QRA Coaches Notebook

Club Coaching Course

Australian International Shooting Limited (AISL) has released the requirements for full bore rifle Club Coaching Course and I am looking at running an accredited course at the end of this year or early next year. Prerequisites are that members must have attended the QRA Coaching and Simulation training and be actively coaching in their club. If you are interested, please nominate to QRA. Interest is expected to be high so we may not be able to accept all nominations for the first course but there will be subsequent courses. The proposed dates are either 5/6 Dec 09 or 30/31 Jan 10, please indicate your preference and if accommodation is required.

Update on Coaching Courses. Unfortunately we are still waiting for the NRAA to release their approved course material. QRA has been advised that Coaching Courses cannot be conducted until this has occurred. Rex Wigney attended the NRAA Coaches Seminar at Belmont 23/23 May 10 conducted by Alex Timms (NRAA) and Trish Van Nus (TRA), along with Coaching representatives from other states.

For interest, QRA has run Coaching and Simulation Training for over 260 members in all four zones since 2006.

Beamhit and Windows Vista

A couple of years ago I loaded Beamhit onto a laptop which was running the first version of Vista and had to change the properties to “run as an Administrator”. No problems. The same member recently brought a new laptop with a newer version of Vista and it would not run the Beamhit software even though I tried everything I could think of. The problem appears so far, only on laptops which have a built in webcam, which the Beamhit software seems to default to, so in your set up screen you get a nice reflection of yourself instead of the target.

The last shipment of Beamhits, which arrived last month, contained updated software and a different USB camera. The new version worked on the new laptop with the new USB camera but would not run the old USB camera. The old software would not run the new or old USB camera on Vista. The only option for newer laptops with a built in USB seems to be to buy the new Beamhit or go back to an old computer. The new software also appears to run on XP no problem.

Coaching and Simulation Training
Coaching and Simulation training activities are being conducted regularly in response to requests by Clubs:

24 Jan 09 Pacific Rifle Club

31 Jan/1 Feb 09 TAS Juniors

23/24 Jul 09 (evenings) Belmont
- nominations to qra@qldrifle.com

18/19 Jul 09 at Muckadilla
- Muckadilla, Wallumbilla, Jandowae and Dalby Tara Rifle Clubs

3/4 Oct 09 at Raglan
- CQTS, Monto, Biloela, Pheasant Creek, Clermont, Blackwater Bluff, Gemfields, Barcaldine Rifle Clubs

31 Oct/1 Nov 09 at Wondai
- Wondai, Gympie-Kilkivan, Maryborough, Biggenden, Bundaberg-Burnett Rifle Clubs

If your club is interested, please contact Rex or Meredith at the office with your tentative dates for 2010.

Competitive Rifle Shooting Book by Jim Sweet
Thanks to Linda Sweet for reprinting her famous father's book on target rifle shooting in Australia.
Copies are available direct from Linda as advertised in the Australia Target Rifle Magazine or
contact the QRA Q Store qstore@qldrifle.com 07 3843 5377 to order a copy.

Coaching and Simulation Training
Coaching and Simulation training activities are being conducted regularly in response to requests by Clubs:

23/24, 31 Jul 08    Belmont MDRA Clubs
6/7 Sep 08    Ipswich Rifle Club
4/5 Oct 08    Warwick Rifle Club
7/8 Nov 08    Darling Downs Rifle Club
31/1 Jan 09    Belmont for Juniors

If your club is interested, please contact Rex or Meredith at the office with your tentative dates for 2009.

Miniature Targets
Thanks to Andrew Mayfield who has designed some more miniature targets in full colour for dry firing at home or at your club.
Fellow shooters are welcome to print and use them Targets 3m & 4m, Target 6m & 8m, and Target 8m.

UQ SPORT Psychology Courses and Seminars @ UQ St Lucia

13 July    UQ Sport Psychology Workshop Series – Building Resiliency and Toughness
06 Aug    UQ Sport Psychology Seminar Series – Mental Preparation for Success
13 Sept    UQ Sport Psychology Workshop Series – Mental Preparation for Success
15 Oct    UQ Sport Psychology Seminar Series – Seeing the Glass Half Full
02 Nov    UQ Sport Psychology Workshop Series – Seeing the Glass Half Full
19 Nov    UQ Sport Psychology Seminar Series – Balancing Training Load and Recovery
06 Dec    UQ Sport Psychology Workshop Series – Balancing Training Load and Recovery
Other Courses
12 July    Senior First Aid and CPR – (only one day!)
23 July    CPR (2 hours)
03 Aug    Bronze Medallion (Surf Lifesaving Australia accredited)
09 Aug    Senior First Aid and CPR – (only one day!)
20 Aug    CPR (2 hours)
24 Aug    Youth Development Series – Child Development Processes Seminar (2 hours)
26 Aug    CPR (2 hours)
For more information - Please call us anytime on 3365 6052 or go straight to our website at www.uqsport.uq.edu.au/pd

