Evaluation of the NSCA Level 1 Instructor Certification Course
March 22, 23, 24, 2013
Quail Point Sporting Clays
Instructors: Dave Fiedler, NSCA Level III Instructor
Philip Puckorius, NSCA Level II Instructor
Vandy Fiedler, NSCA Level I Instructor
My overall evaluation of the training is OUTSTANDING.
The three-day course was well planned and executed. From the very beginning of day one, the student instructors were informed as to the requirements and performance objectives needed to pass this course. This instruction was conducted by all three trainers. Most of this training was held in the field.
The student instructors were separated into small teams with a trainer. The student instructor worked with a variety of new to experienced shooters with the trainer advising and directing instructional concepts as needed. This included training techniques such as the following:
- Lecture
- Demonstration
- Suggestions
- Positive reinforcement, not negative
- Impromptu training aids
- Practical application of techniques
- Clear and concise direction when needed
The information provided by all three trainers was consistent and appropriately reinforced, which provided an increased continuum of progression for the student/instructor. The use of other Level I volunteer instructors gave the opportunity for the trainers to give 100% of their attention to the student instructor. No time was wasted.
Quail Point provided an excellent training environment for all involved. The course layout was conducive to meet the training required. The facility provided lunch in a timely manner. The management and staff at Quail Point were OUTSTANDING. All members were accommodating and eager to assist to meet the needs of their customers.
The only change I can recommend regarding this facility is that one or two additional portable bathrooms be added near the tent or parking lot. The one facility was crowded at times. Sufficient portable bathrooms were on the shooting course.
I would like to thank Dave, Phil, and Vandy for their commitment to excellence. I learned so much in the short three days of training. I enthusiastically recommend this class to all who wish to become a trainer.
I also appreciate the sidebar information given to me. It only strengthens my commitment to become a better instructor. Thank You!!!!
Wayne H. Ikeuchi
I was part of a class taking the Level 1 NSCA Instructor’s Course given by John Alexander and Sam Work at Prospect Hall in West Virginia. I had expected a lengthy discussion of shooting styles, shotgun information, and working with fellow students in an instructor’s environment. The course proved to be much more than that.
John Alexander has an easy manner that relates very well to students, while Sam Work is much more military. Since I retired following 21 years’ service in the United States Army, I quickly adapted to his style. Both instructors played well against the other. Each found our basic and deeper flaws and addressed them differently, but with the same objective in mind. What might not have been clear from one, became clear from the other.
If I had a complaint, it was because of vague directions at times. When we were to instruct, the question was, “How much ammunition should I bring?” The answer was “a bunch.” I think a more specific answer would have been better, as most of us looked perplexed. Too, we had some students who were unfamiliar with shotguns other than the one they owned. I think in the preliminary part of the syllabus there ought to be a brief discussion of double-gun safeties — i.e., manual and automatic — barrel selectors and double-trigger guns. Too, we had a malfunctioning shotgun brought by one of the students, and we should have been coached to get it off the line immediately, and have the student use another, as it was a major distraction to him and the student instructor. Not a dangerous shotgun, just one that didn’t fire. Minor points.
Insofar as the facility, Prospect Hall rolled out the red carpet, and we had everything we needed.
I was impressed with the level of teaching and the depth of understanding both instructors brought to us and impressed on us. I thought I knew a lot, but found out that the application is much more difficult, yet Alexander’s smile at the end of our time in the pit and Work’s “Good job,” kept all of us in good spirits. No Barney Fife or drill sergeant here, just nose to the grind stone, but joyfully so.
John M. Taylor
Lorton, VA
I am Bill Fendley, 66 years old, and got back into shooting a few years ago. Now my grandkids, one daughter so far, and a couple of sons-in-law are showing an interest and come to me for help. I thought it would be a good idea to take this course.
I ran into John and Sam and asked if there were still openings. Assured there were, John gave me Glynne’s name. I followed up with a call and Glynne filled out the app for me. I can only compliment everyone at NSCA; they are always terrific.
Last Friday I left for Prospect Hall, a bit over an hour from my home. I left early to be sure to be there on time. Arriving at 7:40 a.m. I was greeted by over half the class. This occurred each day by the way. The classes that were to start at 8:30 began when all students were present and ready to start. So each day we began around 8 a.m. I thought that was impressive. Twelve folks all pumped up to learn the craft.
John’s and Sam’s teaching methods are clean and direct. If you are thin-skinned, be prepared to leave bruised, but also well informed, in my opinion.
Saturday, especially, you could see John and Sam coming and going among the student teachers and students correcting, assisting, then bringing in another instructor candidate to see how they might help the student. Behind the scene we were all watching and talking to each other about what we thought would help a particular student. When John or Sam would nail down an answer you would see the student instructors look at each other to give one or the other a thumbs up, as the answer was what that student instructor had suggested.
I was surprised how much I got out of the course. I really feel like I can help beginning shooters.
