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MAKE IT YOUR OWN
By Pam Thomas
No sport is gender specific these days, but in this article, I am basically
talking to women whose husbands/significant others are dedicated participants in
shotgunning sports (such as skeet/sporting clays/trap).
If your husband/significant other is an avid shooter and/or shoots the
tournament circuit in skeet or sporting clays (or trap), then you most likely
fall into one of the following categories:
Spouse/girlfriend that has nothing to do with the sport, knows very little
about it, has never been to watch, etc.,
Spouse/girlfriend that supports her fellow and the sport by attending
occasionally (or all the time) to watch/ ride in the golf cart/sit on the club
porch and read, etc.
Spouse/girlfriend that basically decides if she is going to spend time riding
to/watching him shoot/pulling targets/sitting in the car, etc. that she may as
well give it a try and learn to shoot herself!
Now there is certainly nothing wrong with a couple having different interests,
following two different avenues of leisure activities. Speaking from personal
experience however, I believe it can be somewhat therapeutic for a couple to
participate in a sport together. As far as quality time goes, you obviously
will spend more time together practicing, traveling and participating in
competitions, supporting each other, making new friends/acquaintances, etc. Of
course, there is a “not so rosy” side of this situation, such as too much
togetherness, arguing about said sport, competing against each other in a
non-friendly manner, etc. And, if one person (usually the guy) is much more
advanced and versed in shooting – which is normally the case – then the
relationship can turn into a coach/student type situation which may not be the
best thing either. Particularly when the “learning party” is not in a receptive
mood for instruction. But all of these issues can be dealt with and easily
worked upon.
Overall, I think it is and can be a good thing for women to learn to shoot or at
least make an attempt. So if you find out it is not for you, at least you can
always say you put forth the effort (brownie points for the future!). It is
basically the same as taking up golf or tennis. Get a good coach lined up and
the right equipment (a gun that hits and fits, “fit” definitely being most
important) and you never know what door it may open. An important note on gun
fit for ladies – it makes all the difference in the world. If your man hands
you his 12-gauge automatic and says have at it and it knocks you backward off
your feet, of course you are not going to be receptive to learning to shoot. In
the beginning stages, borrow a gun that is smaller and set up for ladies or
children. Then if (and when) you get “hooked” any gunstock can be altered to
fit your size comfortably.
Anyway, back to opening new doors…I would have never imagined that I would enjoy
shooting as much as I do, and I am now to the point that I would go and
participate in a tournament without my husband, so basically I am no longer
“following his sport” but have made it my own. Skeet and sporting clays are
both very much “social” sports. I have made many friends just thru the shooting
venue.
There are many more women that participate in skeet and sporting clays than you
would imagine. I recently attended a shoot in Richmond, VA that had about 275
shooters registered and 40 of them were women. At the World Skeet Shoot that
occurs annually in San Antonio, Texas, the average number of registered women
skeet shooters is around two hundred.
A
lot of men and women shoot together on the same squad during tournaments and
just as many shoot on different squads (a squad consists of 5 shooters). My
husband and I shoot together frequently, sometimes just out of convenience sake,
and sometimes we intentionally squad separately. You can certainly elect to do
either. The two most frequently asked questions I get at tournaments are “how
do you shoot on the same squad with your husband” or “why don’t you and your
husband shoot together”?
I
find it interesting to hear comments at a gun club referring to a shooter such
as “I never knew he was married” or “I didn’t know he had a girlfriend”…moral
of the story: don’t be the non-existent other party. Get out there,
watch, learn, listen and even entertain the thought of learning to shoot
yourself. Most gun clubs have certified instructors who are happy to help you
get started. You will surprise and impress yourself as well as your lucky
fellow!
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