Ft. Benning ASA

   Although it's the third week of March, I felt relatively prepared when we left for Fort Benning on Wednesday afternoon. Coming from the North, it's difficult to have any real practice for 3Ds. We shoot indoors to figure things out and hope we have our setups close to where they need to be. Well, I felt good until.....

that happened at 10:00 p.m. the night before we were leaving. The center serving popped in between the loop, and that was all she wrote. It didn't give me any sign it was going to happen, and the bow was pounding. I was ready. The scramble was on to get it fixed. Without any of my stuff on hand, I called my buddy Ryan to see if he could lend a hand in a pinch. I hit the hay around 1:30 that night. He did what he could do, and I got up at the crack of dawn to try to get marks and do a generic tune. Then, I left for the airport and had marks that I thought would work. 

                                                                 Practice Day

  We didn't get to the hotel until 2:00 a.m., so we slept in to try to get a little rest for the day ahead. While we were getting ready, we received a phone call from home. My mom had fallen and was badly injured and on the way to the ER in the ambulance. When all was said and done, it was believed that she had broken her hand as well as her arm, where it connects to the shoulder socket. She also suffered a severe blow to the head. With that weighing on my mind the rest of the trip, it made it difficult at times to focus on shooting. Mom has suffered so much throughout her life, especially recently with the daily battles she faces. No matter what she's facing, she always finds a way to smile or joke. I wish I had 1/4 of the internal strength she possesses. I'd do anything to take her suffering away and lay it on my back. She's given so much to my life, I could never begin to repay it because no money, care or love could ever repay what she has given to me. She's my hero, and it hurts to see her suffering through so much pain every day. Now, with this added on top of her other struggles, it's impossible to think about without being affected.

    After spending half the day on the practice range, we were exhausted from the lack of sleep. It didn't help matters that we were trudging through calf-deep water to retrieve arrows after every shot. It seems they would take a little more consideration into where they set the practice ranges (and regular ranges). Every year the ranges are flooded. Let's put the first three shoots right in high-risk flood areas. Kinda makes sense to me. I felt confident with the practice and was happy to see that my yardage guessing was going well. My shooting matched my guessing, and I wrapped the day up by looking forward to Day 1 of scoring. 

                                                                           Day 1

  Although we got some practice arrows in without any rain, it was definitely lingering in the sky above. When we got to the head of the range where the pros meet before the day begins, Jacob and I sat with Eric Griggs and chatted for a bit. He's currently shooting the M2 cam on the PSE Supra X, so we discussed his feelings about that as well as some regular stuff considering life. It seems like it was just a few years ago when we were both shooting in New England when Eric was just a kid in the youth class. He would go on to battle back and forth with Nathan Brooks in Semi-pro before turning Pro, and the rest is history. 

  When we got the OK to head to our target assignments, I was happy to see I would be shooting with Jeff Hopkins and Allen Conner. I always seem to shoot well with those guys, and I really enjoy their company. It's relaxing to shoot with them, and we always have a good time. Can it really get any better than sharing a stake with two of the all-time greats? Scott Darnell would round out our foursome. 

  I got off to a good start and hovered around even for the first five targets. My shots broke crisp and clean, and I felt relaxed. A few weeks ago, I went to see Mike Price with my buddy Chris. We chatted back and forth about a few things I've encountered, and Mike offered advice to get over the hump with those things. I put a lot of work in over the last few weeks, and as Day 1 progressed, I had to remember that I was in the process of making a major change that will pay off as the year creeps forward. I had finally gotten help with an issue that I didn't know how to fix and this rainy, horrible day warmed me to the core. I'm on my way to fixing the unfixable. In a matter of 3 1/2 hours, I made strides I've been trying to make for a decade or more. The whole secret is to find the origin of the problem, then come up with a plan to get from point A to point B. I'm on my way to point B. The road may be slow and arduous, but I'm walking in the right direction, and the proof was easy to recognize throughout the day. 

  As the round progressed, I remained focused on just trying to limit the damage. The rain was steady the entire day, but there were times when it came down in buckets. Then, as we turned the corner and started heading down the homestretch, the heavens let loose. It was my turn to lead off, and I stared down the lane at a long black panther.

  

  When I drew the bow, the rain pelted off my hat. A stream of water ran down my cheeks as I came to anchor and settled in. The shot went a little long, but I still felt solid when it broke. As the arrow began it's journey off the bowstring, I saw it separate the water in the air and leave a trail behind it. When it got halfway to the target, I could no longer see it, but I could see the trail it left behind. Suddenly, my decent day was briefly interrupted when the arrow struck barely on the wrong side of the 8 line on the low side. 

  After consulting with my peers, I realized it wasn't a bad number. Instead, it was just a little bad luck at the wrong time. That's the way it goes sometimes. You definitely need some luck along the way to keep you in it. 

  Creeping toward the end of the road, my hands started going numb, and the wrinkled skin on my fingers alerted me that I needed to be careful the rest of the way. I tried my best to hold on without letting any get away from me. Rumors had gotten around that the top 5 for the day would probably end up at a few down. 

  Heading off the range, I learned I was sitting in P7 going into Day 2, and I was only a few points out of P3. I felt really good about my day and couldn't wait for the next day. I've always done well in less-than-ideal conditions. I believe it makes me focus harder on my form. I tend to ignore all outside distractions when the weather wants to play nasty games. I welcome it. 

  Dad shot OK for the conditions, and Jacob shot well but had a really unfortunate incident happen. He ricocheted off an arrow and the arrow was unshootable. However, his arrow landed in the 5 after destroying the higher scoring arrow. I can relate to that. I missed the cut at the IBO World two years ago after destroying one of Darrin Christenberry's arrows that was in the 11, and I ended up in the 8-ring. He couldn't shoot that arrow either. It was split in half. It's a shitty rule that should be, in my opinion,  readdressed. Shane got pummeled by the afternoon monsoon and paid the price. He probably had worse conditions than the rest of us. 

                                                                    Day 2

  I headed into Day 2 with 100% confidence I would be in the shootdown round. The things I had worked on with Mike led to 75% of my shots being effortless on Day 1, and I was going to keep riding that same train throughout Day 2. 

  Like Day 1, I had a great group on Day 2. I shot with Tony Tazza, Keith Ahlstrom and Shawn Greathouse. The weather was much better than the previous day. Although I had wished for crappy weather again, I wasn't too terribly disappointed to see we would be shooting in ideal conditions. 

