Advice #1: Separate roles of Parent and Coach. Be clear of which role you are in.
Advice 2: Treat your kid like any other competitor when on the range. Coaching is done outside of competition. Give them time before their turn and after, and then you can review later.
Advice 3: Do not assist during the match. Let your kid load his own mags, etc. Those things are part of the match and if they are trusted enough to be on the range, then they should carry all their own weight as a competitor like everyone else.
Advice 4: Do not expect or solicit sponsorship. Let them come to you. I believe that this is a valuable lesson of humbleness that will be worth more than any product or compensation they would receive.
Advice 5: Make sure you find ways that they can give back a few times a year. This could be in ROing, help set up a match, tear down, or something of that nature. Help them learn all the work that goes into the competition so they respect the work that happens.
By David Power, who has spent over a decade as an ambassador, sponsor, worker, and shooter in the competitive shooting sports. He is a government certified range master, certified CRO, and a certified ITAR compliance empowered official with expertise in firearms export controls. David is one of the most recognized Chief Range Officers in 3 Gun and enjoys watching and learning how products perform in some of the toughest conditions. He is a father and serves on the board of 2A Heritage Junior 3-Gun Camps.
