WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A RANGE OFFICER
As you go to the matches and shoot, you notice that there are a large group of our members known as Range Officers (ROs) who put you through the Courses of Fire (COF or stages). They operate the timers, keep track of scores on the Practicsore tablets or score sheets, have you sign the results, organize the squads and generally keep the show rolling. They are there in the rain, the sun, if it shines, fog or any weather that comes along to give us more thrills than shooting. They patch and change targets, set metal knock down targets and activators, keep to the schedules and a host of other chores that have to be done for a match to be a success.
These tireless men and women also take their turn to shoot. Their day is VERY long and they do this match after match after match. Crazy? Possibly. Dedicated? Beyond doubt.
You can become a giver to your Extreme Pistol (IPSC) sport too. After you have been shooting for a year, you can take the RO Course. The RO Course is given over two days on a weekend. In the course, experienced RO Course Instructors will guide you through the skills and behaviours required of an RO to do a good job. The Rule Book is dissected so you can start to discover how to open it and find the answers to the myriad of questions that come up during a match.
I have worked with the Rule Book since it was first developed in Bournemouth England in August 1980. There have been numerous revisions and updates. Confession time; I cannot remember all the rules. There are too many and plenty of variations since 1980. The only way to work with the rules is to open the Rule Book and read what it says. Now, with the advent of tablets, iPads, etc. we can electronically search for the correct rule. From there we try to make the interpretation fair to the case in hand. There are many areas of the Rule Book that need improving and lots that are still grey but we carry on with what we have. You can start to become familiar with the Rule Book by taking the RO Course.
When you take the RO Course, you will find your shooting takes on a new perspective. Knowing the rules is a great way to understand and analyze a COF so that you may shoot it better. It won’t make up for training your shooting skills, but it will help. Knowing the rules and using them does not include trying to twist them for your personal advantageJ
As an RO, you will get to watch approximately 50+ different shooters shoot the COF on which you are assigned. Imagine, 50+ different methods shown to you. Some will be very good, some will be very bad. You get to pick those techniques that you think you can handle and will work for you. Does it get better or what?
How much do you have to pay to become an RO? NOTHING! IPSC BC pays for your course kit, lunch for two days and snacks. Yes, that is correct. You are supported to be there. I bet you can hardly wait to sign up.
To sign up for the next RO Course in your Zone, contact your Zone Director listed under BoD on the web; Member Information>Board of Directors. Find out more at Member Information>Member Forums>Rules Discussion>RANGE OFFICER COURSES 2018
A RO Course will run from 9am-5pm over two days. You will learn the theory of the rules followed by a practical session where you are the RO and run a mock COF. Don’t panic; once you complete the RO Course you will NOT be kicked into the deep end of the pool. In your first match as an RO, you will be assigned to a CRO who will give you a simple job to do as you learn the ropes of being an RO. As time progresses and your skills improve, you will be assigned more demanding tasks as an RO. You might even want to move up to a Chief Range Officer (CRO) but that is another story.
All our officials are looking forward to the opportunity to share their knowledge with you. I am excited to use my more than 40 years of shooting and officiating at matches with a new group of RO candidates. Contact your ZD and let’s move you to another level.