The 2010 TexasCHLforum Day at PSC was held on Saturday, Oct. 23rd at the PSC Shooting Club in Friendswood, TX. We had a great turnout with 92 people registered and very few “no-shows.” It was fun to put some faces, and real names, with TexasCHLforum screen names and to see old friends again.
HISTORY
For those new to the Forum and this event, it started in 2006 as a simple gathering of Members of the Forum. Eighteen people came to PSC Shooting Club and we had fun socializing and shooting the Texas Stars. At that point, no thought had been given to making this an annual event, but people thought it would be a good idea, so a proposal was taken to the Board of Directors at PSC. The proposal was to create something entirely new and unique in the shooting community; a day long event consisting of seminars and shooting clinics covering a broad range of skills critical to safe and proficient use of handguns in self-defense. The proposal was enthusiastically approved by the Board and this strong support has allowed the event to grow and improve.
Both the format and content of what became known as “Forum Day” were refined over the years. New subjects were added to both the seminars and shooting clinics, and the format of the clinics were changed to meet increasing participation by TexasCHLforum Members. What remained constant over the years is the dedication of the instructors and staff who donate their time, talent and skills to make this event a wonderful day of learning for all.
MINIMAL FEE
The fee for this event has been kept very low so more people can attend. The fee is set at an amount to cover lunch that is provided to participants, with a little left over to feed the staff, speakers and instructors. This is possible in part because the PSC Board generously waived the customary non-member fee charged when non-PSC Members participate in matches at the Club. This year the fee was $20 and included a great lunch catered by Luna’s Mexican Restaurant.
EVENT PREPARATION
A lot of work always goes into putting on the Forum Day, but this year was especially taxing. A maintenance issue with the plate rack forced its closing shortly before this year’s event. Plus, some timing setbacks were threatening the opening of the computer-controlled running and turning targets on Bay C. With only days to complete all the necessary work, the event crew decided everything, including the plate rack and the computer-controlled target systems, were going to be operational on Forum Day!
Roger Smithwick did the tractor work to refurbish the berm and Tom Neal put together a volunteer crew to install a cross-tie bulkhead. (This crew consisted primarily of PSC Members who shoot in the monthly IPSC matches at PSC.) Jim Pierce, Eric Achord and Kevin Svetlik set polls for the new protective shield that would go over the plate rack. Then they built and installed the shield and plate racks.
Jim and Kevin also put in countless hours building and installing switch brackets, making custom cabling, and wiring the control panel for the computer-controlled targets. Karl Decker also worked on the panel and computer programming and provided much needed expertise for the computer control system.
There is no way the written word can really do justice to the level of dedication these men put into these individual projects as well as the overall Forum Day. It’s easy to simply write that they did a good job and put in a lot of hours, but that’s like saying World War II was a squabble between the Brits and the Germans. The 2010 TexasCHLforum Day at PSC quite literally would not have happened without the long hours put in by Jim Pierce, Kevin Svetlik, Eric Achord and Karl Decker.
INSTRUCTORS:
I cannot say enough good things about our instructors. Every shooting clinic and mini-clinic is taught by experienced shooters who are not only good at the craft, but who are also gifted in being able to teach others. The ability to “do and teach” do not always go together. These men and women volunteer year after year because they believe in the mission of this event. Just as the Forum Day would not exist without the facilities available at PSC, this “day of learning” would never take place without our dedicated and talented instructors.
PARTICIPANTS:
You folks make all of the work worthwhile. We hosted the Texas State IDPA Championships for six years (2001 - 2006) at PSC so we have a lot of experience putting on major shooting events. I can honestly say that the folks who attend the TexasCHLforum Day at PSC every year make it a joy to put in the hours necessary to make this event happen. The instructors and staff have commented that it’s much easier to volunteer for people who truly appreciate your efforts. I wholeheartedly agree!
2010 TEXASCHLFORUM DAY AT PSC CREW:
Here is a list of the people who donated their time and talent to make the 2010 Forum Day a success:
Staff:
- Eric Achord
Gary Ashorn
Charles Cotton
Martha Cotton
Karl Decker
Dave Eickhoff
Marc Gentine
Jim Pierce
Lee Pierce
Kevin Svetlik
Jeremy Thompson
- Charles Cotton
Marc Gentine
Donna Vandermolen
Steve Vandermolen
- Eric Achord (Basics: Grip, trigger, sights)
Jim Duncan (Drawing and Engaging)
Dave Eckhoff (Texas Stars)
Gregg Garrett (Moving Targets & Moving Shooters)
Marc Gentine (Drills-4-Skills)
J.P. Guidry (Speed Reloading Semi-Autos)
Jason Hall (Malfunction Drills)
Gary Montgomery (Engaging Multiple Targets)
Danny Stowers (Proper Use of Cover & Concealment)
Steve Vandermolen (Introduction to IDPA Competition)
Donna Vandermolen (Ladies Only General Pistol Skills & Drills)
Ed Williams (Retention Shooting & Withdrawal)