You shot well today. Even your not-quite-there swings managed to catch a piece, XX. Everything just felt right, the sporting clays targets looked bigger and slower than usual. Your hits were hard, center-punching, building a momentum. Planned and rehearsed, sight picture after sight picture appeared right on right time, at the right place, again and again. XXXXXX. A surge of confidence carried you through the final 3 stations to your best tournament score ever.

It’s 3:15 in the clubhouse and you’re reminiscing so many good clay target shots today. A friend strolls by and says you’ve tied the club “protester,” there’ll be a shoot-off at 4 o’clock. 

The protester is known for his disruptive, bullying behavior in the sporting clays shooting box, too often berating score-keepers and claiming hits that weren’t. You’ve seen this first-hand and find his distasteful, unsettling conduct a rash on our good sport. Your good mood was all too fleeting, exchanged for thoughts of dealing with this unpleasant individual in the shoot-off. Gear arranged, you walk to the 5-Stand, ever more present of the building anxiety over having a contest with this man. Gone is the confidence you had earlier. Will your swing, cadence, and timing come back? How long will it be before he starts scolding the scorekeeper? Which one of us will be first to shoot? If he starts trouble today, you’ll have something to say about that! 

OK…time out, let’s you and I watch the shoot-off between Mark and the protester. I predict the protester will win. Not because he’s a better shot, but because Mark is no longer thinking about his shooting…his game. The protester now holds Mark’s full attention. In the purest sense, Mark has regrettably given his game away…given it to the protester. If you read the paragraph above, it’s obvious Mark is seriously distracted and has little attention left for the target presentations he will face. Preoccupied with the situation and not his swing cadence and sight pictures, the shoot-off loss is predictable and most likely inevitable.

Which is why it’s imperative we put all our attention on the target in front of us, not what’s beside or behind us. Standing in the shooting box, if Mark closes his gun and has any of his attention on the other guy…it’s over! Mark’s attention is fatally divided, leaving only remnants of his focus available for the targets in front of him. That’s a shame because Mark shot well today and should be putting all his attention on that. His confidence. His momentum. Not the other guy. By doing so, Mark’s all but forfeiting his victory before the sporting clays shoot-off even starts. Never let a distraction steal your best performance.

Be safe and I hope to see you out on the course.

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Paragon School of Sporting was established by Daniel Schindler in 1994. We've built our business - student by student - on our unconditional promise to make sure each and every one of our clients exceeds their shooting goals. Dan Schindler teaches Paragon's step-by-step Sporting Clays and Wingshooting system that he created. This is a tried and true shooting system designed for shooting success. Using clear, concise language, Dan teaches his clients a shooting process that allows them to build consistency into their shooting. Teaching at Paragon is not "just a business." We are committed to making sure each student is treated with courtesy and respect. 

Books

Discover a clear, direct path to quickly shoot better or competing at a much higher level? Check out Daniel L. Schindler's three books written in concise, simple, plain language that helps every shooter build a solid foundation, compete at a higher level, and takes the mystery out of their shooting:

Take Your Best Shot (Book I) is all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This manual is used by individuals and some of the most successful middle school, high school and college shooting teams across the US.

To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing. Excellent article in Clay Target magazine and other positive reviews

Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels and filled with valuable information, clay target myth crushers and truths. Entertaining and a culmination of 3 decades of Dan' life's' work as a teacher, competitor, writers and much more.