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jbmac wrote:I shot this match. I know the rules regarding cover. I finished 8 in ESP sharp shooter class. I only received one cover call (early on) for the 12 stage match but several of the guys on my squad received multiple cover calls. One guy (an experienced IDPA shooter) received three calls on one stage. I ended up shooting from 4"-6" inside the actual cover line to be safe given the numerous cover calls I observed. I agree local matches frequently do not call cover as tight as they should. Additionally at the local match the SO will frequently call "cover" to warn the shooter. The SOs at a match at this level expect us to know what cover is . In any event the rule is simple... cover is a line extending back from the MIDDLE of the target to the edge of cover an on to infinity. You need to have 100% of your lower body and at least 50% of your upper body behind the line when you break the shot. All of the shooters on my squad and everyone else I spoke to thought the cover calls were a bit excessive, BUT THE CALLS WERE CONSISTENT. On several of the stages the SOs warned us in advance and pointed out potential cover call spots. Otherwise it was fun match with challenging stages. It was very well run.

Do you think it is consistant when one shooter gets a reshoot over a cover call because the SO didn't point out where, on the ground, he was going to be calling the shooter out of cover and another shooter eats a cover call because "your foot was in cover but your hip came out"? That is a direct quote from the SO. Or is it consistant when the MM who shoots early on a squad gets courtesy calls, then an expert purposely waits at each shooting position for a fraction of a second to hear the courtesy calls (since he heard them being given to another shooter) and none are given, just penalties assessed?

jmra wrote:I was considering becoming involved in IDPA but this thread has convinced me otherwise. It is ashame that egos and internal politics always seem to rule the day.

Please don't take my complaints about this match as an indictnment of IDPA. This is the only match that I have been to that was called this way. Most matches are called within reason and are tons of fun. As I said originally, I shot 7 previous sanctioned matches with a total of 3 cover calls prior to this one.

extremist wrote:

canvasbck wrote:I shot it. Shot well, but wished I had passed on this one. Cover calls were stupid tight. I wound up with 6PE's, exactly double the number of PE's I incurred during the last 7 sanctioned matches combined.

Well, you could think that - but as an SO on Stage 5, I can tell you we were calling cover properly and not too tight and not too loose. We awarded a lot of earned PEs on our stage.

I think the problem comes from local club matches not calling cover correctly and people come to large sanctioned matches and get called for cover. I'm not saying that was you - but that is the case a lot of times.

We still have people that come to sanctioned matches and complain they get an FTN on a swinger. "Because we never give FTNs on a swinger at our local matches"

Unfortunately, I dug myself a 20 second hole on THAT exact stage (which was MY Stage to SO which makes it more pathetic) because I ran by the target on the right and didn't engage it and then shot the no-shoot at the back.

But I still didn't end up last in my division (ESP/EX) - so some saving grace in that

James

You misunderstood my post. I have shot 7 previous SANCTIONED matches, I shot the Texas State match the last two years. Twice at Lone Star. Arkansas State championship last year. MVSA this year. Coastal bend year before last. I'm one of the primary SO's for our local club and I probably give out more cover PE's than the other SO's and ask other SO's to call me tight as well for the exact same reasons as you state. Im NOT a newbie. This match was rediculously tight. To the point that it sucked the fun out of what was otherwise a great match that was run exceptionally well. When an SO gives you a cover call and says "your foot was in cover but your hip came out" it's getting beyond silly.

This is not just sour grapes. I'm sharing what the VAST majority of shooters were expressing concerning this match.

Since I'm a certified SO, and as such a representative of the sport, I will withold my feelings over the new rules, suffice it to say that I prefered the ability to reload on the move.

Matches that are run this way are killing this sport. You and I both know that a lot of top shooters only shoot enough sanctioned matches to get their points for nationals and shoot USPSA the rest of the year because of both the new rules and the way that some SO's are calling matches. If people are getting 10 and 11 PE's on a 12 stage match, something is wrong. If experts and masters are getting 5 and 6 PE's on a 12 stage match, something is wrong.People are spending $1000 to shoot a match, including travel and lodging, ect. They shouldn't be leaving the match wondering if they should have spent all that money to feel like they were on an 8 hour traffic stop.

I shot it. Shot well, but wished I had passed on this one. Cover calls were stupid tight. I wound up with 6PE's, exactly double the number of PE's I incurred during the last 7 sanctioned matches combined.