Practical Shooting with a Disability
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Over the last 20 years, recreational shooting in Australia has come along in leaps and bounds. More women are joining in than ever before, and weekends at the range are now enjoyed by the whole family. As the world of shooting becomes more inclusive, we’re also seeing an increase in shooters with a disability. With more and more clubs working to accommodate them, disabled shooters are now competing in almost every discipline, even IPSC! This month, we spoke to Jonathan “Wheels” Davidson, avid practical pistol shooter as well as Co-founder and President of Western Australia Accessible Sport Shooting (W.A.A.S.S.) to find out more about shooting with a disability. |
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For Jon, growing up in a farming community in Western Australia meant that shooting was always a part of life. At 16 years old, he was introduced by a mate to the competitive side and began shooting longarms recreationally. But it wasn’t until a motorcycle accident in 2008 left him unable to walk, that Jon was introduced to IPSC and the world of pistol shooting. Describing himself as someone who loves a challenge, he was determined to compete in practical events despite experiencing little support from local clubs at the time. “After my accident, I wanted to get back into rifle shooting more for the social side,” he says, “but I’d never really shot pistols before and everyone reckoned no one in a wheelchair could do practical shooting.” So how exactly do you shoot IPSC in a wheelchair? Jon has a holster and magazine holder mounted to his chair but moving around the course takes a lot of energy and often leaves him “absolutely buggered!” Opting to compete exclusively in able bodied events, Jon reckons the trick to keeping up is all in the strategy. You’ve got to work with your strengths if you want to cut down your times. “IPSC is all about time versus accuracy – if you can’t be fast you’ve got to be accurate - and if you can’t be accurate you’ve got to be fast,” he says. “I can’t be the fastest, so I’ve got to try and be the most accurate. So I like to practice my long shots, and I’ve improved a lot. In a competition most people will just run up and take the short shot whereas I’d rather take the shot at fifty metres because its less time I have to waste.” Despite having forged a place for himself in the shooting community, Jon says it wasn’t always easy for people with disabilities to get involved – even in stationary shooting sports. This served as a driving factor behind W.A.A.S.S., and now he says the number of disabled competitors in WA is rising rapidly. The goal of W.A.A.S.S. is to promote disabled shooting sports in WA and provide a complex that caters to shooters of all abilities. It is the only club of its kind in Australia and is all about working with the individual to overcome obstacles. Jon now devotes a big part of his life to finding ways to accommodate everyone who wants to have a go at shooting. “We work with anything from autism, to muscular dystrophy, to hearing or vision impairment,” he says. “We once had a bloke who could only just move his fingers because of his disability, but we had him shooting and he was having a ball!” But Jon says one of the most rewarding parts is helping people to rediscover their confidence and take control of their lives. “The problem for a lot of people with disabilities is that they don’t want to leave the house” he says. “Often that’s the way they’ve been brought up - they’ve been overprotected their whole life and just don’t have a lot of confidence. But we’ve seen people here become a member, and within six months they’ve got a job and they’ve bought a house! Suddenly they’ve got a reason to go out and they can’t wait to get to the range! It really draws the confidence out in them.” It’s amazing what joining a club can do, and like all shooters, people living with disabilities often find tremendous benefit in the social side as well. Becoming part of a supportive, close knit community can do a world of good, especially for those who may have struggled with isolation in the past. If you ask Jon, the community and mateship is the best part. When he’s not coaching newbies on the range, he travels around the country to compete in a number of disciplines. He loves his sport, but the thing he looks forward to most is catching up with his mates, who he says are more like extended family. “When you really get into shooting and start going to States and Nationals, you don’t really care if you don’t do so well, you’re more excited about catching up with everyone,” he says. “The competition is just a bonus!” Thanks to organisations like W.A.A.S.S. shooting sports are now available to more people than ever thought possible. Jon tells us they’re very keen to get new people involved and will happily work with anyone to provide modifications and supports that will allow them to participate. “I’m really grateful that I can help other people into the sport,” he says. “I like to think of myself as a promotional tool to prove that anyone can do it – all that’s stopping you is your mind!”
If you would like more information about W.A.A.S.S. you can visit their website here. |
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