Development Workshop specifically for Sports Coaches on the Sunshine Coast

- "Every athlete is unique - bringing out their best"
This workshop will focus on how to tailor your coaching style to be most effective for your athletes' individual needs.
When: 6pm to 9pm, Monday 4th August 2008 - Please arrive at 5:30pm, we start promptly at 6pm
Where: Upstairs function room, Maroochy Surf Club, 34-36 Alexandra Parade, Maroochydore
Who: Specifically for sports coaches. While all levels of coaches are invited to attend, the workshop is most ideally suited to those who coach athletes 15 years and older and who want to develop their awareness and skills in the mental aspect of improving performance. The workshop will be facilitated by Bo Hanson (four-time Olympian and Specialist Coaching Consultant).
Why: Physical training has a limit. To help your athletes improve, effective coaches must be able to tailor their coaching style to suit the individual communication, motivation and behavioural style of their athletes.
Early Bird Special – register and pay before 30 June 2008 and pay only $69.95 pp (inc GST) - Includes attendance, all workshop materials and the Athlete Assessment profile. Cost after 1 July 2008 is $79.95 pp (inc GST). Save $10.
For more information, email coach@athleteassessments.com or call Liz on 02 8003 5974 or 0412 424 727.

Adjustable Rifle Stock
During our coaching and simulation training weekend at Murwillumbah Rifle Club on 2-3 May 2008, we discovered a number of club members were using fitted stocks. Alan Cronk designed and built his own adjustable rifle stock, pictured above, and then began making them for other Club members. The cheek piece can be split to accommodate cycling the bolt effectively on a variety of actions and the handgrip is sculptured in timber to suit the firer. The design would make an excellent club rifle which could be adjusted to suit any new firer, or older firer. QRA is negotiating with Alan to supply the stocks for sale through the Q Store in the near future.

The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters
The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters is written by Linda Miller and Keith Cunningham, who have both represented Canada in full bore shooting and also run the MilCun Marksmanship Complex in Canada. There is link on the site to Paladin Press where you can order this reference book.

Target Shooting Supplies
A NZ site which has F Class rifle rests, spotting scopes, shooting mats, eagle eyes and other supplies, all available to purchase over the net. A full index of products is listed.

Shooting Jackets
A UK site which sells a number of different brands of shooting jackets (prices in British £) and other shooting stuff.

Ballistics Tables
The product being offered on this website is a program which produces ballistic tables and wind tables for full bore shooting. You can view a demonstration of the software on line through a link at the bottom of the page.

System Gemini Stocks
Check out HPS Target Rifles with adjustable stocks for full bore, small bore, 300m and F Class.

Qld Dept of Sport and Recreation
The Dept of Sport and Recreation is conducting a "Sports Locker Room" on Tues 18 March 2008, at the Kingston Community Centre, 558 Kingston Road, Kingston.   Light refreshments from 5.45, presentations 6 - 9pm.   No cost, register your place rsvp@srq.qld.gov.au before Thu 13 March 2008.
The subjects are:
   Creating Team Culture, Joey Wright, Brisbane Bullets Coach
   Role of the Coach, Mike Young, Australian Cricket Fielding Coach
   Sports Psychology, Wendy Swift, QAS Sports Psychologist
   Champion Skills, Steve Anderson, Olympic Official and Coach Beach Volleyball

Introduction to Target Shooting Book
The NRAA have reprinted the "Introduction to Target Shooting" handbook which target rifle shooters may remember as the little red book from a few years ago. A small number of copies will be sent to all QRA Club Secretaries so that members may have a good look at them.
Copies will be available for sale through the Q Store for $1.50 each. The QRA are selling them at cost price as a service to clubs as they are specifically designed for new members.

Hand LoadingTraining Courses
Learn how to load your own ammunition safely and confidently with Bench Rest experts Stuart and Annie Elliot.

Redlands Sports Locker Room, Tuesday 23 Oct 07
Redlands Sporting Club, Anson Road, Wellington Point, 6 - 9pm

The Department of Sport and Recreation is presenting a Sports Locker Room forum that will provide you with an opportunity to exchange ideas and share the knowledge and experiences of high profile coaches, officials and industry professionals. The session includes:
. Life Coaching In Sport, Selina Scoble, 2000 Sydney Olympics Volleyball Team, Professional Certified Life and Business Coach
. Coaching/Officiating Kids for Positive Sports Participation, Brett Dowker, Head Coach SLSAs High Performance Program, Aust Champion Lifesaver
. Strength, Conditioning and Fitness, Chris Weier, Exercise physiologist and lecturer, personal fitness trainer
. Sports Psychologist, Wendy Swift, Australian Womens Softball Team
. Role of the Coach, Joey Wright, Brisbane Bullets Coach, NBL Champion Coach 2007

Shooting Coats
A good shooting coat should fit snugly across the shoulders and upper chest, without evidence of baggy material and gaping. The sleeves should be long enough to protect the supporting arm and the material should fit smoothly without bunching under the sling. The shoulder pad should be smooth beneath the butt of the rifle when in the firing position without bunching inconsistently. A variety of shooting coats are available over the internet and can be ordered by providing accurate body measurements. Follow the links to the manufacturers websites if you are in the market for a new coat. Most of these are small bore coats which have buttons, rather than straps (which are not legal under ISSF rules). Hi Side Leather Repairs in Brisbane can repair and modify shooting jackets, contact Phil or Mike on 0417 723799.