Sam asked for any suggestion that might improve the course and help him and John. I just don’t see how it could have been done any more efficiently or produced any more results. So it isn’t broke, there’s nothing to fix. I will say this: I participated in a Level 1 course as a shooting student with John and Sam a couple years ago. There were three candidates, if my recall is correct. I don’t think they could have the opportunity for working with each other that we 12 candidates had. If I am correct, they missed out a bit as I found the give and take with other candidates as important as working with the students we had.
Thanks to all for a great learning experience.
Bill Fendley
Mr. Greenway,
I recently completed the Level I class instructed by John Alexander and Sam Work this past April. What a great class! I was a bit apprehensive about attending, not knowing what was expected of me nor what to expect from the class. John and Sam put me at ease. They know how to make learning fun. That is a real gift.
If I could put a phrase to their style I would say “teaching with gentle authority,” meaning that they know what/when/how to teach an objective and are patient with the instructor candidates. Teaching is not all about the technical side of breaking a clay but conveying that information in a way that is easy to understand. It is an intangible that cannot be learned from a book but must be experienced. They don’t overload with information you don’t need at the moment. “Less is more.” That is what John and Sam do well.
John and Sam asked me to provide you with an evaluation of the class so that they can make what they do better. I only have one comment. On the last day, it was obvious that John was excited about one of the target presentations offered at Prospect Hall that is not normally available at other venues, one of the more difficult shots that is an incomer high over the tree tops. John brought the whole class down, instructor candidates and those guests brought in for us to teach. While one taught a guest, the others stood and watched. After a period of time, the guests became bored and fidgety waiting for their turn, even the instructors. John eventually recognized the situation and put me in charge of splitting the group into three more manageable groups and move them to other locations to continue teaching. To John’s credit, this was the right thing to do to keep things moving. My only suggestion is to have had the three groups from the beginning and cycle them each through this particular presentation or perhaps leave this difficult shot for the instructor teaching day.
Attending the class has made me a not only a better teacher but a better shooter. I took away a greater confidence in not only what to teach but how to teach sporting clays. I appreciate the time John and Sam took to pass on what they love to do. I’m looking forward to working with them in the near future.
Thank you, Gary, for the work you have done putting this program together.
Sincerely,
David Grizzard
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Level 1 Instructor’s course and wanted to provide some feedback on my instructors. I reviewed the L1 Assessment form and feel that I would rate John Alexander and Sam Work as EXCELLENT in each of these categories. Safety, communications skills, shotgun knowledge, PATIENCE, teaching style, flexibility, creativity, drive, and courtesy are all serious attributes of these two gentlemen.
But in addition I’d like to add a few other, equally important principles and values that they also possess that made working with them a pleasant and memorable experience. Their leadership skills are excellent and made it easy to trust in what they were asking us to do. They played the role of player/coach in such a way that I never felt I was being asked to do something that they couldn’t or wouldn’t do or that was not critically important. By design the course required us to be out of our comfort zone, with real, live students and I never felt I was going it alone. One of them was always there if and when I needed some help.
These two gentlemen are a main reason I decided to take the course and I am really glad I did. Their commitment to the program, their leadership skills and their personalities made the 3-day course informative, exciting and fun. They did the NSCA well, and I thank them for it.
Hope you have a great day, thanks for reading this and give them a “job well done.”
Respectfully,
Mark Keeney
NSCA Level I Instructor
The following is my evaluation on the Level I Instructor’s Course in which I was a student at Prospect Hall, WV. The course Instructors were John Alexander, Level III, and Sam Work, Level II.
First of all, I wish I had more experience in sporting clays prior to taking the course. I have been a participant in fundraising shoots in the past and shot a few rounds for fun. I would also use different presentations at my local course prior to duck hunting or dove hunting seasons. I had very little knowledge of the terminology of sporting clays prior to the course. My goals were to become a Level I Certified Instructor so I could begin volunteering in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Shoot for a Cure. Certification is a requirement. I also wanted to come away from the course as a better shooter. I accomplished both of my goals.
John and Sam were very professional in the course presentation. The course curriculum was geared to people with little or no knowledge of sporting clays instruction. Emphasis was placed on safety throughout the course. John and Sam also had their own styles and approaches to communicating the same messages. This was very helpful to me. Their level of knowledge in sporting clays and shooting in general was very impressive to me. They were quick to notice the different experience levels of each student and adapted their individual instruction accordingly. They worked with each student until they got a basic grasp of the task at hand.
Probably the most helpful part of the Instructor’s Course was the opportunity to work with potential student/candidates. Role playing, as an instructor, helped bring all of the course material together. There is no substitute for this hand-on experience in working with several different people and different levels of experience.
Again, it was a real pleasure taking the course from John and Sam. They are real pros as well as nice gentlemen. I begin putting my training to work next week. I will volunteer at two Shoot for a Cure fundraisers in Nashville and Atlanta, and following that, Pennsylvania. I will be able to carry out this assignment with confidence due to the knowledge I gained from the course content and leadership of John and Sam.