  Although I got off to a rough start, I wasn't disappointed. I shot a few 8s that barely missed the 12s. In all reality, it was just a little bit of bad luck, and trust me when I tell you there's a whole lot of luck involved in ASA. I often think that's why so many people like it. I'll go to my grave saying that the vast majority of competitors luck into more 12s than 12s they actually had their pin on when the shot fired. I think it would add an entirely different dimension if they added the 11-ring into scoring and you couldn't hit any rings by mistake. Imagine if you had to call lowers, uppers and middles? No more mistake rings. I'm sure that would drastically change things, although it might not because many people luck into the ones they get even when they call them. I guess I need to start praying to the 12 gods to get a few more lucky ones. It seems the only ones I get are the ones I'm aiming at. I'm usually in the vicinity of them, but the breaks need to turn in another direction at one of these shoots, and I'm sure they will. 

  As the day progressed, I just never got going. My shot was a little choppy due to an unsteady sight picture are times, but it still kept me in the game. I fought and clawed until the end, but I just couldn't hit any 12s. I was all around them, but being all around them doesn't get you anything other than a few too many 8s. When the day finally ended, I was irritated while walking off the range. I got more irritated  while sitting in the truck afterward. 

  Then, I took a step back and realized I was only lacking seven points from being in the shootdown round, and I wasn't remotely close to being at my best. All it came down to was the 5 I shot in the pounding rain and a few of those 8s in which I barely missed the 12s. Had the rain not come down in buckets at that particular time, I might have picked up 5, but at least 3 points, and two of the handful of 8s I shot could have been 4-point swings. It shows you how close things can really be when it seems like you were miles away. So after sitting there stewing for a bit, I accepted it and realized I did the best I could do under the circumstances. It's just the way it goes. It can be difficult to find peace in anything when you have a zillion things on your mind, including your mother's health, losing your job after 34 years at the same place, and thoughts of being able to continue doing the things you love in the future.

                                                                  Final Thoughts

  

  I went to Benning with one goal: I wanted to set up every shot perfectly. While I might not have gotten an A+, I did really well. On Day 1, I realized this new outlook is going to be a game changer once I have it totally driven into my system. When I set the shot up correctly, everything is effortless and easy. I'm looking forward to the days, weeks and months ahead as I continue working on this. 

  I had a good time on both days, as I shared the stake with good people. I don't know why certain people shoot better with others, but I can say that when I shoot with Allen and Jeff, I tend to shoot well. That made the first day easy and stress free. 

  The ASA needs to do something about the card situation on crappy days. The cards were a disaster. They need some type of laminated card to punch for extreme weather conditions. Thank God for Destini. She helped me transfer the cards two different times before they were totally unreadable. I'm sure she probably isn't on the ASA or CAM's payroll, but the work she does should be compensated just like all the others' work that is being compensated by CAM and the ASA. She does a great job, and I'm thankful for her work. Thank you, Destini

  Although you can't control the weather, I'm not sure why these venues are set up on flood plains during flood season. It does tend to get old after a while. At this shoot and the next one, we will probably experience the same type of thing. Better bring your waders and be prepared to be in standing water the entire day on the practice range and regular ranges. These places cannot handle any type of rainfall mixed with people walking in the areas where the ranges are set up. If nobody had been to one of these national ASAs, I probably wouldn't recommend it, but then again, that's just me opinion. Well, if you like standing in water nonstop and being covered from head to toe in mud, I guess I would recommend it. It all depends on what you like. Personally, if I were running the show, I'd probably look into a few options to avoid these recurring problems. It's not like it happens one time... it happens regularly. Aren't there other areas in the area where the ranges could be moved? I'm not complaining. I'm just imagining what I would do for my customers if I owned the business. 

  Should every other target on a range be propped up by plastic pipes and sticks? Well, if you answered yes, you are in the right spot. At every event, the targets are propped up with things to keep them from falling over. Is it because the stakes can't be pounded into the ground? Is it because the stakes don't go far enough into the legs to hold the target up? Is it from laziness while setting up the targets? I'm not really sure, but I'd probably try to do a better job with this. It's just a bad look at every single tournament. It gets old. Some groups leave the pipes and sticks on the ground after pulling arrows, and other groups put them back. Therefore, not two groups shoot the target in the same position. I wouldn't think it would be too hard to fix those problems. It's something you would expect to see at my house or a local range, not at a national event, especially at every single event with multiple targets.

  I'm done with the little soapbox, but "C'mon man. You can do better than that."

  I'm satisfied with this tournament. Coming from the North, it's pretty difficult to compete with guys who are shooting 3ds regularly. This was my second 3d shoot since the IBO World last August. My other one was Foley last month. I improved from last month and look forward to improving at the next one. However, when I got home, I was greeted with the two feet of snow we got during my absence. Doesn't look like I'll have any practice before my third 3D shoot since the IBO World last year, but I'll give it my best. There's just nothing that can be done when you live where we live. 

Foley: 3D Season in the Winter is Difficult

Well, this came quickly this year. I’ve attended a lot of national events in the last 25 years, and I’ve never felt as unprepared as I did before we headed to Hartford, Conn., to catch our flight. Between spending a lot of time focusing on indoor shooting this year and the miserable weather in the Northeast, I didn’t spend any time preparing a bow to shoot 3D. I went back and forth between the bow I’ve shot all winter, which is the Dominator Duo 35, and my Shootdown Pro. Although both bows have the same cam (SE2) on them, they feel totally different to me. I like each one for a different reason. A week ago, I made my choice to take the Shootdown Pro because the arrows came off the rest well, and the bow was shooting well. At the last minute, I decided to give the bow I had shot all winter a chance since I feel comfortable behind it. Unfortunately, I was having a tough time with arrow spine and found myself in between two shafts, with neither of them performing up to my liking. The Duo aims better, and I know what to expect with it under pressure, so I threw that in the case the night before we left and decided I’d give it a whirl. In those situations, it’s like playing with matches in a dry hayfield in the middle of the summer, but I figured I had nothing to lose. 

                                                                       Practice Day

  We got onto the practice range before it became inundated with people. It allowed us to cruise from one end of it to the other without many interruptions. As we picked our way through it, my mind seemed to be in a distant place. I found it incredibly difficult to focus, which led to horrible lapses in concentration. When we finished, I didn’t feel bad or good about it. Something just felt distant – off. It did offer me some relief to see 3D targets since I hadn’t seen any in a tournament setting since the second week of August last summer. 

