Yoh, yoh, yoh. Aldo here about the IDPA SO training.
Yes, there is going to be training in the very near future. However, the initial group/groups will be based by "regular" participation in IDPA matches.
Thus, if there are folks who are interested in SO training, they can come to the IDPA Nebraska indoor matches and/or have a documented history of regular participation in IDPA matches.
If they come to IDPA Nebraska matches, folks are being assigned as SO-trainees by serving in the SO-strongside and SO-scorekeeper positions under my supervision as Match Director. In addition, these folks have also been involved in designing the Course of Fire for upcoming matches and submitting them to me for review/edits. Also, folks have been coming early to the match to help me set up the CoF so that they can be involved in the nuances of ensuring an appropriate setup per the IDPA rules, just as in any other shooting sport.
Having folks serve in all 4 of those capacities allows me to develop a list of folks to whom I can invite to become an IDPA SO because I am confident that they KNOW AND UNDERSTAND the IDPA rules. Now, having said that, it's obvious that there are other folks who are great shooters in other shooting sport activities, and they have become IDPA members, and even though they may be intermittent in their participation in local IDPA matches, they KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES...and some even travel and participate in surrounding state matches. I will have no reservations in extending an invitation to them as well.
Where an issue may arise is when someone may want to become an IDPA SO, but they don't even compete in the matches! There are actually some folks who think that one can become an IDPA SO just because they want to. That's not how it operates. Folks must KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES...that is a bottom line, and an essential component of that is participation in matches.
I honestly believe that if folks who have been involved in designing CoF's for IDPA Nebraska and also been involved in the setup of stages were to be asked if they found those experiences to be extremely resourceful to them in learning and knowing the rules, each and every one of them would say that they did find those experiences resourceful AND that each of them had a greater appreciation for what it takes to put on an IDPA match.
Believe me, I want to see the IDPA sport grow in Nebraska. Folks just need to realize that doing so is more than just having the title of SO. Folks have to get into the nitty gritty of doing all that I have outlined above. And there is an opportunity for that every month on either the first or second Saturday at Thunder Alley Indoor Shooting Range in Lincoln. Now having said that, when folks from outside of Lincoln become an IDPA SO, they can get others in their local and surrounding areas interested in the IDPA sport shooting activity, and then after they have had regular participation in matches, they, too, can become IDPA SOs.
Heck, are folks really expecting to become an IDPA SO if they haven't even participated in a match?...or participated in only one or two matches? IDPA SOs need to be dedicated to the sport and not just interested in having the title and then have others in their area actually think that they know and understand the rules.
Now that all of that is out of the way, I will be sending out invitations to an initial group of folks to participate in an IDPA SO Candidate class...but, per IDPA, they will have to first successfully complete the IDPA SO Candidate online examination. If there are others who may not have received an invitation, I am open to receive their request to receive training...however, I am also expecting that they will let me know about their regular participation in IDPA matches and hopefully also experience in designing CoF's for IDPA matches...and just cut and pasting a design from the online databases that are out there doesn't cut it as many of those designs are referenced to the old rule book.
Also, for the record, most folks have busy lives, so please don't stereotype me as being too busy to give an IDPA SO training class. What I am doing is developing a cadre of folks so that their feet are running in the right direction when they do take a training class...and THAT is what takes time.