Regards,
Pat Burgwin
NSCA Level I Instructor
Mr. Greenway,
I enjoyed my Level I class taught by Rick and Donny. I am the head coach of a first-year high school team, and as I stated in class, I would have done a disservice to our kids without the knowledge I gained through the expert instruction I received.
There is much to be said for experience, and both Donny and Rick not only have it, but can impart it to their students. This is a great gift indeed!
You may look to change the course from time to time to keep up with trends, but one constant
should be Donny and Rick. They form a fantastic team!
Allen Trapp
Head Coach
Lugoff High School Sporting Clays Club
Hi Gary,
I want to let you know how much I enjoyed the Level 1 Instructor School I attended this past weekend at Live Oaks Sportsman’s Club. I finished the school with a much better understanding of my own shooting and with the tools and knowledge I need to parlay that understanding on to the next generations of shooters. Before attending this class all I could really do was say “you were behind that one” or something like that. Now I have a better understanding of why they were behind or in front and I know that the more shooters I work with, the better I will be at actually giving them information they can use to improve their abilities.
I also want to let you know how lucky we are in South Carolina to have two individuals like Rick and Donny. They did an absolutely awesome job of teaching the class, and I couldn’t imagine it being done any better. All I could say is KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK and GREAT JOB GUYS!!!!
Sincerely
Gary Prince
To Donny, Rick and my 9 fellow Level I instructors:
What a great, fun 3 days of quality instruction, camaraderie and new friendships formed!
As a South African professional safari guide for the past 23 years, I have guided and assisted many American clients with their rifles and shotguns, both in the field and on the shooting range. Methods used are mostly self-taught, from fellow shooters and through mistakes made. With this in mind, I would never have thought that so much ‘more’ could be gained by attending an NSCA Level 1 course conducted by Donny Roth and Rick Smith at Live Oaks Shooting Club, Swansea, SC.
Through their own unique styles and methods of instruction, both Donny and Rick succeeded in bringing me to a whole new level of effective yet simple instruction. Their teaching methods made for easy progress and understanding, so improving our confidence and ability to coach our students better, day by day. I highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to coach or teach this great sport to new shooters and even better if you can attend one run by Donny and Rick.
Other than applying my newfound knowledge to my own shooting abilities, I look forward to introducing the many youngsters and beginning shooters back in South Africa to the shotgun game and look forward to the next level of coaching in the future.
I agree, Donny, let’s all plan on getting together at our lodge soon so we can review progress made over a few cocktails and an African campfire. Stay in touch.
Cheers,
Matthew Greeff
Professional Hunter/Guide
South Africa
Gary Greenway,
I just completed the NSCA level one instructor course taught by Rick Smith and Donny Roth. This was a great learning experience for me and the others in the class. I am starting my sixth year as a sporting clays coach at The King’s Academy (TKA Lions) in Florence, SC. Since the founding of my team in 2007 we have won five state titles and four out of five national titles in our respective divisions. At the nationals in Sparta, IL this past July, my top shooter finished first in the nation, and my second best shooter finished second in the nation as individuals in sporting clays.
All this is to say that I am very used to coaching great shooters. However, I obtained so much more knowledge and picked up so many more helpful tips and techniques thanks to Donny Roth and Rick Smith and their level one instructor course. They each have their own style but work so well together. This turns out to be great because coaches and shooters alike also have different styles but they can all be successful when taught the correct basics and fundamentals of shooting. Their primary purpose was safety, having fun, and learning the best ways of instructing students of all types and experience levels (young, old, male, female, novice, experienced, and etc.).
I give both of these instructors high marks for their NSCA level one instructor course. I would highly recommend them for anyone interested in taking this course. I now feel better about my own shooting ability and teaching others. Rick and Donny are great at what they do, and their work will help improve and grow this sport. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Matt Terrio
TKA Lions head coach
Gary,
I, too, had the pleasure of participating in Level One Instructor training at Live Oak this weekend. I echo the sentiments of my classmates. I have two sons, ages 11 and 13, that now participate in SCYSC foundation shoots as members of Calhoun Sporting Clays. We are a young team (this is our third year), but have more than tripled in size (5 youths the 1st year to now 19 youths and growing). I had the pleasure of attending a one day “coaches safety instruction” course this time last year, taught by Donnie and Rick. I learned a great deal and have been helping coach our team since.
I was able to build on that foundation this weekend with Level One training. I cannot say enough about how good this training is — stressing the fundamentals of good shooting and keeping a simple message to carry forward to shooting students is the strength of this course. Both Donnie and Rick are excellent instructors and a pleasure to be around. It is evident that they truly enjoy teaching others to be better shooters and better instructors. Thank you for your support of this program.
Jim Avent
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the level one school with Mutt and Jeff (Rick and Donnie Roth). Their often at odds styles homogenize into a perfect blend of experience that allows each personality in the room to take something away to better their craft. Most of us were there to be able to take back home some experience to teach school kids how to better their shooting skills, however Rick and Donnie also prepared us with lessons in range etiquette, comporting oneself as a professional, and general knowledge of specific problems and how to derive a solution…Congratulations to a fine pair of instructors who know how to get their points across and make you enjoy the experience.
