Well, lessee... about 5 years ago I knew all the range safety rules and could put a few holes in paper with a 9mm and a bolt action rifle as long as someone that knew what they were doing was with me to help if anything malfunctioned.
It was boring.
I was afraid of shotguns.
I had never been in any kind of competition, just plinking at the gun club.
I joined SASS without Wonnerful Hubby as he didn't think at the time that sort of think was his style. He helped me pick my guns and gear and showed me how to operate it all. I practiced for several months, loading, shooting and unloading as instructed in the rule book.
My first stage of my first match is etced in memory for forever. Snake Eyes Frank was the kind and helpful RO that saw me through my first stage. Pistols - clean, move, shotgun - clean, climb onto horse and shoot rifle. Panic -- I've never shot sitting!
Can I do this? Jump on horse, pick up rifle, bang- clang, bang-clang. I CAN do it! I AM doing it! bang-clang I'm doing it! bang-clang I'm not a bystander, I'm DOING this! bang-clang bang-clang bang-clang Yipee! bang-clang bang-clang Lookit me, I'm doing it! bang-no-clang. I missed the last shot on the last gun 'cause by then I was shaking quite a lot and grinning from ear to ear. I was VERY slow, deliberate and careful. Everybody cheered and clapped. After all, they had a new lady shooter, kinda rare at that time here.