Gunfighter

rino451 · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

I noticed there are some Instructor Certification courses listed later on this year. Are there any benefits for the average Joe to go on and get the cert?

Thanks!

Randall

UZI · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Houston, Texas

There are several advantages to having a Hoffners Instructor Certification.

(not all of the advantages are listed here)

You can organize classes and teach them under the Hoffner system.

In my experience one gets a better response when you declair that you are a Pistol Instructor vs a hobby shooter/collector.

Because of my instructor status I have met an actual live in the flesh, straight progun San Franciscan. (San Francisco, CA)

I am pursuing hosting a class there.

Morris · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 99 Location: Seattle Metro Area

We'd like to host a week+ long class up here in the north Seattle area. Have an excellent outdoor range we can rent near Everett. Even has grass for the ground!

rino451 · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

Do you find that having the cert alone is enough to secure a training class? I personally don't care either way, but I'm guess that many want what they are/were "operators." You know, ex-something or other.

My wife thinks that a cert would be a good idea and that there'd be extra $ doing something that I like.

Thanks!

Randall

Semper_Fi · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 397 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

Rino,
Having Instructor certificates is fine and consider that people will attend your "self defense and weapons training" classes IF they perceive that you have the skills, personal charcteristics and leadership qualities they wish to acquire. The best shooter in the world will have little to no following if he/she treats people like worms if they miss a shot during training.

Hate to sound like a suck up BUT Brian Hoffner is the most patient, most knowledgeable Instructor I've ever studied with and I have studied martial arts, weapon systems and tactics all over this planet over the past 50+ years of life. Brian can work his way down a line of students and fine tune their technique at their skill level in an encouraging manner...other students on the line see Brian's attitude toward all students, respect this attitude and reward this attitude by comng back and telling others about Hoffner training.

SoSu reflects Brian Hoffner's personality...no BS and kick a s s attitude and techniques if bad guys come calling. SoSu students see that Hoff talks the talk and walks the walk as best as any human can. Hoff teaches that the winning attitude reaches into all areas of life...he's right.

Ask yourself, do you wish to contribute to other people's lives as an Instructor or is your #1 priority making money? Your true attitude will come out over time and that will determine your future as an Instructor.

rino451 · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

What were the "several advantages to having a Hoffners Instructor Certification. (not all of the advantages are listed here)"?

The analogy to paper MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers) of old fits here. I studied and became a paper MCSE (and CNE), but that did not even remotely mean that I WAS a systems anything. It did, however, open doors for me which was the tangible benefit to my spending a ton of time and a fair amount of cash and has lead to a career in the IT field. The paper (in the form of time and $) was a means to an end (career).

From my perspective, for ME to acquire an instructor cert, the "paper" as it were, requires time and $, but to what end? I'd consider myself a paper instructor and have to question whether actually teaching (whether for love or $) is a practical or more productive "end" as opposed to investing the $ training in other areas. That is to say, with JUST the "paper" does one actually find opportunities to teach that would not have otherwise existed without the cert?

Thanks!

PS I mean no disrespect by using the term "paper," nor does it imply that anyone with any cert is anything less that what they purport to be. I only use it to describe my particular experience as it applied to me.

wichaka · Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Washington State

Morris, anything new on the possibility of hosting an instructor course up there?

Morris · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 99 Location: Seattle Metro Area

Not right now. We just went through a management re-organization (ala Titanic deck chairs) so I hope to discuss that at the next meeting.

mparrish_at_ci dot lake-forest-park.wa.us