Daniel Paxton
Columbia, SC 29203
Dear Mr. Greenway:
I recently completed the NSCA Level I Instructor course held at the Greenbrier Hotel Gun Club on May 16 – 18, 2011. The course Instructor was John Alexander. The NSCA Instruction Manual for Level I and Mr. Alexander instructions rates a five star award. My evaluation of the course and Mr. Alexander is based on ten years of working as a trapper at the Greenbrier Gun Club. During my employment I have had the opportunity to work with John Higgins and Justin Jones from the British School Of Shooting; Ken Davies of Holland and Holland and shooting instructors from Griffin and Howe. All of these instructors have provide instructions and information that has been very beneficial and helpful during my career. I have experienced most of the problems that the NSCA Manual and Mr. Alexander covered in class but the course and Mr. Alexander provided some new tools and organization that will help me with my instruction to students. The clear and definite steps used to set up a student and repetition of these steps on each new target will provide me with a better organized instruction for my students. Again my evaluation of the NSCA instruction material and Mr. Alexander is Five Star. I am confident that I will be a better instructor and trapper as a result of my completion of the Level I Instructor Course.
Sincerely,
Willis Humphreys
NSCA No. 617265
Mr. Greenway:
I recently attended the Level 1 Shooting Instructor Class at The Greenbrier taught by John Alexander.
As a lifelong gun entusiast, I was very impressed by John’s kowledge and teaching ability. I learned many professional tips like safety procedures, stance, shouldering placement, gun head alignment, focus on target, and hitting the target in the kill zone. Now I feel confident to teach others what I have learned from John.
If I were to take Level 2, I would hope to see John as the instructor.
Sincerely,
James A. King
Dear Mr. Greenway,
This past weekend I completed the NSCA Level 1 Instructor course taught by Donny Roth and Rick Smith at The Clinton House in SC. They both did a tremendous job! They communicated the curriculum to us clearly and effectively. They make a great team! I’m now better prepared as an instructor because of the tools they relayed and the techniques they showed me on how to achieve success with my future students. Moving forward, I feel much more confident in my abilities to introduce and improve people’s shotgun abilities. At the same time, I know that my confidence and teaching abilities will constantly improve as I continue to work with people on and off the field. I’ve taken other shotgun instructor courses and I think this course as taught by Rick and Donny is one of the best. Their approach makes it a very comfortable learning environment. Making it that much easier to retain the information relayed. The efforts Donny and Rick are making to educate people on how to instruct is invaluable to our industry and the future of shooting sports. I commend them both for all their hard work! We need more people to approach instructor courses with the same fun and friendlier demeanor they presented to our group. Kudos to Donny and Rick! Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!
Best regards,
Zach Snow
Manager, Shooting Promotions
National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359
(203) 426-1320 ext. 224
(203) 426-1087 – FAX
(203) 545-6614 – cell
zsnow@nssf.org
www.nssf.org
Good Afternoon Bruce
Thank you for providing an informative and enjoyable NSCA certification experience. Your teaching and coaching style encompassed the appropriate balance of coaching and directing. I learned a great deal from you and you assisted me in understanding the need for patience and finesse in order to be a successful coach and shooter.
Kristen
Kristen Rock, AIC, FCLA, LPCS
Regional Claims Analyst
Westfield Companies
Westfield Center, Ohio 44251
(330)-887-0369 (Office)
(330)-887-4591 (Fax)
Bruce,
The classroom and field work effectively incorporated the NSCA Level Instructors Certification Manual contents throughout the three days. Your ability to put the class at ease made the learning process fun, effective and made all of us want to participate in discussions and ask questions without being reserved.
Prior to attending the class, I had preconceived ideas that all attending would have approximately the same shooting skill level. However, as the class progressed I realized that having some of my classmates completely new to shooting clays was extremely beneficial since I would encounter that in my desire to instruct. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise and made my learning experience more effective with hands on exposure.
Having you stand behind coaching and instructing me and the rest of the student instructors as we progressed was most beneficial and really exposed the various techniques that are available. I know that the rest of the class feels the same because of the many conversations we shared with each other. The point made of keeping instruction basic, simple (KISS) and in small corrections, was really driven home during the three days of field work.
An additional bonus for me was having two ladies in class that were very open in sharing information on how women accept instruction and what to expect. Having Kristen there as a seasoned trap shooter, instruct and coach Stacey who was new to shooting with your oversight, was priceless. Of course eye dominance and how it affects shooters in different ways was well covered in class and demonstrated by many of the class in the field work.
I couldn’t have asked for a better seasoned instructor and class make up that was so diverse and helpful in exposing me to what I can expect as a Level I Instructor.
The only suggestion I would have would be for the NSCA Manual to include diagrams demonstrating Start Point, Insert Point, Break Point and Follow Through (terminology used on page 9 of the manual) to supplement the three types of lead on pages 18, 19 and 20. This would help the new shooters that are visual learners grasp that concept more quickly.
