Notes from Friendship

I’m home from Friendship now, and with a few days between me and the range, I’ve had some time to think about the week.

It wasn’t a perfect week of shooting. There were good shots and frustrating ones. There were changing conditions, equipment issues, questions about sight picture and fundamentals, and a reminder that even when you’ve been shooting for years, the sport has a way of showing you exactly where the work still needs to be done.

And I think that may be one of the reasons I love it.

At Friendship, there is always something happening. A relay starting. A target being scored. Someone working through a problem. Someone else shooting exceptionally well. Conversations happen at the benches, in the scoring room, at the gate, and walking between ranges. It is competition, but it is also community.

I came home with some things I’m proud of, but the medals are not really what stayed with me.

What stayed with me were the lessons.

I was reminded how much conditions matter. Wind, humidity, light, and even how the rifle feels from one day to the next can change what happens downrange.

I was reminded that fundamentals matter even more. Sight picture, hold, follow-through, and trusting the shot process are not things we ever really “finish” learning.

And I was reminded that a difficult target can sometimes teach you more than a good one.

That is what I brought home from Friendship this year: not just results, but information.

Information about my shooting. About my equipment. About where I am right now and where I want to go next.

So now the work shifts back home.

Back to practice. Back to the notebook. Back to paying attention to the little things. Back to building consistency one shot at a time.

Friendship is over for this year, but the work it started is not.

Until next time, Friendship.

Bye for now.