I’d like to hear from some folks that have gotten their kids into completion shooting, particularly girls, and particularly from 12/13 onward and not much before that.
My older daughter is 13. She has a BB gun that we have shot in the yard a few times, went to the range once as a family and shot some .22s, and has been with the wife and I several times to shoot sporting clays where she and her sister trade off trapping and scoring. Point is, she knows we have guns, she knows that I shoot, and she has laid hands on a gun a time or two before. She knows the four rules and understands them, granted at 13 with the teenager sass in full affect she makes it a chore to drag them out of her.
This past weekend I shot my first steel challenge match in years, and really enjoyed the relaxed pace and couldn’t help but think it might make for a good entry into competition shooting for her. The lack of movement seems safer to me and strips a level of complexity that she wouldn’t have to contend with, the feedback of the “ding” is enjoyable and offers positive reinforcement for all ages, and the existence of rimfire divisions means reduced recoil, reduced cost, and generally a lower barrier to entry for a kid starting out.
I’d like to hear from
others that have gone down this path*, and get some feedback on my above concept re: Steel Challenge, thoughts on guns and gear (I have an M&P15-22 and a youth 10/22 that she could choose from), and anything else I may be missing.
Ideally, if she likes it, I’d like to graduate her up to Action Steel, USPSA, transition from a rifle to a pistol, etc.
* nothing personal, but if you don’t have kids, I’m not really interested in hearing from you, unless you have some sort of other experience that makes it relevant like running a kids only match or something. Simply being at matches with other people’s kids isn’t the same thing, thanks. I know it’s the internet, and people like to chime in, so just trying to get this out there. If you simply can’t stifle yourself, at least start you reply with “I don’t have kids but” and then go on to explain how, in spite of that fact, your comments are relevant. Thanks!