                                                              Day 1

  I felt confident going into the first day but didn’t know what to expect. I’ve always considered yardage judging to be relatively easy, even if I haven’t put any work into it. I also knew I was going to have a great group. Digger Cogar, Jamie Drouillard and Tony Tazza would share a stake with me for the day. I enjoy shooting with all of them, so I knew it would be a relaxing day. However, anytime I’ve ever shot with Jamie, my performances have been severely lacking, with all three times being the lowest scores I’ve ever shot. I’m sure there’s no reason for it other than coincidence, but I couldn’t hide from the memories. I’ve shot well with Digger and Tony in the past, so when the “Shoot’m up” came ringing down the trail, I figured it would give me a chance to break free from the curse of Jamie. 

  I started on a wolverine and made quick work of it, shooting a center 10. Five targets later, I was sitting at even with one 8 and one 12. My hold was a little busy, but my numbers seemed to be close enough to keep me close. 

  Going into the 9^th target of the day, I was holding my own but had barely missed a few uppers. The arrows were within two inches of the upper and had a good line. Unfortunately, they landed in the 8-ring. I knew the tournament would be a learning experience for me, as I wanted to shoot mostly uppers and see how that gameplan treated me. 

  When I got to the ninth target, the group in front of me had just called a proctor and needed something moved when we were shooting target 8. I didn’t pay any attention to it, but it was in the back of my mind. 

  After drawing my bow on the impala, I settled in. The shot went a little long, but when it broke, I expected the arrow to hit close to the upper 12. Then, I heard the arrow ricocheting through the brush. In amazement, I had no clue what had just happened. There wasn’t anything in the shooting lane that I saw that the arrow could have hit. As I sit here writing this, I still don’t know what happened to cause the arrow to go crashing out through the woods. Did the point pull out of the arrow, and I didn’t catch it? Did the arrow fall off the rest and I shot it off the shelf? Did it have a cracked nock and I never caught it? I’ll never know, but it was the turning point of my weekend. 

  Looking back on the day, I believe I mentally checked out at that point. I didn’t feel it as it was happening, but I believe I lost all interest in shooting my bow. Disappointed would be a word to explain what I was feeling, but I don’t think that would attempt to cover it. From that point forward, I think I checked out on the focus meter and just shot my bow without putting much into it. I can never remember this happening in my archery career. I never actually remember trying to judge yardage. I simply stood at the stake and guessed without doing anything to come up with my number. My normal routine was nowhere to be found. 

  After completing the round, I felt totally defeated. The feeling brought with it a sense of disbelief. Looking into the mirror, I felt for the first time in a long time like I was in a place I didn’t belong. I finished in fourth to last place. I’ve shot some clunkers over the years but nothing like that. I felt like I had possibly hit the wall and needed to reconsider the path ahead. 

                                                                      Day 2

 

  As I wandered down the road to get to my shooting stake, I didn’t feel good about it. I was in the last peer group of all my peers. However, I had great guys in my group. That would be the saving grace for the day. I always enjoy Jackie Caudle and Tim Roberts’ company. Tim is one of the most positive guys I’ve ever shot with, and I love shooting with him. He pays attention to all the small details and offers solid advice after rounds are done. I value having met him and learning from him. He’s one of the good ones out there.

  When the cards were drawn, I learned I would be leading off a long mule deer that had nasty shadows on it. I knew it would be tough to find a spot to place the pin, as the shadows were moving. After drawing the bow, the pin settled quickly. I was incredibly relaxed, and the shot broke with ease. It landed in the center 11, right where my pin was sitting when the release fired. I was off to a good start. 

  After shooting that target, target 10, we turned the corner and headed back up the road on the other side. We would now be looking directly into the sun. It was tough finding my pin on the targets, so I decided to make the best shots I could and see what happened. 

  I struggled for a few targets and quickly fell behind the 8-ball. Three 8s and a 12 later, Digger Cogar let us borrow an umbrella, and that changed my day. I never went out of the 10 ring the rest of the day, and I pounded the upper 12s. Unfortunately, I didn’t call upper 12s like I had the previous day. 

  Over the course of the last 15 targets, I executed the best shots I’ve executed at a national 3D in the last three years. My shots were effortless, relaxed and strong. I never shot an arrow left or right, and the pin had a calm float to it. I got off the course with a 198, the seventh highest score on the range for the day. If I had called upper 12s, I would’ve ended at +12. However, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas all year long.  I believe that’s the route I will take the rest of the year, as most of my peers follow the same plan. 

                                                      Final Thoughts on the Weekend

  I won’t lie and say I’m excited about what happened over the weekend. I’m pissed off, and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It’s the first time in my archery career in which I was thoroughly embarrassed about my performance. Although most shooters encounter similar things, I can tell you firsthand that it doesn’t feel good to know you’re sitting on the bottom of the pack. I could probably spin it in a zillion directions and not be far off, but when it comes right down to it, I own it. I simply didn’t perform. Am I losing the ability to compete? I guess I’ll figure that out as the year goes on. The second day proved to me that I still have a little bit in the tank. I couldn’t have asked for a better comeback. 

  I also won’t lie about my mind being filled with serious things that aren’t related to archery at all. With all the medical appointments coming up, I may only have one more 3D in me for the year. The fact that I might not be able to shoot the rest of the year is the least of my concerns, especially after being told the seriousness of what lies ahead. I guess I should be more thankful for having the ability to stink the joint up this past weekend more than anything else. After all, at least I was able to shoot and enjoy the weekend with many of my friends I rarely get to see. It also reminded me to never put much into anything when looking at the scoreboards from afar. You never know what battles people are fighting that could be leading to less than desirable results on the scorecard.

  Overall, I’d rate my shooting as solid. There’s not much I’d change about it. Although I didn’t hold very well the first day, the bow sat down nicely the second day. I never struggled getting through my shots, and I focused on trying to be relaxed. My execution was pretty good, although I still need to work on cleaning a few things up. 

  I learned I need to have a quiet mind while aiming. Lately, I’ve had a habit of thinking about my shot instead of aiming and letting it happen. When I let it happen rather than tell myself how to make it happen, I feel unbeatable. I’ll make that a priority moving forward. 

  With the possibility of Fort Benning being my last event for the year, I’ll approach it with a happy-go-lucky attitude, but I will also do everything I can to be competitive and walk away knowing I couldn’t have done more or tried harder. I will see what happens over the next month and address different things as they pop up. Until then, shoot straight and never leave anything on the playing field. 

The Journey So Few Know Nothing About

  I'm very rarely at a loss for words, but a few things that happened leading up to this moment have left me speechless, and it has absolutely nothing to do with receiving the actual award. Although I'd like to address a few of those things, I'll stick to briefly answering a few people's concerns, and I'll wait until the end of this to do that, so as not to ruin it for the many of you who have supported me for my entire archery career, whether I met you 35 years ago or even in the last few years. I owe it to you to tell my story, rather than entertain the haters. Heck, what's the saying... not my clowns, not my circus. I surround myself with people who support me, and I give my support in return. Archery is a very small circle, and there isn't much that doesn't come full circle eventually. 