Practice Aiming for Eye Exercises
Our Sports Vision Specialist Bryan Smith recommends exercising the eye muscles to enhance your shooting skills.
Bryan has found a web site www.eurosimulator.com with aiming software so you can do your exercises anywhere you can take your computer. Hear Bryan at Belmont on Thursday night at 7pm at the Small Bore range, no charge, all welcome.

Plot Sheets and PDA Software
NRA UK plot sheets and PDA software from Andrew Steele's personal website.

Aperture Sights
In depth article on parallax suppression with a target rifle aperture sight by Douglas Kerr.

Sports Vision Specialist - Bryan Smith B. Optom (UNSW), FACBO, FCOVD
A Sports Vision Seminar focusing on full bore shooting at Belmont Range, presented by our Optometrist Bryan Smith, will be held during the QRA Queens on Thursday 9 Aug 07 at 7.00 pm at the Small Bore facility. All welcome, no charge. Bryan will be telling us about a website which you can use to practice aiming exercises. A link will be placed here after the seminar on Thursday night.

Miniature Targets
Thanks to Andrew Mayfield who has designed some miniature targets in full colour for dry firing at home or at your club. Fellow shooters are welcome to print and use them Targets 3m & 4m and Target 8m.

Beamhit Simulator
The Beamhit Personal Marksmanship Training System is a shooting simulator which is portable and simple to use as an aid to coaching. It can be attached to any computer with a USB port and displays group dispersion and other information when dry firing with a laser activated device inserted into the barrel of the rifle. The QRA will subsidise the cost of purchase of one Beamhit system to a QRA Club if Club members participate in coaching and simulation training provided by the State Coach. So far training has been conducted at Toowoomba, Belmont, North Arm and Barcaldine. The next activities will be at Raglan 6-7 Oct 07 and Beaudesert 1-2 Dec 07.

UK, USA and Canadian Plot Sheets
Print your own plot sheets for UK, Canada and USA from the US Palma Team website.

Sports Vision Specialist - Bryan Smith B. Optom (UNSW), FACBO, FCOVD
44 people attended a Sports Vision Seminar focusing on full bore shooting at Belmont Range presented by our Optometrist Bryan Smith on Sat 23 Jun 07 during the NRAA Queens. Another will be held during the QRA Queens on Thursday 9 Aug 07 at 7.00 pm at the Small Bore facility. All welcome, no charge.

Plotting Software
Rifle Target: Rifle Shooting Database v2.5 provides electronic plot sheets for those who are keen to collate and save their paper based records onto their computer. You can download it straight from the internet.

Jeffrey Hodges, Sports Psychologist, 4 March 2007 9 am - 12 noon.
Qld Amateur Pistol Shooting Association is hosting a presentation by Jeffrey Hodges, Sports Psychologist www.sportsmind.com.au "Nerves in Competition". Venue: Belmont Shooting Complex, QTS Smallbore Range, Sunday 4 March 2007 9 am - 12 noon. QRA members are invited to attend, cost $10.00.

Long Range Rifle Shooting Book
Nancy Tomkins has written a very good book called "Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting" which can be ordered over the internet from www.rifleshootingbynancy.com at a cost of US$34.95. Nancy has been a member of several US Palma teams along with her husband Middleton Tompkins who also contributes to the book. Whilst the courses of fire in the USA are different to Australia, techniques discussed in this book are applicable to both Target Rifle and F Class shooters.

Coaching General Principles Course
Sat 17 March 2007 9 am - 5 pm
Greenslopes Bowls Club, 131 Ridge St, Greenslopes
The Department of Sport and Recreation Queensland is conducting a workshop covering safety, fitness, group management, communication, development of the athlete, teaching sports skills and the roles and responsibilities of the coach. Participants will receive a Level One General Principles of Coaching certificate. For more information and to register phone Sport, Recreation and Racing on 07 3239 0779 or rsvp@srq.qld.gov.au by 15 March 2007.

Free Newsletter from Lanny Bassham
Lanny Bassham is a small bore rifle shooter who dominated his sport, winning 22 world individual and team titles, setting 4 world records and winning the Olympic Gold Medal in Montreal in 1976. Some members may remember his visit to Australia some years ago to lecture on his Mental Management Systems. If you are interested in the mental side of shooting, you can subscribe by going to Lanny Bassham's website www.mentalmanagement.com and registering for the Mental Management Newsletter.
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