Road to PRS: After Action Report

Whoa. That was the prominent thought in my head after finishing a regional PRS match at MKM Precision. I felt exhausted, disappointed, elated, and revived all at the same time.

The match started promptly at 9:00am and ended at 3:00pm. Six hours in the hot, July sun without a cloud in the sky—yes I was exhausted. That six hours does not include the two plus hour drive that started at 6:30 am. With only one coffee to get through the day, I needed energy.

The match included nine, unique stages. Each stage required 8-12 shots from multiple shooting positions at targets of varying sizes and distances. Each stage had a par time of 105 seconds. When the buzzer goes off, the stage is over. I left a lot shots on the course. On one stage, in particular, my bag fell off a 4in diameter metal pipe that was face up—twice. When I was trying to transition and move my bag, I didn’t have it balanced, I just fumbled it. I know I can shoot better, but the newness of it all, the constant problem solving and checking DOPE threw me off—my concentration felt broken. I was disappointed.

On the final stage we laid prone on top of a Conix tower with 5 targets—two shots per—spread across the course at various distances. For people that shoot at MKM consistently, they knew the lay of the land. I was disadvantaged. I spent the entire time before I shot scoping out the targets and making myself a “map” of the area to help me locate them. On the command to begin I rammed the bolt home and steadied my aim. Keeping my rear bag tightly in place I panned around searching for the targets, referencing my map and DOPE chart to make elevation adjustments. When the buzzer went off and the stage was over, I had made it to the third of five targets, but I made connections on 4/5 shots. 105 seconds goes by quickly. While I “timed out” I felt very elated about the stage. While earlier in the match I was hard on myself, by the end I was wanting more.

While I’m not sure how I ranked in the match, I’m positive last place was calling my name. Shooting a PRS match was a goal of mine. But because of work schedules, home, and life responsibilities, I wasn’t able to train and prep as much as I hoped for. But now, after completing my first match, I now know how to prepare and what I need to train on—which for the most part, is everything. This match reinvigorated my desire to compete, to train, and to become better at something. When we live our lives, we tend to get comfortable, and go through the motions. Challenging our bodies and minds is important for health and happiness. Something lit up in me when the match was over. I was happy to compete, but I was ready to get better.

I stayed around for several hours after the match. They gave out awards and then did a cookout. This was the 4^th of July match, ceremoniously dubbed “America’s Match.” As a thank you to everyone that participates, MKM invited the competitors families to take in food and games, as well as a fireworks display that night. It was a great experience being around the other competitors and talking with their families. Kids turned props into jungle gyms while the adults talked about the way of the world nearby. I made many new friends that day. With a smile on my face, I exhaled and relaxed. I can’t wait to go back.