The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities, and for competitive shooters, it marks the beginning of a new season filled with promise and potential. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or aiming for your breakout year, success in this sport isn’t just about skill – it’s about preparation, planning and having a clear roadmap for the months ahead and your competitive shooting success.
As competitions ramp up, the difference between those who achieve their goals and those who fall short often comes down to how well they’ve prepared for the season. From reviewing past performance to creating a training schedule, aligning your goals with your competition calendar and ensuring your gear is in peak condition, every detail matters.
This article will guide you through building a winning strategy for the new season. By reflecting on last year, setting realistic goals and planning ahead, you’ll position yourself to perform your best when it matters most. Let’s dive in and start shaping your path to a successful season.
“The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence.”
Roy T. Bennett, “The Light in the Heart”
We often get caught up in life’s daily grind and forget to recalibrate our goals and expectations. New Year resolutions are as fleeting as the gym membership fees they leave behind, but they do serve a purpose. Resolutions are our way of checking in on where we are and where we hope to be. At the beginning of each new season, why don’t you take a few moments to write down your achievements from the past season, and set your goals for the new one coming up.
One thing that’s important to recognize is that goals can be moving targets. Just like you can adjust to a target presentation on the fly by adding more lead or finding your break point, you can apply that same logic to your expectations as the competition season progresses. Are you getting burnt out? Take some time off. Feeling in the zone? Why not add an extra event to the registration and see where it goes. You get to decide what constitutes success at the end of the day and it might not be the podium at Nationals, but instead simply surpassing your personal best or running a difficult station at your home club. Goals are personal; they can be as lofty or practical as you choose them to be. Judging yourself by the measure of others is a recipe for failure.
Depending on how far you are willing to travel, begin by researching local, regional and national events. For a list of regional and national events, see Syren’s website. Be thoughtful about which events you add to your schedule. Avoid overcommitment while choosing events that allow for personal growth. If you are trying to balance a career along with your competitive shooting events, this interview with Syren’s pro-shooter Ashley Butcher may answer some of your questions.
Before traveling with your shotgun, make sure to read “Take a Trip with Your Shotgun” so you are better prepared.
2 Training Plan Development
It’s important to develop a plan before beginning training. We have numerous articles from shotgun instructor Kate Ahnstrom to help you along the way. If you want to get the most out of your time, you need to know the difference between shooting and training. Kate covers that in “Shooting vs Training: Are You Building Skills or Pulling the Trigger?” When you’re ready to head out to break some clays, take the time to figure out how you miss some. Kate’s article, “Bad Shooting Habits: How to Break the Cycle,” will help you recognize and break those old bad habits. Finally, as we all know, shotgun shooting is quite the mental game. Kate lines out how to be successful in your mental game on the clays range in her article, “Develop a Solid Plan in Your Mental Game While Clay Shooting.”
3 Keeping Your Shotgun in Peak Condition
Make sure have everything ready before the season begins. Is your shotgun in peak condition? Have you tested it recently? Read how to properly maintain your shotgun in the article “Shotgun Maintenance 101.” Let’s face it, we are hard on our equipment. The steps Kate outlines in this article cannot be emphasized enough. Regular maintenance of your shotgun throughout the shooting season is very important.
To that end, when is the last time you removed and cleaned the carbon build-up on your choke tubes? Been awhile? Is it time for new choke tubes? Visit Syren USA to find exactly what you need.
Another thing to consider is a PitStop. Is it time? Syren recommends this service be performed typically between 15,000- 20,000 rounds. Think of it like taking your car in for new brake pads or and oil change. Syren’s gunsmiths will inspect your shotgun thoroughly, clean, inspect and service or replace any worn parts as needed in order to maintain optimal performance like it was brand new off-the-shelf. The typical turnaround time on this maintenance is about 20 business days and is performed right here in the US at Syren’s facility in Maryland. Click here to find out how to send your Syren shotgun in.
Alternatively, you can visit with a factory trained gunsmith at many of the major tournaments around the country and service can be performed right there on-site, on a first-come first-served basis. The best place to check for the list of qualifying events is on the event calendar. It’s also a huge piece of mind for Syren shotgun owners to know that the Syren team is on-site at these events should you need any assistance. It’s one of the reasons many say their customer service is the best in the business!
Start Planning Now
Now is the time to start planning for your competitive shooting success. Begin your research, schedule your events, plan your training and ensure that your shotgun is in top order. You may also want to join the Syren Owners Group on Facebook. It’s a great resource for support and any questions you have along the way.
Check out everything Syren has to offer.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and FASTER Saves Lives. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
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