In closing, I want to thank you very much for working with me on my special needs as a shooter and as a new instructor. Your patience is much appreciated and teaching method easy to understand making the corrective action easy to comprehend. The class was more challenging than I anticipated for instructing new shooters but at the end of the three days, I fully understood the concept of instructing and coaching new shooters.
Have a Blessed Easter with your family and thanks for your help.
Respectfully,
Greg
Greg Kuta
11820 Pinehurst Lane
Chardon, Ohio 44024
H 440-286-1145
C 216-401-6929
Bruce,
My feedback on the course is below:
Materials:
The pre-read provided a good summary of the information that we covered. It allowed me to come prepared with questions.
Length & Format:
The length of the course was good. Having a full 3 days allowed enough time to cover class material and get practical range experience. I also liked how we broke it up each day as this allowed us to go apply what we had read and heard. This helped solidify my learning.
Instruction:
I really appreciated your style. Your love of the sport and your passion for teaching were evident to me from the moment we sat down. I liked how you let me find some of the answers on my own with gentle pushes along the way. Being analytical person, I was not one to jump in with a lot of “faith” when we were working on lead types. I feel that I have grown as a shooter and an instructor in a very short time. I have also revitalized a passion for shooting that had fizzled recently.
Thanks again for your time and commitment!
Mark Shepard
IT-Agency, Billing & Claims Leader
Office: 330-887-6014
Cell: 330-338-7168
Hi Bruce,
Thank you for a wonderful weekend of learning all about sporting clays! I am a definite enthusiast and hope to learn more about the sport and improve my accuracy.
As for overall feedback of the course, here are the details I wanted to share:
Positive:
– Knowledgeable instructor
– Pace of class – not too much and not too slow
– Day 1 – liked background and then getting out to the range
– Day 2 – liked taking the test, then going to the range
– Day 3- review of test and issues/questions for review – keep doing this
– Size of class and diversity – this was helpful and good to have some WF and another outside – also diverse in our knowledge of guns and safety
– Really liked the amount of practical on the range exposure and experience
– Liked coaching each other – helped
Challenges:
– Overall terminology and gun safety – would be good to level set all participants at the beginning to start from the same page (make no assumptions)
– Would help with more partner and coaching to know what works best and proper terminology
PS – My number of my membership card say 617393 and there is another number on the bottom of my 2011 membership card above the class listing – this one is 242390C
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information to explain anything. Thanks much!
Thanks again,
With regards,
Stacey Bruce
Region Leader
Agribusiness Division, Westfield Insurance
Phone: 1.800.243.0210, ext 4300442
westfieldinsurance.com
I thought I would report back on the level one instructor’s course I took recently at Deep River Sporting Clays with Bill Kempffer.
I must say, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in sporting clays. I had no real expectations. I merely wanted to improve my personal skills, and learned as an educator of more than 30 years, that the best way to learn how to do something is to learn how to teach it.
From the very beginning, I found Bill to be a true professional. He obviously knew what he was doing, and his warm and welcoming manner set the tone of the 3 days. As a group, we all had fun while learning a great deal. The course was well laid out, and Bill added his own touches to enhance what NSCA had prescribed. My coursemates all entered into the experience with enthusiasm, if not some trepidation.
Bill provided a wide range of candidates on which to practise our teaching skills. He interjected when necessary, but let us make our own mistakes, only to be prodded in the right direction through suggestions and anecdotes.
I also learned a great deal from my fellow candidates. Many brought their own skills to the session, and I appreciated that. I’m sure I will bump into them somewhere in my sporting clays travels.
I have already been able to employ many of the techniques that Bill taught us, with very positive results, as I introduce shotgun shooters to probationary shooters at the Barrie Gun Club where I serve as a safety officer and director.
Please pass on my comments to Gary Greenaway and those responsible for developing and carrying out the NSCA certification program.
Sincerely,
Douglas Bailey
Wanted to reach out and introduce myself as one of your newest NSCA Level 1 Certified Instructors.
I just completed my training with Bill Kempfer down at Deep River Sporting Clays in North Carolina. Bill did a fantastic job training us and working with us as we trained our students on Day 2 and Day 3. I enjoyed your article encouraging certification in the most recent issue of Sporting Clays magazine and was proud to know I’d been through the training.
As someone who is certified as an NRA Shotgun Instructor I can tell you that the NSCA training was dramatically more effective. The NSCA training prepared me to go out and introduce and train folks in the sport I love, shotgun sports. I am very excited about beginning my marketing and getting my first series of clients out for training. The weather here in Virginia is starting to warm up and it’s getting to be prime shotgun sports temperatures!
Gary, thank you for overseeing such a wonderful training program. Perhaps one day I’ll get the chance to meet you.
Sincerely,
-Matt Cockerham
I just wanted to let you know I completed the Level 1 instructor’s course with Donny and Rick over this past weekend and I had a great time and learned a bunch in the process. I have been coaching SCTP/YSSF kids now for about 3 years and thought that if I wanted to help them get to the next level I was going to have to learn more myself. Through the help of Donny and Rick I truly believe now that I can help them get better and I can correct issues more confidently than ever before. I can also help people that I may have shied away from before…but only if they ask for help.
