The first ever Master International Shooting  Instructors Association (MISSIA) seminar took place in Darwin, Australia on Friday, May 18. The one-day session was led by Vitaly Kryuchin, the IPSC President. 

The Seminar, developed under the auspices of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), is aimed at teaching and implementing international standards for safe gun handling and IPSC coaching skills to the instructors.

The MISIA structure, sequence of training topics (handgun, shotgun, rifle), safe groups teaching methods, removal of the main mistakes made by shooters and the testing system for competitors and Instructors were the main topics of the Seminar.

The Seminar was open for discussion and the sharing of knowledge. Every participant needed 200 rounds handgun ammunition and 100 rounds for shotgun/rifle (required for the participants wanted to pass the shotgun and rifle International Instructors Tests). At the end of the event, the certification of Instructors took place.

There were participants from Australia and Papua New Guinea. The average level of IPSC skill of the participants was rather good! It is why many of them have been certified by the Police department in their countries as Shooting Instructors authorized to teach handgun, rifle and shotgun shooting skills.

The Australia Region is in a very difficult situation because athletes cannot use semi automatic shotguns and rifles by law. .40 and .45 pistol calibres are also forbidden. Despite these difficult conditions, IPSC Australia (led by The Regional Director Gareth Graham) manages to run a good number of Level I to III matches each year! Australian Region has a very good Program for training new shooters joining IPSC. It is called “Safety and Holster Proficiency Cours”.

During the MISIA Professional Shooting Level I Test all the participants showed very good results. with 6 out of 7 passing the Test. All of them were presented with certificates after the Seminar. Those who passed the Test will get MISIA ID. All who didn’t pass the Shooting Test have the chance to pass it one more time at any official MISIA event during the year.

MISIA Professional Shooting Test for Level I Seminar will be sent to the Regions soon.

The International IPSC Instructor for every IPSC Region must meet the following minimum criteria:

 Must be able to demonstrate reasonably high shooting skills;

 Must be able to train and certify new members, passing on his knowledge of safe handling and use of firearms, according to the approved training syllabus;

 Must either be an IROA or NROI member, or become one within six months of the date of passing the MISIA International Instructors Seminar;

 Must be willing to teach people IPSC shooting skills;

 Should be available to conduct IPSC classes during weekends, if it is required;

 Must train a minimum of 5 new IPSC members each year per Region;

 Must pass the First Aid Seminar from an approved course provider, or take part in one within six months of the date of passing the MISIA International Instructors Seminar;

 Must speak English.