Clay Target Coach: CPSA or BASC Route

[Koenig]

As retirement looms, I’m thinking of getting myself qualified as a Clay Target Coach.

I started doing the CPSA quals when based at a barracks in 2016-19 where there was a CT Club and lots of Army Team instructors available. I qualified in (i) Basic Shotgun Skills (ii) Advanced Shotgun Skills and (iii) Safety Officer - which I need to re-qualify in by the end of this month online if I want to remain current.

I then largely slipped away from shotgun shooting (clay and game) due to a combination of lockdown and starting DSC1 / 2 and DDM membership- effectively a two year apprenticeship.

I’ve recently joined a military game shoot with compulsory BASC membership - so I rejoined BASC having relied on the CPSA insurance for all my shooting cover previously.

I also see that the CPSA have removed the discounts that serving personnel used to be able to claim for their various courses including the coaching. This has irritated me, after many years of supporting the organisation.

So my question is, are there any benefits to remaining with the CPSA in order to access their courses or are the BASC courses comparable more truncated / cost effective?

Whilst not short of £53 for an annual CPSA membership I’m struggling to see what I’m getting for my outlay.

Any thoughts / views / experience?

 

[Liveonce]

What’s your goal? to earn money through coaching? if so do you have a clay ground to work with? if so ask them which is best suited to their customers needs.

 

[Koenig]

What’s your goal? to earn money through coaching? if so do you have a clay ground to work with? if so ask them which is best suited to their customers needs.

Fair point well made: yes, I would expect to be paid a day rate. I’m surrounded by CT grounds - Barbury being the nearest. Always a good start point I suppose to ask ‘what do you prefer?’

 

[the_greenman]

As retirement looms, I’m thinking of getting myself qualified as a Clay Target Coach.

I started doing the CPSA quals when based at a barracks in 2016-19 where there was a CT Club and lots of Army Team instructors available. I qualified in (i) Basic Shotgun Skills (ii) Advanced Shotgun Skills and (iii) Safety Officer - which I need to re-qualify in by the end of this month online if I want to remain current.

I then largely slipped away from shotgun shooting (clay and game) due to a combination of lockdown and starting DSC1 / 2 and DDM membership- effectively a two year apprenticeship.

I’ve recently joined a military game shoot with compulsory BASC membership - so I rejoined BASC having relied on the CPSA insurance for all my shooting cover previously.

I also see that the CPSA have removed the discounts that serving personnel used to be able to claim for their various courses including the coaching. This has irritated me, after many years of supporting the organisation.

So my question is, are there any benefits to remaining with the CPSA in order to access their courses or are the BASC courses comparable more truncated / cost effective?

Whilst not short of £53 for an annual CPSA membership I’m struggling to see what I’m getting for my outlay.

Any thoughts / views / experience?

Looked at both courses, then spoke with an APSI coach. Looked up their course and bang for buck it's better value and very well respected.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Was just about to say APSI ^

 

[Koenig]

Excuse my ignorance - what’s the APSI?

 

[Liveonce]

Do your homework first to ensure you would be welcome to coach at the clay ground as they likely already have coaches on the payroll and may not take kindly to you bringing clients to the ground for paid work.

Then what’s your ability, credentials to get work, have you won a major event? you will be competing with some big names like Ben Husthwaite, Ed Solomons and then the other coaches likely used by the ground owner.

Good luck if you go for it.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Excuse my ignorance - what’s the APSI?

Home - Association of Professional Shooting Instructors

Association of professional shooting instructors are some of the most respected professional shooting instructors in the world.

www.apsi.co.uk

 

[Deermanagement]

Yes, use APSI.
They do not try to imply they do courses for "coaches", but courses for "intructors". Coaching is mostly very diffeent to instructing.

 

[09mutley05]

Depends what you want to do, teaching novices about safety etc, or experience shots who want to progress up a class and win. Personally I’d want to be taught by someone that I know that can walk the walk not just talk about it, so basically you’d need to be AA/ AAA CPSA registered and won stuff too, as mentioned

Ed Solomon’s,

Home of Ed Solomons

Professional page of Ed Solomons - Coaching and Mentorship for Clay Pigeon and Game Shooting | FITASC Sporting World Champion 2014 - England Sporting Team Captain in 2012 - Past Winner of the Clay Shooting Classic, British Open Sportrap Championship and multiple domestic titles.

www.edsolomons.com

world FITASC champion,

Ben Husthwaite Home - Ben Husthwaite world FITASC and world sporting champion,

Dave Ferryman,

Home | Dave Ferriman

www.daveferriman.com

I follow a guy called Instructor Max (Max Tarr,)
Instructor Max - Instructor Max who’s winning high guns at CPSA registered shoots, won coach of the year has some good content. Also in the shoots for England.

Cheryl Hall,

Cheryl Hall Shooting Coaching

Cheryl Hall Shooting Instructor Shooting instructor Shooting coaching Infield instruction

www.cherylhall.co.uk

Some of these coaches travell up and down the country to different clay grounds/clubs also abroad too.

 

[09mutley05]

Fair point well made: yes, I would expect to be paid a day rate. I’m surrounded by CT grounds - Barbury being the nearest. Always a good start point I suppose to ask ‘what do you prefer?’

Instructor Max uses Barbary allot.

 

[HonestJohn]

Not every golf driving range pro has won major tournaments, but are there instead to teach beginners and basics, groups, etc.

Don’t be put off by above saying there’s virtually no room for anyone else, it’s the sort of stuff that stops the U.K. from growing economically.

 

[willie_gunn]

Not every golf driving range pro has won major tournaments, but are there instead to teach beginners and basics, groups, etc.

Don’t be put off by above saying there’s virtually no room for anyone else, it’s the sort of stuff that stops the U.K. from growing economically.

Very much this ^

I think you need to consider what type of customer that it is that you want to target (if you’ll excuse the pun) and then determine how best to appeal to them.

For example I go to Barbury perhaps a couple of times a year, typically as a sharpener before the game shooting season starts.

I honestly don’t care if the instructor has won multiple championships, but what I do want is an instructor who understands game shooting and how it differs from shooting clays. Telling me exactly where the trap is and exactly when the bird is going to appear may be great for shooting clays, but it’s not much help to me when I’m standing on a peg in a woodland ride with pheasants coming from all directions, or I’m waiting for a covey of partridge to burst over the top of a hedge. An instructor who can empathise and help with those type of situations is worth their weight in gold. There are a number of instructors at Barbury like this, and who I’ve spent lessons with chatting as much about mutually known shoots and mutual friends as I have about the clay shooting itself.

Of course for the clay shooting tyro they will be after an instructor who can help them perhaps add one or more clays to their score. That’s absolutely fine too, and an instructor with a pedigree of winning competitions is likely to differentiate from the others.

Similarly the absolute beginner is looking for an instructor who can ease them into the sport, demystifying it and hopefully bringing them some initial success. They just want to shoot safely and hit something - the niceties can come later.

All have their roles to play, and all will bring their own rewards. So perhaps think about what type of shooter you want to help most, and then gear your approach to instruction around that? Regardless, the very best of luck to you, and I hope success comes your way. If you do end up instructing at Barbury, do let us know.