I would have to say that I was dreading going to the course at first because it was long and took a great deal of my time but after it is all said and done it is well worth the time and energy. It will not only make me a better shooter but it too will help me help others be more successful in the shooting sports as well.
Sincerely,
Ken Roddey
p.s. The push ups and dancing (butt-wiggle-shuffle) was a little over the top but I am stronger for it…and learned to enjoy them both by the last day.
The class had more information than I expected. I am glad I took the class. It helped me a lot to see different ways to help shooters. Gary Bloom is a excellent teacher and has a good way with people. He runs a enjoyable and safe class.
Thank you, James Faulk
I have just completed the level 1 instructor training as provided by Gary Bloom at Quail Creek. This was an excellent learning experience, providing reinforcement of shooting style and techniques, and providing an opportunity to expand our knowledge of the sport. The students were exceptional in that they provided us with an opportunity to work with different levels of skill, and truly tested the techniques and content taught in the course.
Gary Bloom is an excellent instructor, having the knowledge to work us through difficult situations, and provide us with a vast range of shooting styles and information. He gave us the tools to effectively work with new shooters, and in providing assistance with our own skills. I would definately recommend the course and Gary to anyone wanting to improve their game.
Dennis Wagner
I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you what a wonderful and informative job Rick Smith and Donny Roth did in lining up, presenting and getting all the students to completion of the Level One Certification. The class started every day on time and was maintained that way through out the day for the complete course. Both did an excellent job instructing us by the book and in their on ways. The shooters that they had lined up could not have been more diversified and provided us with a wide range of challenges.
The key things that happened in the course were:
We were all safe.
We all had fun.
A group of 10 strangers came together on Friday and left on Sunday as friends.
We learned to go from information overload with the student to concise and to the point instruction.
We went from looking for the miss to looking for the problem/cause and making the correction and the shooter understanding.
We were able to go from letting the shooter set themselves up on the line for failure to the student understanding and implementing the four keys to successful target hits. Break Point, Foot Position, Muzzle hold and Focal Point.
We learned of our own weaknesses and were given the knowledge and tools to be confident in our decisions.
And just for laughs, we all learned we do not like shooting wrong handed and cross dominate.
We were all safe.
We all had fun.
I would be willing to bet, you have two Level 2 Instructors (Donny and Rick) in South Carolina that would rival any in the country and as a pair they would be the best, far and above, instructors teaching instructors team around. I can not completely tell you in this email the level of fulfillment that I got from taking the course from these two great guys. After completing the course and reflecting on the three days, I could not imagine the lack of knowledge someone would get, having taken a Level One course with just one instructor.
I also want to thank the NSCA and yourself for providing this well planned course.
Please fell free to share this with The Dynamic Duo, Rick and Donny.
Level I Instructor
Jeff C. Phifer
I wanted to let you know that I took my 18 yr old son, Anthony, to the level 1course in Lenexa Ks July 21-23 with John Francis and Rex Echer.
What an awesome job they did not only with us but with the students that we worked with!
Great experience for anyone but especially true to be able to do this with my son!
We really appreciate all they did!
Regards
Rick Morley
I recently attended the Level I course held June 8 – 10 at Rock Mountain Sporting Clays and was very pleased with every aspect of the class.
I have attended many professional training classes in my line of work from GE, Rockwell, ABB, and others. It is always a crap shoot if these classes are worth anything, or not. Ultimately it comes down to the person instructing, whether they can successfully make a connection with their audience, convey the right amount of information, and control the direction of the class. This I think was key in the Level I class instructed by Gary Bloom. Gary undoubtedly knew the subject matter well, knew what was needed, and how to accomplish it in order to get us where we needed to be.
I would highly recommend this class for anyone who is interested in improving their game, or helping novice shooters with theirs.
I am grateful to the NSCA and the folks involved for making this course available to the membership.
Best regards,
Tony Cote
Here’s a quick evaluation of the Level 1 course I attended on at Three Quarters Circle Sporting Clays Range in Steamboat Springs Colorado on June 16, 17 and 18.
Curriculum: Over-all the information was well organized and easy to follow. The only problem I saw was that the test didn’t appear to be from the same material we had studied.
Course Agenda: Quite pleasant. We did enough teaching and learning both in the classroom and on the course that it was broken up nicely. I never felt that I had been kept in one place or on one subject long enough to get uncomfortable or bored.
Instructor: Rick Moore is truly a great communicator. His style of using visualizations and demonstrations is extremely effective. He is a very personable individual that makes you feel like part of a team that accomplishes the goals of the course together. His presentation was very closely tied to the written material so it was easy to review at the end of the day. I am sure the NSCA is a better organization because of Rick’s involvement.
Facility: Three Quarters Circle is a beautiful facility located on a high mountain plateau. The course itself is very challenging and diverse. With stations that go from the relatively easy to the relatively difficult it affords the shooter, as well as the instructor, an opportunity to challenge all different skill levels. Mike and Maureen, the club owners, were very pleasant to work with and couldn’t have been more accommodating.
