DoubleBarrelledDon
Well-known member
Take a look at how things are in the USA and that will tell you a great deal. Team USA members are admired and respected by other shooters, even to the point of being badgered to sign autographs. Consequently ALL of their best shots work hard to get in the team and even those that are regular members still consider it an honour and privilege to do so rather than a right. Without wishing to denigrate the hard work of those in Team GB it would be wrong to say that our best shooters are in the team, as some of our very best refuse to take part in the selection process. If you don't have your best shots in a team then the kudos of being a team member is sadly reduced as people will say "well, its not our best team is it? after all XXXXXXX etc aren't in it"
USA Team members routinely give up their time to help run clinics to help get fresh people into the sport and to help in fundraising activities both for the team and other good causes, how many of our top shots would give up their weekends to do something similar? I hope that many of them would chose to do just that rather than picking up 2 or 3 high guns at registered shoots instead. Their team also understands the importance of sponsorship, so if a manufacturer such as Remington sends a pallet of shells to a World shoot then all of the team use those shells, whether sponsored individually by them or not.
Yes, America is a different market and the sport there is far bigger than it is here, but the population there is inherently patriotic whereas here in the UK sadly we do like to knock those that make it to the top or at least show indifference towards them. It would be nice to think that things might change, though I wont hold my breath.....
USA Team members routinely give up their time to help run clinics to help get fresh people into the sport and to help in fundraising activities both for the team and other good causes, how many of our top shots would give up their weekends to do something similar? I hope that many of them would chose to do just that rather than picking up 2 or 3 high guns at registered shoots instead. Their team also understands the importance of sponsorship, so if a manufacturer such as Remington sends a pallet of shells to a World shoot then all of the team use those shells, whether sponsored individually by them or not.
Yes, America is a different market and the sport there is far bigger than it is here, but the population there is inherently patriotic whereas here in the UK sadly we do like to knock those that make it to the top or at least show indifference towards them. It would be nice to think that things might change, though I wont hold my breath.....