  So where did it all start for me? My mom and dad decided to build a new house in 1974, and Dad spent countless hours constructing the house. He didn't own a construction company, and he didn't have a crew of people to build it for him. Instead, he managed his time, his family and his work to build a house for our family. The house was in the country, and the year it was built, I was in the backyard winging arrows. 

 My love for archery increased every year, and when I was finally able to take the test to get my archery license, I was all in. Dad began bringing me to Oneonta every year to go hunting in the Southern Zone, where I could see a lot of deer. We would practice shooting soda cans and apples in the ditch as we camped out in the back of his white Ford Mustang hatchback for the weekend. 

  As the years wore on, my love for bowhunting grew. Then, things began going sideways when I found myself missing a lot of deer. Finally, when I left home for college, I got into competitive archery, and the rest is history. 

  In 1993, I attended my first big event, the first leg of the IBO Northeast Triple Crown in Merrimack, N.H., and I couldn't believe the number of people at the event. It was also my first look at outdoor target archery, as I had gotten a taste of indoor target archery in 1991 after graduating from college and returning home to join Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club. 

  I have to admit, I was a little overwhelmed at the number of people and the equipment the shooters were toting around. After the results came out, I realized I had a mountain to climb and the mountain was higher than Everest. I was in the bottom 10%, so I made a goal of getting better. The next two shoots, I stayed at the bottom of the pack. 

  After the Triple Crown was over, I began getting any piece of information I could read about shooting. I slowly introduced myself to the mental game of archery and how to navigate different types of archery. In my sampling of different archery games, I found a passion and love for 3D archery. I felt like I was born to shoot 3D. I loved hunting, and it reminded me of practice for hunting. I decided at that point to throw all of my eggs into that basket. 

  Going into 1994, I never felt like I had a chance to win, but I had fully committed to shooting a Stanislawski hinge release and nothing else. Looking back, it was probably the best thing I ever did in my archery career. The results weren't much better in 1994 than 1993, but my thoughts on the year were totally different. I had learned to shoot a good shot, and I learned to never shoot a shot unless it was perfect. I let down a lot... and that carried on throughout my career. After the summer was over, I decided to change releases and bought a Carter Big Kid 3D release at Lemme's archery in downtown Albany, N.Y. That decision changed the course of my archery career. If I'm not mistaken, I bought the release from Al Arpin, a guy who was an incredible shot in the 3D game. 

  In the spring of 1995, I headed to the IBO Northeast Triple Crown with one goal in mind: I wanted to be competitive. After the first event, I was sitting in 7th place in the largest class, MBO. There were basically only two adult release classes at the time, MBO and MBR. After the second leg in Bolton Valley, Vt., I found myself in the top peer group at Pine Hill, R.I., for the grand finale. I would have Roger Thibault, Al Lane and John Brean in my group. Brean and I were tied and Thibault had a substantial lead on everyone else. Al lane had a 26 point lead on me and John, but there were piles of people in the top 10 that were right on our heels. 

  That tournament is where I learned how to deal with head games, as Thibault played them from start to finish. I held my own from start to finish and closed the gap significantly on Al Lane. When the dust settled, I had finished in 3rd place overall in the Triple Crown, falling just a few points shy of overtaking Al for the runner-up position. I went from an unknown in the 3D world to a person who got respect from the best 3D shooters in the Northeast. I had earned the respect from Thibault, the best of the best at the time. As time wore on in my career, I learned that having the respect of your peers is the only thing that really matters. The haters will always hate and the people who respect you and support you will always have your back, even when you're not around. Even this past weekend when I received the award, I saw that lesson I learned 31 years ago come to the front... the haters are still gonna hate. It warmed my soul to see that I can get under people's skin by doing absolutely nothing to them. I'll never figure it out. I just wasn't raised that way. I encourage others and I cheer for the success of others. On my journey, I have never once thought I was any better than the next archer or any worse... I am just an archer who loves shooting my bow. We all can be good or great at times, and we can all find ourselves at the bottom of the pack. It's just the way it goes. I also learned that if you want to be a shark, you must jump in the ocean and swim with the other bloodthirsty monsters. You can't be considered a shark if you stay in the kiddie pool and swim with chubs and shiners. 

  After that year, my archery career was a little bumpy for the next two years, as I allowed expectations to get in the way. I learned that to be at your best, you have to shoot with no expectations... just shoot your bow. In 1997, I attended my first national event, The Great Lakes Shootout... 2nd Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown. I went with no expectations. Looking back on that shoot, it may have been my best all-time performance in my career. There were approximately 1,000 shooters in MBO, and I finished in 5th place after shooting a zero due to an equipment failure on my second to last target. The trust dusty Big Kid 3D in the picture above decided to let loose at 3/4 draw. The spring that holds the latch closed broke, sending the arrow sailing through the woods for a zero. That is when I began seeing a string of bad luck, some of which continues today. I'll be the first to tell you that if you shoot archery long enough, anything that can happen... will happen. I've experienced may unimaginable and unheard of things. However, I also learned that I had the ability to compete with the top amateur shooters at the national level. That tournament lit a fire under me to see where it could take me. 

  I'll spare the year by year tracking, but the next handful of years brought me a lot of success on the 3D tour in both ASA and IBO. I was living the dream and making incredible friends while doing it. Along the way, I met some of my best friends in peer groups. I guess I was always one of those lucky guys who performed at my best in peer groups when I needed to. I learned at that time, once again, that it's easy to gain another's respect when you compete with them head-to-head and lay it down. Don't get me wrong, I had more than one clunker along the way, too. I finished in dead-last more than one time in my life, even when I was shooting well. I learned to be a good loser, and learning to lose is essential to growth. You can't emphasize all your wrongdoings in a loss. Instead, you have to analyze and find a way to correct whatever went wrong and held you back. You learn to focus on the positive, ignore the negative, and fix anything that needs fixing. I learned early on to be accountable for whatever happened. I still hear people make a zillion excuses and never hold themselves accountable. Being accountable will help you get over the hurdles and cross the finish line. 

  When life happened and I got married, bought a house and had no vacation time, archery took a backseat. Although I still participated, I never gave it what I had given it for such a long time. Shoulder problems seemed to come out of nowhere, and I was fairly certain I was done. The surgeons told me the archery career was a thing of the past, and I begrudgingly accepted it. 