I came to this course with the expectations of learning the necessary material and skills to instruct beginning shooters and to improve my own shooting. I feel I accomplished both of those goals, and as a bonus, I made some new friends and had a very enjoyable experience.
Sincerely,
Mel Hensley
This week-end I completed the Level 1 instructor course in Steamboat Springs, CO, with Rick Moore. He asked that we send comments to you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course from beginning to end. I have no plans to teach sporting clays for a fee, but wished to be a better shooter, hunter and able to give some correct advice on shooting to friends and family.
Rick had just the right mix of “this is serious business”, with “this is fun and we’ll have a good time”. He is an excellent instructor. I speak with the authority of one who has been a college-level faculty member for more than 20 years. He was great!
You have a top-notch instructor with Gary. I really look forward to seeing and maybe shooting with him again.
Allan Reishus
Craig CO
I have one word to say regarding my instructor Gary Bloom, and the Level I Instruction Course given June 8 – 10 at Rock Mountain Sporting Clays – OUTSTANDING!
The curriculum was challenging, informative and to the point, with a perfect mix of classroom and hands on training.
I left the course knowing I can take a person new to shooting, school them in safety and have them breaking targets in a repeatable way before they leave their first lesson.
Best Regards,
Jeff Parsons
Allow me to introduce myself, My name is Stephen P. Biello, NSCA#541119, I’m also a Lieutenant with the Philadelphia Police department as well as a New NSCA Level 1 instructor. I took the course on June 8,9,10, 2006 at Rock Mountain Sporting clays.
I’ll start with the Level 1 Instructors Certification Course, I guess I should preface by saying, I love this sport, I’ve always been a shotgun shooter, my friends joke saying that I can’t hit a deer on the ground but if it were to sprout wings and fly, it would be meat in the freezer. I started shooting sporting a few years back and with the help of some family and a few lessons, soon learned to hit more then I miss, I soon became a life member of the NSCA. So I then decided to try the level 1 Instructors course, the course is absolutely fabulous, the arrangement, the class structure, the hands on with the students, the information provided in the course manual and the setting were all well prepared and made it easy to learn and understand. You and the others who prepared this curriculum should be very proud of yourselves, it provides the information needed for this new challenge to perspective instructors.
On to Mr. Bloom as our Instructor, I had never met Gary Bloom before the first day of the course, within five minutes of meeting him I feel like I know him my whole life, his years as a teacher really show in presentation of the materials, whether he taught us as a group or an individual you understood what he was teaching, the importance of each point he was trying to make, if you had a question you asked, there was no hesitation. I know I looked forward to what was coming next, I was at the course early everyday and was ready to see what Gary was going to teach us next, he allowed us to instruct our students in ours styles and of course if he thought we were doing something wrong, or if he could suggest a better way to convey the message he told us. We had 3 lousy days of weather out there at Rock Mountain, more like 3 rainy falls days, then any type of June days, and yet, we all showed up on time, learned, taught and had a few laughs along the way. I can’t thank Gary Bloom enough for his professionalism, his willingness to impart knowledge, his patience with me and the others, you should be proud to have him as an individual who represents the NSCA.
One other thing I’d like to add, as I mentioned above, the weather was really lousy , and the group of individuals that showed up to be our students were absolutely fantastic, they stuck with it through 2 bad days of cold, wind and rain and they listen, learned and hopefully will continue what they learned and improve. I wanted to express a big thank you to those individuals, for allowing us the opportunity to work with them.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lt. Stephen P. Biello
Philadelphia Police department
NSCA#541119
On June 8 – 10, 2006 I attended the Level 1 Instructor Certification Course held at Rock Mountain in Meshoppen, PA.
Gary Bloom, our instructor, conducted a program in a very thorough and professional manor. We covered all required course materials, and Gary also expanded these lessons with is vast knowledge to help all of us to learn more than just the lesson plan. Gary stayed late after class every day to answer questions and also went on the course after class to work with us individually to help us visualize and demonstrate good teaching habits when we are working with students.
Gary can shoot and instruct with the best. I personally will continue to work with Gary. He will help me to be a better trainer of new participants entering our sport.
The class of learning shooters all had various backgrounds and abilities. Every participant that we instructed came to class all 3 days,and at the end all had left with the feeling that it was time well spent.
Many thanks for an excellent program.
Rich Melzer
NCSA # 52645
The class was very good. The best instructor I have ever had the opportunity to know and take instruction from. The students were great. It was a feeling of accomplishment to see them improve.
Gary Bailey
Lakefield MN
I was surprised at how much I learned in the field by seeing advanced applications of basic techniques demonstrated and explained multiple times by different Master class shooters. I appreciate Vance’s style, directness, and attention. I can’t think of anything I would recommend changing. I think it’s a good design and was very well executed.
Christopher Avery
Comfort, Texas
Straight forward instruction by Vance Barnes. Class was well put together. I Enjoyed each day and learned some valuable tools to help me with my beginning students.
