At a club practice shoot this month, we failed to know the rule, follow the rule. Most people think our monthly shoot is a practice shoot for individual shooters. It is not, it is a practice for the club to learn how to run a CFDA shoot and to follow the rules.
A frequent failure is Rule IV.6. which says "Each contestant must have an opponent. If the opponent does not show up, the present contestant will win by default and will not be allowed to shoot uncontested."
My observation at titled events and local shoots we will get this wrong 90% of the time, especially if there is more than one no show. The tendency is to want to redo the draw either at the table or at the scoring shack. This delays the round and may have unknown consequences. If you simply know the rule, follow the rule, the round runs smoothly, the scoring and computer handles everything correctly.
To the chorus who say why are you bringing this up, it is just a practice shoot, my response is there are numerous good reasons to talk about it.
First, we need to "know the rule and follow the rule." That is why we have practice shoots.
Second, it matters. For our club points we give out 15 awards. Last year most awards were determined by 1 point or less. If we had followed the rule, among the four shooters affected there would have been 3 wins and 1 loss. As the round was redid, there were 2 wins and 2 losses. Somebody lost a win. That win meant 4 to 12 points in the club points race depending on who lost out. It matters.
Third, this comes up frequently at titled events. Failure to follow the rule causes delays. If you have 30 shooters on a range and two no shows, you will get 30 opinions as to what should happen. If you just follow the rules, the round will be shot and over before 30 Old Timers reach a consensus on what to do.
Scoring: There is really two separate issues here, what happens at the range and what happens at the scoring shack. I think at the table it should be a W with 22, and an X with 33. That way the scoring shack knows who has a match DQ. There is a difference between someone who just missed his match (33) and someone who has withdrawn. The scoring shack and match director need to code the withdrawn, Match DQ 99 or new 86 code.
Titled Events: It appears that title events this year will be at or near capacity. Range time is important. Following IV.6. saves range time. I recall one title event where we lost 4 hours of range time because this simple rule was not followed. Know the rule, follow the rule. Shoot em as they are drawn.
P.S. Thinking about getting on my soap box about fragmentation. What do you think, are you up to it
Sure we can venture into fragmentation. The rule, however, and your approach we will disagree. The issue of the rule that has you so hot and bothered came about at titled matches because ONE person didn't like it when guns weren't being fired and was too impatient to do it right.
ReplyDeleteBefore every match begins a roll call should be performed to know who is there. No answer, removed from the match and the first round is drawn and the rule is enforced. Not on the line, forfeit and followed until elimination factor is reached. If a shooter withdraws after answering roll call and the first round is drawn then it is up to the scoring shack to handle it as they choose. Either pull the shooter from the rotation if the computer will let them, or forfeits to elimination factor. Same as a shooter that arrives late with notice, in the match with forfeits to elimination factor or gets into the match carrying however many X's if arriving before the elimination factor is reached.
The controversy at titled matches(there is always a roll call before the sanctioned match to determine who is there and shooting) is with the side matches. In an attempt to make it easier on the scorers, and I firmly believe we need to do everything we can to make their jobs easier, every shooter in the sanctioned match is put into the side match whether he wants to be or not, the first round is drawn, and the SNAFU at the scoring table happens. In this case, the rule should not be enforced because the match was conducted improperly. If you want to run it in this manner why not put the entire membership of CFDA in the match and just give forfeits to everyone who never left home until the elimination factor? Just like me saying I would like to be considered in the annual Arizona standings. Do you put me in the first round draw of every match and enforce the rule if I'm sitting behind eight feet of snow in Pagosa? Or do you enter me in the match when I'm standing there ready to start shooting?
Do a roll call, know that everyone who is going to be drawn in the first round is present or has notified the match they will be late but intend to shoot. Enforce the rule. No problem.