  Being a range junky, I couldn't stay away from the range while rehabbing. I had gotten divorced, and life had taken another turn for me. That's when I met George Connors and Chuck Weeden. Those guys lit my fire and are probably more responsible for the majority of my success than anyone else. Showing them the things I had experienced and opening a door to something they didn't know existed allowed me to become rejuvenated. My love of the game came back, and I took a different approach this time. Instead of being a student of the game every day, I became a student and a teacher. This worked better than anything I had ever done, and I began seeing success almost immediately. 

  Both of those guys still play a huge role in my life, and I'll be forever thankful for their place in it. There are far too many others to thank, but without my dad none of this ever would have been possible. He gave me every opportunity to live a dream and all of my accomplishments are owed to him. He's a little more diplomatic than me, and I'm sure he's way more likable. Unlike him, I like to tell people off. I have limited patience for many people, and he has unlimited patience. I guess that's what makes people different. 

  I feel very fortunate to be a part of many different archers' lives, and I've tried my hardest to give back over the last handful of years. I think it's essential to carry on and show others the great sport of archery. I do my best to do that. I've never considered myself a role model, but I have one of the greatest kids who considers me that right now. It's my job to live up to my end of the bargain on that and show him how to conduct himself. He's already learning how to win and lose, and losing is tough. He's already learned how to listen to the noise and block it out... haters gonna hate, they even hate kids.

  I'd like to say thank you to NYFAB for electing me into the Hall of Fame. It's an honor to be in there with some of my friends as well as with some others whom I have always admired their accomplishments. I'd also like to say thank you to my club, Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club, for giving me a place to shoot during the winter months. Although indoor archery has always been a necessary evil for me, I still do it. Unfortunately, major shoulder surgery and limited mobility and lots of pain have a way of making accuracy difficult when shooting a lot of arrows. 

  Lastly, like a good radio talk-show host, I'd like to thank my haters and my followers. You both inspire me. Just like the radio talk-show host you love to hate. Although you can't stand the person, you still turn the radio on to hear what they have to say. Just as an FYI, my circle is large.... very large. I heard it all, and it makes me smile, laugh and carry on. 

On a side note, just because I'm not like my dad and can't keep my mouth shut when something should be addressed, I'll share a little story. I think the funniest thing I heard on my journey came when someone told me another person said that I made things up because they never remembered me winning things I told others I won, although I don't ever recall talking too much about things I've won. Some people must have thin skin is all I can come up with when I hear that. They went as far as telling people that I never even shot in a league in Clifton Park, but I claimed to have won the league. Well, Dave Badgley, who is one of the best shooters I've ever shot with and is a great friend, came to that league to lay it on me after the Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club pulled a huge upset at the annual Guan Ho Ha Team event in which the top 5 scores from every club were added and the highest total score won. Well, everyone knew West Albany would dominate the team shoot, as West Albany had many pros in the club, including Dave Badgley, who I didn't know that well at the time. Even I must say, their team was stacked, basically unbeatable. Well, the rednecks from Hudson Falls showed up and came away with the title that year, upsetting the club that nobody could beat. Until modern times, that one weekend when David beat Goliath changed the entire team event at Guan Ho Ha. The following year someone (believed to be the person who said I never shot in the Clifton Park League) recruited people that didn't even shoot out of West Albany and stacked the team even deeper than it already had been because they refused to be beaten my a bunch of redneck nobodies. Anyhow, back to meeting Badgley. Dave came to Clifton Park and we shot together in the league with many other powerhouse shooters. We had a phenomenal time and became good friends. We learned from each other, encouraged each other and supported each other. We were happy when our friends beat us and we were happy when we were lucky enough to win one for ourselves. Dave instantly gained my respect, and I gained his respect. He is still one of the first people to reach out to me after I have a good showing at a national event... He gets it. He has competed at the highest level and he simply gets it. Anyhow, a high scratch average award was given out at Clifton Park every year for the highest average. I have a few fo those clocks laying around, even though some people say I never even shot in the league. I even went as far as to take a picture of one of them today, as I didn't want to dig into the box to grab the other, as I only shot there a few years just to prove a point. Here ya go buddy. I know you're reading this, so have a look, heck you can even give Badgley a shout to confirm everything you have poo-pood about me along the way when you asked others why they think I'm "good." I simply can't imagine doing that to anyone, but different strokes for different folks I guess. Anytime you're free, you're more than welcome to stop into my archery workshop to validate everything else that never really happened, just bring a notepad because it might get a little overwhelming trying to remember if you saw it or not. Thankfully, I graduated with a journalism/communications bachelors degree, so I learned how to take great notes and documentation because those things would be my bread and butter for life. I'm not a lawyer, I'm not a doctor, and I'm not an engineer, I'm a writer who knows nothing is valid without documentation. That's why I save everything, and I mean everything. Here's a 22-year-old broken clock that was in a box I found today. The other one from the next year is in there too, but I figured one picture would probably prove the point about a stupid league that I never shot in. 

Thanks again for everyone who supports me. I wholeheartedly appreciate all of you. 

A Young Man's Journey to the Big Show

  It was a cold winter’s night as the tires hummed across the pavement along a desolate country road. In another 14 minutes, I would be at the indoor archery range to work on my shot. Hunting season had come and gone, and the break from my bow felt good and allowed me to refresh mentally. 

  Pulling into the parking lot, I was surprised to see so many cars in the lot in middle of the week. Gathering my gear from the backseat of my truck, the wind slapped the back of my neck and brought a chill with it that raced down my spine, momentarily breathing life into me. The grind was about to begin… again. The next eight months would bring challenges at every corner, and I would have to find a way to navigate rough seas. 

  Opening the door, I instantly noticed a young man in a wheelchair at the far end of the range. After setting my stuff down and preparing to shoot, I couldn’t help but hear people giving him advice. The advice came in all sorts, including range etiquette and how to shoot a good shot. However, a lot of the advice was coming from sources who didn’t have the proper tools to help. Instead, I knew the advice would probably send this new shooter into a rabbit hole that might be impossible to escape as time wore on. Although I’m not a coach, I do have a lot of experience to draw from, and I try to save people a lot of time to get better at the craft. 

  A few hours later, my first practice session of the winter was over. I could feel it in my arms, shoulders and back. I got a good workout and felt ready to start putting more time into it. Everyone who was there earlier in the evening had gone home, and I clicked the lights off and headed outside into the darkness that had consumed the sky. 

  During my short commute home, I began thinking about the young man in the wheelchair. Why was he in a wheelchair? How did he come to like archery? How did he find out about the indoor archery range? Who was the woman standing behind him the whole time he was shooting? Should I have offered some of my own advice? While I wasn’t sure if I had done the right thing, I decided I would get to know him the next time I saw him. 

