Every Written Stage Briefing (WSB) on every stage describes a start position…because the rules say it has to in 3.2.1. So why all the discussion about start positions? Isn’t it cut and dried? Well, it “should” be, but often is not. Let’s discuss.
As my fellow Instructor George Jones says “USPSA shooting is freestyle, start positions are not.” This is to say that the start position is prescribed by the WSB and needs to be followed exactly. Lately, however, it has once again become in vogue to try and play games with it.
For example: “Sitting in the chair” seems simple enough but people are trying to game it by sitting on the arm or the back of the chair, even flipping the chair over and sitting across bars between the legs because they think that gives them an advantage in terms of speed in getting to a standing position ready to move around the stage.
In reality, the chair is stage equipment, not shooter equipment, so the shooter does not really have the right or ability to do silly things with it. And the argument continues…
On occasion a WSB may allow the shooter to move the chair in order to take into account anatomical differences so they can assume the correct start position. Typically this is a lateral or forward/backward movement to get the feet where they are supposed to be along with everything else as prescribed without having to be an advanced contortionist.
Seems simple enough, right? You’d be shocked to realize how much effort is expended at many matches trying to game and therefore enforce a prescribed start position.
One of the easiest ways to get the point across to everyone is while the CRO reads the WSB, an RO assumes the correct start position and the CRO calls everyone’s attention to this “…as demonstrated by our lovely model…”. What all this means is that the ROs will not start a competitor who is not in this start position, plain and simple.
So why do we care? In a world where terms like “competitive equity” are constantly being thrown around we need to do our utmost to create a level playing field. As I tell my classes, we want the first shooter, the last shooter and every shooter in between to have the same stage to shoot under the same restrictions. We cannot control the sun or the weather (at least not yet) but beyond that, we do our best to make everything else equal.
Inconsistently applied start positions account for more stages being “lost” than any other thing, bar none. What starts out as, for instance, “seated in the chair with back fully against back of chair, hands on knees, feet directly under knees” becomes “perched on the edge of the chair, hands on knees, feet back against the legs of the chair” in practice. That is a very different start position with a pretty big advantage in terms of rising up to a standing position and completing the stage. ROs not strictly and consistently enforcing the start position because they aren’t paying attention, maybe just don’t realize it is a problem, or don’t care (!) lead to this sort of inconsistency. Eventually someone notices (because they did it right and they just saw others do it wrong) and the RM has no choice but to reshoot a whole bunch of people or, usually, toss the stage from the match.
As ROs, when we are assigned a stage, one of the things we need to clearly understand is what that start position is supposed to look like and ensure we hold to that standard throughout the match. This is useful as a first point when discussing with a competitor that wishes to game the position “This is the start position we have been enforcing throughout the entire match.” Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not and they persist in wanting to use their creative adaptation.
If you have a competitor who refuses to comply you simply require them to unload, show clear, and holster and then call the RM so they can discuss their opinion on the start position with the RM. As ROs you are enforcing the start position, not arguing about it. They can wait for the RM, meanwhile, get back to running the rest of the squad. If others in the squad wish to play silly games, they can join those waiting for the RM.
In my experience, about the time you offer to call the RM, suddenly the hardship of meeting the requirements of the start position evaporates because they realize it is about to not go their way.
It should also be mentioned that, sadly, there are competitors out there who will work to intimidate ROs into allowing them to do what they wish, instead of following the WSB. Especially ROs that are young or female. This is entirely unacceptable and the RM should be called so they can weigh in on the discussion. And, yes, intimidation is a DQable offense. But let the RM make that call because that one is almost guaranteed to become contentious. Extreme cases may be referred to the USPSA Discipline Committee.
Please don’t be part of the problem. Enforce the prescribed start position correctly and consistently, always.