The 2025 Lancaster Archery Classic Champion

 

  Although I had no intentions of going to the Lancaster Archery Classic, I changed my mind at the last minute and decided to attend as a spectator and offer all of my friends some support. In doing so, I would also try to network in an attempt to find work.

  While I would like to talk about my experience as a spectator for the first time in 30 years, that will have to wait until the next blog entry. If you have to ask why, then you obviously didn't see the show that Jacob Slusarz put on at the event. Having traveled to many events with him over the years and seeing many of his previous victories, I was there to see this one too, so I figured I would share a little about it from my perspective. 

                                                         Who is Jacob Slusarz?

  So who is this phenom who stormed into the Lancaster Classic and walked away with the 2025 title of Open Pro Champion? Anyone who has been attending national tournaments, whether they're ASA, IBO or NFAA tournaments has probably noticed he's in the hunt at every venue. He never stands out among a crowd and seems to always blend into the backdrop. He prefers to be around his close-knit group of friends and family and loves entertaining them just by being himself. 

  After getting settled into the venue, he had a job to do on Thursday afternoon, the first day of the tournament, and it had nothing to do with preparing for his round on Friday. Jacob volunteered to act as an arrow agent for another shooter. Since many people reading this have no idea what an arrow agent is, I'll explain it so you can get a glimpse at what makes Jacob so much more than one of the best professional archers on the planet. 

  Handicapped archers sometimes require arrow agents to score and retrieve their arrows every end. This keeps the lines running on time and doesn't create issues with getting wheelchairs back and forth every time arrows must be scored. Chris Hall, Jacob's friend and fellow GAS Bowstrings staff member, requires an arrow agent due to his inability to walk. Jacob could've easily turned Chris down and told him he had other things to do, but he took it upon himself to lend a hand and make Chris' life a lot easier. Around the 15th end, Jacob said to me, "This is starting to get pretty boring," and we laughed about it, all while Jacob continued busting on Chris. 

  When the round finally ended, Jacob told me Chris shot really well except for a few ends. Besides those ends, Jacob said he shot way better than the score, once again, supporting his friends and finding the positives of the day. These are the things that nobody sees when looking at professional archer Jacob Slusarz, but his friends see it at every event. In the picture below, I'm visiting with Chris while Jacob is scoring and retrieving arrows. Unfortunately, nobody got a photo of Jacob in action. 

                                                                    Friday

     I arrived at the venue early on Friday morning because I had friends shooting on every line, and I wanted to be there to support them. It wasn't very long before Jacob showed up to see how many of his friends from back home were doing. After offering his support, he headed to the practice range to get ready for his round.  

  When the middle line started on Friday, I'm sure nobody in the crowd imagined Jacob would be the one to shoot a 660. With Jacob in the middle of the floor and Jeff Wagoner (Wags) about 20 bales down from him, I tried to keep an eye on both of them. As the round progressed and got to the halfway point, Jeff and Jacob were both doing well, and Jacob hadn't dropped an X. However, unconcerned about his own round, he continuously asked about Wags and how he was doing. 

  Around the 15th end, word began spreading and the crowd started getting larger. Cameras began rolling in, and any type of normalcy was gone. It was almost as if the people running the cameras were told to be as distracting as possible to hinder perfection. Although it sounds like a conspiracy theory, I found the encroachment from all sides to be a little over the top.

  Knowing Jacob practices regularly while being surrounded by distractions, I laughed and knew they were probably bringing his killer mentality to the surface. In between ends, Jacob would come back to his friends who were standing behind his mom and wife and crack jokes like nothing unusual was happening. 

  Finally, in the 18th end, Jacob laughed and said, "I think there are going to be a lot of disappointed people if I miss one. He said he was feeling good and knowing he has always been a closer, I felt confident he was going to get to the finish line without any hiccups. 

  When he fired his last arrow of the round, the crowd cheered when the arrow struck the target, and he walked back to his circle of friends, and they all congratulated him. Then, saving the best for last, he was congratulated by his mom and his wife. His mom had been on edge since about the 10th end, and the stress was able to find a new home. The day was over... until the shoot-off for $20,000 later that evening. 

                                                              The $20,000 Shoot-off

  As expected, the three archers who shot 660s shot perfect rounds for the first two scoring ends. The final arrow would determine who would walk away with $20,000, as the closet arrow to center would declare a winner. Once again, all three archers shot their arrows into the X. Although Jacob's arrow was in the X, it wasn't close enough to the center to be the winner, so he ended up heading into the elimination matches in the number three seed. 