                                                                 The Introduction

  The next time I headed to the range, the young man was there again. This time there weren’t a lot of people around, so I took the time to introduce myself and gave him a little of my background and explained that many people like to give advice and sometimes it’s better in the beginning to listen to more experienced people than a lot of people. He welcomed the advice and introduced himself as Chris Hall. Our journey to tournament archery started that evening. 

                                                    Going Backward to Move Forward

  Within no time, we began working on proper form and execution. Chris hammered his trigger like a jackhammer operator on a road crew, and we needed to address that first and foremost. It didn’t take him long to understand he was punching the trigger. Since he was shooting a caliper release, we worked on curling his finger around the trigger and pulling with his back. His days of playing Whack-a-Mole at the county fair were over.

  A few weeks later, he was executing great shots and his scores began to climb. That’s when we decided to try our hand at a few indoor tournaments. Chris’ first big test would be the Beast of the East shoot at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., and it would be a 450 Vegas round. 

  When we headed to the shoot, Chris was nervous but ready for his first indoor tournament ever. At the end of the day, he looked at the 434 on his scorecard and his desire to improve began. 

 

                                                               Fast Forward a Few Years

 

  Well, it didn’t take long for a few years to fly by and bring us to 2023. Chris has spent the last year fine tuning his skills. Hours upon hours at the indoor range led to the construction of a new outdoor range at his in-law’s place.

  Then, in August, he attended his first World Archery para event in Chicago. Although I was attending the ASA Classic at the same time, I waited patiently for the results. I followed the live scoring on Ianseo and saw that he was shooting his average and had a good chance to make it into the elimination rounds. After all, this was his first big event. It’s just not the same when you are shooting state and regional events.

   When you find yourself on the field with some of the greatest shooters the world has to offer, it can quickly humble a man and make him weak. However, Chris took the challenge and decided he would give it his best. He had new goals and aspirations and had to have a starting point to allow him to understand what steps would come next. 

  After getting classified prior to the event, he felt good to get that out of the way. When the round started, Chris began shooting his shot like he was practicing at home. At the halfway point, he put up numbers that were comparable to his practice average. Then, the wind picked up and a battle with the elements began.

  The wind wreaked havoc on the field, and all archers found a way to navigate to the finish line. This caused some problems for Chris, but he managed them OK and found himself in the elimination matches. 

  Once in the elimination match, he was bounced out of the competition by an archer from Korea, and he learned things that will serve him well in the future. He must work on shooting in the wind and staying focused on every shot of the round. Confidence is one of the biggest factors that affect success. You will never succeed without being confident. However, confidence must come from a place of truth.

                                                                      The Future

  Now that the work has begun and goals have been set, Chris will continue his trek down a path that so few people know anything about. He will roll into the range, organize his gear, and shoot hundreds of arrows every day. He will work on his mental game, ask questions, and use the knowledge that is available to him to perfect his craft… and I will watch quietly from a distance and cheer for him. 

  I will look back on the day I met him and understand that some people take longer than others to find their niche. I’ll also know that when I told him he must pay his dues to get to where he wants to go, he will truly understand it when the road brings him across the world. 

  While all of us don’t have people like Chris to inspire us, we do encounter other things that can transform our lives and the way we think about things. Chris has inspired me to never stop trying. Even when I face bad days on the range, I remember that I can do things that so many other people are unable to do. A few bad arrows here and there don’t amount to much when I can walk to the target, pull them out and try again. Sometimes I tend to forget that I’ve been granted an ability to compete as a professional archer and be competitive at the highest level. Looking at Chris every day makes me appreciate my own journey. While I have worked hard, I have also been gifted. There are only X number of professional football players. Not everyone who plays football can find himself on the field every Sunday competing against the best of the best. People claim you can outwork others and get there. The simple fact that many people cannot is too often overlooked. Everyone has a peak and many people’s peaks will fall short of the highest level. It’s impossible for every college quarterback to become an NFL quarterback, no matter how hard they work. Some just have a higher ceiling that is unattainable by others. I encourage everyone to try to reach the peak of their skillset and be thankful for wherever that peak might be. That’s when you must sit back and enjoy archery for what it is. The mystical flight of an arrow brings different things to everyone who observes it.

  I never imagined Chris would be where he is now when I met him a handful of years ago. Watching his journey to this point has been refreshing. Nowadays, I often find myself rubbing elbows with some of the best archers in the world. I’ve seen some of these people throw things through the woods and complain and cuss nonstop. It saddens me that people don’t have the ability to step aside and realize how lucky they are to do what they do. Chris cannot do those things, but he still finds a way to enjoy archery. He enjoys it whether he shoots an X or a 0. He has embraced the fact that shooting archery has brought people and things into his life that never would’ve been there otherwise. 

  Finding K.J. Polish, one of the best para-archers to ever play the game, has been a blessing for both Chris and K.J. They now have a friendship that will withstand the test of time because they can both relate to the other’s journey. Share your journey with others and help the ones who are in a place on the path you once walked. I can remember KJ as a 16-year-old kid who was shooting in the pro class at Nelsonville, Ohio. He was on the practice range on a brutally hot July day, and he was shooting with Johnny Heath. Johnny told him what he shot a target for, so K.J. dialed his sight into that number and shot at the target. His arrow struck below the 8-line for a 5. Johnny laughed and said, “You’ve been Johnny Heathed.” He was teaching the young pro a lesson to never skip steps in practice. Although I remember it well, I’m sure neither of them remembers it. That moment stuck with me for some reason, and when I told Chris to reach out to K.J., I knew the intangibles K.J. could share with Chris were things that I would never be able to relate to.

                                           Finding the right people who truly understand what you're going through is really important in archery and life. When Chris found KJ, his life changed for the better. A friendship for life has been created. 

I will be rooting for Chris as he continues his journey. While I’m in the twilight of my competitive archery career, Chris is in the beginning. However, he will never learn to walk again. He will make do with what he has been given, and he will never complain. He will keep moving forward and living the dream, realizing he has been blessed to find his niche… the one thing that brings him peace of mind and puts him where he belongs. 

                                   Chris will get getting married to Sara in a few weeks. She always keeps him on the right track and uses her phenomenal teaching skills to help him navigate things he would have a much tougher time with if she didn't share her wisdom. #powercouple

A New but Familiar Direction

   I’m not sure how to start this, other than to tell you to always expect the unexpected. After walking off the course at the IBO World and finding out I was the first guy out of the shootdown round, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. The trip back to the vendor area didn’t bring a warm and fuzzy feeling. Instead, as many of us have found ourselves doing in the past, I sat there in disbelief. I had given it away. Nobody helped me do it. I did it all on my own. I had the tiger by the tail and let it loose before I could tame it and put it back in the cage. I had solidly beaten my opponent for the first 13 rounds, but my legs got a little wobbly in the 14^th, and I took a shot to the chin in the 15^th, and that shot wrote my ticket.