Jimmy Dickson
Carlsbad, TX
I thought the class was excellent. Having actual students to instruct was fantastic. It really changed my perception on instructing shooters. It would have been nice to have lunch facilities on site.
Frank Winingham
Sun Praire, WI
I attended the NSCA Level 1 Instructor Course at Nemacolin Woodlands Shooting Academy on July 15-17. I found the course very informative and entertaining. I say entertaining because I believe that if we can enjoy our time with our students they relax and learn better and more importantly come back to us.
The information I gained will make me a better instructor and better able to assist my students in attaining success in this great game of ours. NSCA and especially you and the committee should be very proud of the work you have done.
The course was presented in such a way that all could understand the mission and ideals of NSCA instruction. We all left the course better for have taken it. You in particular were of great assistance as well as the Nemacolin Shooting Academy and Mike Mohr.
Thanks for a great time and a great education. I look foward to Level 2 in a couple of years and also to a career as an Instructor for the NSCA and the continuance of our sport.
Ralph Lowery
NSCA Level 1 Instructors Course at The Shooting Academy – Nemacolin Woodlands Resort – Farmington, Pa. – A view from Overneath –
The place – The Shooting Academy is by far the nicest place I have ever shot sporting clays & 5-stand. As both a shooter and a builder I can appricate the time, money, and effort involved to create a place as outstanding as The Academy. Under the direction of Michael Mohr and his highly competent staff, I don’t think I could have chosen a better place to attend this course. Mother Nature did her share to help create the total picture with chipmonk, squirrel, rabbit, deer, elk, and the wild turkey that appeared in the evenings, makes this place the perfect choice.
The instructor – Gary Greenway – head instructor for the NSCA a true southern gentleman, not only had a complete knowledge and background in the art of shooting sporting clays but was also well seasoned & versed in the knowledge and ability needed to teach us what we needed to know to become NSCA instructors. His great sense of humor and jovial attitude gave me the sense he was a 110% kind of guy!
The course – I found the course to be as complete and informitive as one could ever want from a three day course, From the stringent safety standards to the freedom of personal expression in your instructional style & technique. I would have to rate this course at close to 100%.
Criticism – The only criticism that I care to make would be not to let the way the manual is written scare anyone away from attending this course. It was a bit wordy and could have used a little more KISS. I also would have liked a one on one personal evaluation at the conclusion. I highly reccomend this course to anyone interested in becoming a level 1 instructor! Thank you for a most enjoyable experience. keep focused on the leading edge.
JIM DAVIDSON NSCA level 1 instructor
I was fortunate enough to take the NSCA Level 1 Instructor’s Course with Bruce at the Hill n’ Dale Sporting Clays range near Medina, OH on July 15/16/17.
I had to travel from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in order to attend this course, and as you might imagine, there were a number of logistical issues that had to be dealt with. Bruce and I were in contact from the very early stages and he was very helpful in making my transit smooth and seamless.
Once we all arrived at the club, Bruce took command of the group and quickly found out a great deal about each of us. He mannerisms and technical skill in both shooting and instruction quickly became evident, and in very short order the group was working together like we had been shooting friends for years. I found this particularly impressive, as the group was actually quite diverse in their skill levels, as well as their objectives. I found the manner in which he controlled the group to be simply outstanding.
I am looking forward to taking the Level 2 with Bruce in the future. I am confident that with people the calibre of Bruce, the NSCA has a bright future – and I am very pleased to be a part of that future.
If you require any clarification or further information, I invite you to contact me at your earliest convenience.
Luther Cutts
Analyst, Corporate Security Division
Imperial Oil Limited
DEAR GARY GREENWAY,
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING IN YOUR CLASS OF LEVEL 1 INSTRUCTORS. I WAS VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH YOUR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE AND THE PROFESSIONAL WAY YOU CARRIED YOURSELF. AS WE ALL KNOW , SAFETY IS FOREMOST AND YOU BROUGHT THIS TO THE FRONT EACH AND EVERY DAY. I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE SPORT, THE TECHNIQUES, AND BASICALLY HOW TO APPROACH STUDENTS WITH EASE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THE SHOOTING ACADEMY. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN FOR MY LEVEL 2 INSTRUCTORS CLASS.
SINCERELY,
SAM HAGERMAN (OVERNEATH)
Dear Mr. Greenway,
I wanted to drop you a quick email to provide you with some feedback in regard to the NSCA Level 1 Instructor Course which I just completed at Central Penn Sporting Clays on April 9th.
Let me begin by praising the exceptional instruction provided to our class by Bill Biss as well as Rhys Arthur. Their expert instruction and practical, well thought out advice was obviously a direct result of their experience in working with people. Their passion for this sport and their desire to ‘give something back’ is not only evident… it is inspiring.
The course material and ‘hands on’, practical work involved was invaluable. I feel greatly that this course has empowered me with the tools to begin instruction for those persons wishing to begin in our sport.
Thank you very much for bringing this course to my area!
Warm Regards,
John Stein
NSCA Level 1 Instructor
York, PA
