I hope everyone who participated with us in USPSA shooting had a great time this last year.  What are we going to do next year?????  Well, I'm not quite burned out yet ( although I might look it sometimes ) and we will be running matches next year.  I have several goals.  First is to provide safe, challenging courses of fire which are fun to shoot.  Second is to provide matches which are fair, promote competition and assist competitors for larger matches at the Area and National level.  Third is to promote the sport and build the skills of new shooters.

I seriously considered dropping our USPSA affiliation this year.  First, while USPSA isn't all that expensive for re-affiliation, activity and classification fees, it is a drain on match fees which could be used for the purchase of new props, maintenance of our existing equipment (target stands, barriers, walls, etc.).  Being able to buy new props was the reason we went to a $15.00 match fee.  We will need new target stands in the near furure (the old PVC ones I made are getting pretty shot up).  The 5 PVC barriers I made are just about shot (pun intended) now.  Our wooden barriers have just about rotted and also won't last too much longer.  With that said, I still believe we should keep our affiliation for a couple of reasons.  One, USPSA provides a structure and set of rules.  The organization now has 16,000 active members and there are now over 350 active clubs.  They have a remarkable safety program and and a tiered match system which promotes competition and the shooting sports.  Also, USPSA is continuing to grow.  They just purchased the Steel Challenge and are getting better in the 3 Gun/Multigun part of the sport.

With that said, what will we be doing next year.  I plan to have at least 9 matches in 2008.  They will be 5-3 Gun/Multigun and 4-pistol.  

Jan	Pistol & Classifier
Feb	Pistol & Classifier
March	3 Gun/Multigun
Apr	Pistol & Classifier
May	3 Gun/Multigun
Jun	No Match
Jul	No Match
Aug	Pistol & 2 Classifiers
Sep	Pistol Match
Oct	3 Gun/Multigun
Nov	Pistol Match
Dec	3 Gun/Multigun

   

We will continue to be pretty much a shoot what you bring match.  That means if you want to shoot Western 3 Gun, we will continue to offer that as a division.  If you shoot IDPA CDP, you will fit right into the new Single Stack Division.  The Sep and Oct matches will be a prep for the Area 6 3 Gun Match and the Nov match will be a prep for the Ft Benning Multigun Challenge.  The pistol match just before the Area 6 Pistol Championship will be a prep for that match.

I want to thank everyone for their help last season and I hope to see you all on January 12th.  If you have suggestions, let me know.  Read the new 2008 rulebook (at uspsa.org) which is effective 1 Jan and practice.