  After visiting with some people in the vendor area and watching my buddy Tyler win the Eagle Eye, I made my way back to the condo. During the Eagle Eye, I got a message that Darren Collins wanted me to call him if I got a chance. Since we had talked the previous week at the ASA Classic about a mechanical release idea he had been toying with, I figured he wanted to give me an update on it. Since I’m a release junkie, I looked forward to hearing what he had to say, but I also had to sit down and let the day’s events process before I got on the phone. 

  When I called, we BSd for a little bit before getting down to business. Although the release came up in conversation, that wasn’t the reason he wanted to talk to me. Instead, he told me that he and Dave Cousins were going to be in charge of the Factory Pro Staff and he wanted to know if I would be interested in coming back to PSE. He gave me some of the particulars and told me to think it over. 

  After stepping away from the phone, I had to let the conversation process. After all, I hadn’t pursued any avenues other than the one I was currently on, and the offer to shoot for PSE caught me off guard. However, I feel people should entertain every offer that comes their way if they aren’t bound to a contract… so that’s what I did. 

  When I got home from the event, I took a piece of paper out and wrote down all the pluses and minuses of accepting the offer. Then, I did the same for my current situation. When I got done with it, I took a few days to consider things from different angles. 

  I looked back on the last year and started from the beginning. As part of my deal last year, it was my job to build the brand in New England and New York, as the sales were lacking to almost non-existent. I took it upon myself to secure reputable dealers who could move products. In doing so, the sales in the region saw a huge increase in percentage over the previous year. I’m proud of that because I know my reputation as a good person and influencer among dealers and people in my region was the reason why many people chose to follow me. I took on the challenge last year because I knew I could succeed. The percentage of sales in the region jumped dramatically, and I looked forward to continuing in the same direction. 

  When I look back at my shooting for the year, I did OK, so I did my part on the performance end of representing the company. Although I didn’t podium this year, I was relevant in 8 of the 10 tournaments in which I participated, making one shootdown round and finding myself on the leaderboard at some point in every event except a couple. I also found myself standing on the top step of the podium as a team winner when my teammates and I won the IBO National Triple Crown. We brought home the first Manufacturer’s Cup to the company. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when it got absolutely no coverage. I can remember coming through the ranks when Mathews dominated and almost all Manufacturer’s Cups returned to Sparta, Wis. It felt good to be a part of a winning team for a manufacturer. In some small way, it was something I always wanted to be a part of. 

  When it came down to making the decision, I looked back at time I spent shooting a PSE in the four years prior to last year. I was able to rack up some notable things while shooting a PSE, including state, regional, sectional, and national championships in 3D, Humana Senior Games, and NFAA stuff, as well as breaking a few target records along the way.

  Thinking back to those things, I felt like I had performed my best while shooting a PSE. When I was dialed in with those bows, I felt like I could never miss. One year, I shot 13 11s in my last 15 shots at one of the legs of the National Triple Crown; one time I shot 57 straight Xs after dropping my first three to secure a national championship; and another time I shot over 50% 11s in another leg of the National Triple Crown. PSEs just performed well for me, or I should say I performed well with them in my hands. I made a shootdown round with every PSE I shot at a national tournament, so I know I can shoot any bow well that I choose to shoot. It gives me a lot of confidence.

  I’ve decided to return to PSE for these reasons, and I look forward to seeing where the change leads me for the next two years. I’m excited for the change, and I fully embrace it. I also can’t wait to work with Darren Collins to see what we can do together to grow the brand and get the bows in people’s hands. I’m thankful Darren reached out to me, and I’ll do my best to make sure I solidify his confidence in me. 

  Shoot straight, and I’ll see all of you in the winter. Looking forward to a few more million-dollar contingency checks in the coming years. 

 

Looking Back at the 2023 Season

 

With August comes the IBO World and the end of the national 3D archery tournaments. Although it has saddened me at times, I’m usually ready to take a break, reflect on the year, set goals for the next year, and make plans to achieve the goals. When I’m done with those things, I grab my hunting bow and head into the woods to see what memories I can make with my family and friends.

  Last year at this time, my contract had expired, and I was searching for a new home for the 2023 season. After narrowing it down to two companies, I chose to go with Darton Archery. With some of my peers headed in the same direction and Jacob already there, I figured I would have plenty of people to bounce things off from while trying to figure things out. This thought process treated me well. 

  Going into the 2023 season, I chose to focus solely on 3D. Although I attended three regional indoor tournaments, I wasn’t there to see what I could do in the scoring column. Instead, I was at those shoots to figure out a few little things in the setup that I would need to know for crunch time on the national 3D tours. In doing so, I encountered two train-wreck scores, but I knew I had figured out what I needed to know for the first ASA event in Foley, Ala. While I’d imagine most others were there trying to shoot their best and turn in big scores, I was there doing things to figure out what I could get away with and what to avoid doing during any important moment I would face in the coming months. It might not be the place to try new things to see what doesn’t work, but that’s what I did. 

  I think it’s important for people to know that sometimes you must be willing to take one on the chin, be willing to turn in a score that will leave many questioning your abilities and accomplish things that others know nothing about. It’s called “paying your dues.” Sometimes you must swallow your pride for an end goal. That’s what I chose to do last winter, and that’s what I will most likely do again this winter. Indoor shooting is no longer what it used to be for me, and while I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of cool things that I’m extremely proud about in that venue over the years, I have other priorities now that I feel a greater need to prioritize during the indoor season. 

                                                                    Showtime

  When I arrived in Foley, I felt confident. I was shooting well, and things were falling into place. After the first day, I found myself near the top of the pack and in the second group. Unfortunately, I ran into some issues with my sight loosening up during the round, which prevented me from making a serious run. It was all caused by my negligence of making sure everything was tightened down. The quick-detach knob had loosened up, and I didn’t realize it had happened until I shot seven consecutive 8s out the top of the 10-ring. After fixing it, my scoring returned to the same level it had been the day prior. At the end of the weekend, I felt confident and had a lot to build off from. However, I also knew I had lot one slip away by being complacent and not catching the problem earlier. 

  I had a difficult time preparing for the next event due to a record-setting snowfall in my area. It made it all but impossible to get outside to put in any work. With that in mind, I just wanted to give it my best and see where I landed. 

