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Michigan State Shoot

4K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  BigM-Perazzi 
#1 ·
Why no attendance pins at Michigan this year?
 
#5 ·
I wasn't there so I don't know all the details,The MTA is having a tough time right now, what with the tornado a few weeks ago, and a slip-up with the pins for the state shoot....BUT Mason is still a premier place to shoot and will always be one of my favorite places to shoot....
 
#6 ·
While the MTA is having a few problems of it's own, the MTA is operating in a state whose economy is in the tank. Many high paying manufacturing jobs that used to be in Michigan are now simply gone. I'm old enough to remember past State shoots where, if you are familiar with Mason, the parking began just outside of the classification building and cars were parked almost out to the service road. Many of the people who are employed are working for less (in some cases far less) wages than they were in the past. The disposable income dollars are far less. The number of shooters that can afford to roll up a $100.00 bill, insert it into the breech of their shotgun and shoot it out the muzzle is far smaller than in the past. Unfortunately, I believe this situation will get worse before it gets better. As I've stated in previous posts, in addition to day job, I teach night classes in a community college. On occasion, students will ask me about their future. I tell them to get all the education or job training they can and then GET OUT of Michigan. I know that telling them to leave runs counter to what the MEA says and I will probably get flamed on this site for this but I say that unless you want to live with your Mom and Dad for the next ten years then leave.

In addition, many shooters who might have the financial wearwithall to shoot are in an age bracket where health issues take a toll in participation. I had some health issues last year and now I can manage only 100 targets per day before I'm bushed.

Mason is a great place to shoot and I will continue to shoot there as long as I can. I encourage anyone who has never shot there to attend (Summer Team Shoot is coming July 24), shoot an event or two and see what you think.

In summary, that is my answer to "What is happening to the MTA?"
 
#9 ·
Blacklab -

They needed all 10 banks for the singles. Banks 7-10 were occupied with SCTP and AIM youth shooters who shot their 200 targets there but your initial observation is correct. Only 6 banks were actually needed to shoot the championship singles. Take away the nearly 200 youth shooters and the overall shoot numbers were not just down, they are in the tank. When they post the overall attendance for the shoot, if you deduct those 200 or so kids, that is much closer to your real number.

JK
 
#10 ·
Maybe so, but the youth shooters DO count. Many on my team would have shot anyway, with or without SCTP or AIM. They just shot there BECAUSE they were SCTP/AIM members. Otherwise, they would have been a "regular" MTA youth shooter. Also I would have shot if I wasn't coaching and being there for them.

Leslie

Trapgeek
 
#11 ·
Leslie, what I am saying is that if they went back and had the kids shoot on another day like in years past, the numbers for the championship singles would be WAAAAYYY down. Maybe most of your kids would still shoot the 200 championship singles targets in addition to the AIM/SCTP program targets but I strongly believe your team is in the minority there.

JK
 
#12 ·
Heck, I did not even notice the bastards screwed me out of a pin. I guess being there to shoot at the best venue I have ever shot at: and meet old and new friends must have distracted me. I will DEMAND a $1 refund next time I go there.

It is a better shooting range than the Cardinal Center even though I love the CC. The CC beats Mason for vendors, camping and shoot management. Mason beats them all for good targets and background.

I have to agree with tarhawk. Many of the autoworkers that supported trap shooting are gone and the retirees are too old to shoot a full program - some do not shoot ATA at all anymore. Few new shooters are entering the sport.

My son is lucky enough to have a decent job but he could earn 15%+ more if he left MI. He cannot afford to shoot trap even if he was interested. The high paying jobs needed to sustain competitive trap are scarce.

I fear Mason will continue to loose shooters in spite of what it offers.

Don Verna
 
#13 ·
Don,

I think that they (the MTA) could keep shooters coming but they have to face the realization that they are just going to shoot fewer targets overall. They need to adjust their business plan accordingly. Shortening some of the shoots would be a good start. Many other states have 3 and 4 day state shoots and it works for them. That is plenty if that is all your market will bear and that is where the MTA is at right now. You don't need all the preliminary events and the expenses involved to have 60 people shoot. Run a 4 day state shoot with 200 Class Singles and 100 Caps on Day 1. 100 Caps 100 Singles and 100 Caps on Day 2. 200 Championship Singles and Class Doubles on Day three and Championship Doubles and Championship Handicap on day 4 and see how it goes for awhile. If their margins are that tight, and I have to believe they are, then painful decisions need to be made to right the ship. I am curious if the MTA offerred scoring positions to the AIM SCTP kids as a way to help defray the cost of labor to the MTA and shoot costs to the kids if it would not be a win win for all. Most of the kids that have been in the program more than one season are pretty up to speed on trap ettiquette and rules. In Exchange, some adults would need to volunteer to score the kids. Labor is usually way up there in any businesses operational costs. Materials is another and targets are so cutthroat that there is not going to be any real savings to be had there. Most of the trapshooters I know squeak when they walk. They will drive 50 miles round trip to save .50 cents on a bag of shot. If they were offered say $5.00 off per 100 target event they scored, there has to be a savings for the MTA there over what the kids get paid. I personally enjoy score keeping and would definitely do something like that if it were made available.

JK
 
#14 ·
I've read these posts from your shoot with great interest and personal enjoyment. Last year there was a screw up on our ordering and there were no attendance pins given out, didn't generate near the noise though thankfully:)

We,ve also had similar complaints on the handling of the SCTP/AIM--damned if you do and damned again if you don't. The kids are happy, it's an adult that looks to complain, no different than the other kids sports I guess.

My personal real disappointment is along the lines of GoldEx-JK's last post. It was my expectation or hope that when these youth shooting programs started that it would become a feeder system for management in getting trap help and giving the youngsters a broader sense of what the shooting game is about. That has not been the case. I guess there is no one to blame but ourselves.

I sure hope to get to Mason some day, maybe on my way up to Yooper ville.

All my best to the Michiganders, Bob
 
#15 ·
Well, I was there all week and had a hell of a time. Beautiful weather, great targets, and I shot well all week. Won a shootoff, ran a hundred and turned in mostly decent scores for the rest of the events I shot. That's a great week for most of us.

Complain if you want to. I look forward to going back next year. Mason is still one of my favorite places to shoot.
 
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