well, you know the stuff I'm referring to. These kind of distractions fall into two basic categories...inevitable and avoidable. (Frank Little talks about this in his instruction book on trap shooting...thank you Frank, RIP) The avoidable ones are those that you control, putting on the right glasses, remembering your stuff (earplugs, water bottle, shells, etc...). You are responsible for those things and have control over the outcome. The inevitable interruptions are what I'm talking about here.
I was watching a news program last night and marveled at one politician who was being interviewed by a persistent reporter. No matter how many times the reporter asked questions on a plethora of subjects the politician stayed focused on HIS agenda. He never really addressed any of the reporters questions and continued pressing his side of the story...it was amazing to me that someone could totally ignore his surroundings, both sights and sounds, and continue to concentrate on his thoughts and words. I'm glad this guy isn't a clay target shooter! He would be tough.
Talent not withstanding, each of us could shoot better if we were a bit more like the politician in the interview. Being able to focus our thoughts and energies to the goal of breaking clay targets, regardless of the distractions, is a goal all of us need to work on. Learn to leave the thoughts about home issues and work issues in the car with your gun case. Don't let the inevitable interruptions during competition upset your concentration.
Sounds easy...it's not. Focusing your concentration during distractions is not an inherited trait like blue eyes or blonde hair. Just like the shooting skills you worked hard to acquire, the ability to ignore or not pay attention to distractions takes practice. Teaching your brain to ignore things can be done during every day activities. Read a magazine with the tv or a radio playing and really concentrate on what you are reading. Shoot practice on the field closest to the club where the sounds and voices of others are in the background. Mentally prepare yourself to be focused during the competition and it will help your scores and allow you to enjoy your sport even more. You might even run for office!
Shoot well and often,
Bob