  I got off to a good start and maintained it throughout the first 10-15 targets. Then, near the end of my round, the wheels fell off the bus, and I had a sudden realization that you can never relax in this game. You can be on top of the pack, then find yourself near the bottom 15 minutes later. If I could forget about any of the tournaments this year, that is the one I would gladly leave behind. I learned that it’s hard to compete at any level, let alone the top level, when it’s impossible to be well prepared. 

  As I readied myself for Camp Minden, I felt good about the way my bow was shooting. However, when I got there, I couldn’t seem to hit the broadside of a barn. When the round started, I got on a roll and rode the wave as long as I could ride it. When I neared the end of the round, I shot a wolverine for 50 and shot a 5 low with the right number. After being 8 up with a few left, I stumbled my way to a 3 up round, which put me in sixth heading into the second round. 

  Near the end of the second round, I felt like I had a good chance to make it into the shootdown round, so I changed my tactics and decided to coast to the finish line. That’s when I learned I was the first guy out. Instead of gunning hard at the last handful of targets, or at least a few of them, I opted to shoot safe 10s. I learned that I need to keep the pedal mashed to the floor when I’m shooting well. 

  As we began getting into spring back here in the Northeast, I started spending significant time with my Rinehart targets to be prepared for the IBOs. The first round of the first IBO treated me well. I was sitting in the five-hole at 200, after Round 1. I cruised through the first half of Round 2, then ran into some problems. Although I ended up with a top 10 finish, I wasn’t satisfied. I let a great opportunity slip away. 

  Then, going to London, Ky., for the next ASA, I let another opportunity slip away. I decided to change my tactics and shoot at every 12. I quickly found myself at +8 and felt like I was going to have one of those days that people dream about. That’s when my nemesis, the wolverine, came out of nowhere to bite me once again. I shot it for the right number (50) and found my arrow sitting underneath the 8-line for a 5. The arrow was in the same exact place as the one I shot a month earlier at Minden. I was able to limp my way to the finish line and found myself in one of the top peer groups for Round 2… I liked my chances. 

  I never got going in Round 2, but I didn’t fall back too far either. Once again, the wolverine cost me points. I walked away with a total of 15 points on the wolverine after two shoots. That’s not a good sign when you get 15 points out of a total of 44. When I was done, I walked to the trailer with Jacob and bought a wolverine – my first ASA target. I would not let it get me again. 

  After getting home, I quickly learned I was aiming in the wrong place. I was aiming down in the brown, and the brown isn’t too far from the disaster area. After buying the target, I only saw it two more times, which was at the classic, and I got a total of 21 points on it. It just goes to show you that sometimes, you can make good shots and still score poorly. I just didn’t study the target enough to know I was aiming in the wrong place until I owned it… lesson learned. 

 I finally decided to change bows when I headed to the Second Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown. I had a hard time getting comfortable with the one I had used up to that point. I changed to a Veracity 35 and things seemed to get better. I found myself in the top 5 after Day 1, and I ended Day 2 sitting in the 3-hole. The bow performed better than I shot it. After the shootdown round, I walked away with a check for fourth place. Although I wasn’t pleased with my shootdown round performance, Tazza didn’t miss a bonus ring, and it’s hard to keep that up with that pace in a sprint to the finish line.

  I was gaining ground… a sixth and fourth place finish in two of the last three events. My confidence was beginning to increase, and I liked my chances heading down the homestretch. Due to my mother’s health, I couldn’t attend the ASA in Metropolis, so I headed to Nelsonville sitting in a tie for third place overall in the IBO National Triple Crown. I found myself in the top peer group again and liked my chances. It’s a place I’ve become accustomed to being in over the years, ever since my early days in the mid ‘90s. 

  Although the first day wasn’t great, it wasn’t a total disaster either, as I found myself sitting in the top 10 going into Day 2. Day 2 started off poorly and never got better. With everything going on in my mind, I lost focus and picked up the pieces on my way off the range the second day. I fell from 3^rd overall to 7^th. It wasn’t anything to be proud about. 

  Going into the ASA Classic and IBO World, I felt good about my practice sessions and couldn’t wait to get going. When we got to Cullman, Ala., for the Classic, the weather didn’t cooperate. It held everything up for most of Day 1, and when we finally got started, my mental focus seemed like it had been drained from preparing to start in the morning. It’s hard to explain, but that’s the only thing I can tie it to. 

  I never got on track throughout the weekend and felt a sense of relief when the ASA season ended. I fell fall short of my expectations, but I’m determined to figure it out. I have chosen to try my hand at it again next year. If I can continuously finish near the top and in shootdown rounds regularly in the IBO, there’s no reason I shouldn’t do the same in ASA. It’s just a matter of figuring out a gameplan and sticking to it instead of trying something different every time I shoot. 

  As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, my practice at the IBO World was a trainwreck. I don’t recall shooting that poorly in many years, but I shrugged it off and pretended it didn’t happen when I got to the first stake on Day 1. 

  I cruised through the beginning of the course until I got distracted, but I stayed within myself when I recognized what the distractions were doing. After Day 1, I knew I had a great shot at making the shootdown round, so I knew I had to keep doing what I always do. I never get too high or low, but I always remain slow and steady until I get to the finish line… and that’s what I did on Day 2. 

  Although I started off a little shaky, I quickly got back on track and picked up speed as the day continued. As I headed down the backstretch, I felt in complete control, like nothing could stop me. However, a few yardage errors on the last two targets took their toll… and once again, I was the first guy out of the shootdown round. It wasn’t for lack of effort.  

                                                     Final Thoughts

  I’d be lying if I told you I was satisfied with the results of 2023. I fell far short of the goals I had set for myself, and this weighs on me heavily. I struggled with many different things throughout the year. If it wasn’t one thing, it always seemed to be something else. I had a hard time escaping the black cloud that was spitting rain. However, I look back on some of the better moments and realize that I never performed near my best this past season, yet I still found myself in the hunt at a lot of tournaments. 

 Throughout the season, I considered hanging it up at the end of the season. With the pain in my shoulders and elbows, it makes shooting difficult at times. However, the most difficult part of that is that I find a great deal of inner peace when I shoot. I probably shoot my bow too much, and I should listen to my body and get away from it. I’m not sure how my mind would react if I did that. I’m sure I would find something else to replace it, but I love shooting. 

  After finding out I was the first guy out at the IBO World, I received an interesting phone call that helped me make my decision for next year. I will be coming back next year, and I’ll give it another shot. In the coming days, I’ll share some news with you concerning next year if you haven’t heard it already. I look forward to having a quiet mind next year, and I know some of the decisions I’ve made about my future will help with that.