                                                                        Elimination Day

   Elimination Day is always a tough day, especially for the people who lose matches after shooting perfect scores and leaving it up to the result of one last arrow being closest to the center. Jacob has seen his tournament end in Lancaster in the past after shooting a 132 in a match, then hitting the X in the closest to center and still being sent home. This year, that was not the path he would travel. Instead, he continued his dominance in his first match and made quick work of his opponent. 

  His second match would not be as easy as the first one, as he finally dropped his first X of the tournament . However, his opponent dropped one on the next end and another in the last end. He would move on to his third match of the day, which would send him home or into the final eight. 

  His opponent would be Robert Householder, who has won a few events of his own along the way. When Householder dropped an X, it was up to the Closer to seal the deal and punch his ticket to the final. That's exactly what he did, shooting yet another perfect game. Looking at the scoreboard, the other two 660s were no longer standing, leaving Jacob in the pole position for the next day. He would only be shooting one more match to determine if he would go home the winner or the runner-up. 

                                                                  The Easton Kids Tournament

    After taking a short break, the guy with the 3D bow whom not many people picked to be at the top was walking around looking for kids from his friend circle. He didn't waste any time finding them and giving them the support they needed. In the process, he consoled Jeff Wagoner (Wags) for once again missing the cut by one point in the Masters Professional Division, and he found Rory LeFevre and Aiden Pfiitze to help them stay upbeat during their rounds... the things people don't know about or see Jacob doing. He's doing his part as a professional, and it rarely gets noticed because he has a way of blending into the crowd without bringing any attention to himself. He's not Superstar Pro Archer to his close friends, he's just Jacob Slusarz, a guy who loves to hunt and shoot his bow, and he's pretty damn funny too. That's also a side many others never get to see. 

Jacob gives Aiden some support

 

                                            Jacob gives Aiden and Wags a little pick-me-up

                                                                   The Grand Finale

  I sat quietly in the smaller of the two practice ranges near the volleyball courts as Jacob began practicing for his final match. Sitting in the chair watching one of the best in the world can be humbling and inspiring, but it can also make you question your own sanity. How can one person shoot nonstop and never miss? Is he really a machine and I'm in an alternate reality, or is it really possible for a guy to shoot a 35 inch axle to axle hunting bow with a 6 1/2 inch brace height at 73 lbs and never miss? I'm still not sure what to think, but to me he's just Jacob, and Jacob does his own thing and sings to his own tune. That's what makes him who he is. 

  After shooting a few arrows, he took a break and decided to head down to the area set up just outside of the stage where he would shoot his final match. As we marched down the hall, we chit-chatted a little and I got a good laugh when Jacob mentioned the next day, saying "I can be Superman today, but tomorrow I'll be on my hands in knees in a crawl space somewhere working." And that right there is the problem with professional archery. How can you be one of the best in the world, yet nobody except archers know. We both laughed and continued to the practice area. 

  Not having practiced shooting at 12s one time, he decided he better shoot at a few of them before his match because he thought he would probably have to shoot one to win. I'd say the practice went well. I'm not sure how many arrows he shot at the 12s in practice, but he only missed one, and I'd say that was probably because the white dot was gone due to other people hitting it previous to him shooting at it, so there wasn't much to aim at. 

  As the final eight started disappearing from the practice area to shoot against each other, we sat below bright lights, yet surrounded by darkness, while watching the match between Jacob Petite and Jimmy Lutz. When the match started, the man running the show in the practice range talked with Jacob and made reference to all of the cameras on him when he was about to shoot his 660 on Friday. Jacob told him it didn't bother him, but with as close as they were getting to him, he was hoping they wouldn't bump into him. Secretly, I wanted to tell the guy that if they were truly trying to distract him they would have had better luck by telling him hunting season was still open and he could skip the last few rounds to go shoot a big buck in the woods behind the venue. That's probably the only thing that would've worked. Jacob does not get distracted. He's The Closer, or as Rob LeLacheur calls him, The Gatekeeper. When it's time to finish the job, he finishes it and punches out.

  When the dust settled, Jacob learned he would be shooting against Jimmy Lutz in the final. He would be facing another guy who has had all sorts of success in different venues. It would be an all-out battle to see who could claim the title. 

  After walking to the stage and getting on the platform, he was ready, and it didn't take long for the match to start. His first arrow hit a tad left. Since he had favored the left side of the X throughout the weekend, I figured it probably didn't concern him. He made quick work of the next two arrows, stuffing them in the 11s. 

When he finally missed an X in the second end, it didn't seem to phase him. Knowing him as well as I know him, I also knew he had 100% confidence that wouldn't happen again. With two ends left, I got the arrows from the arrow runner and handed them to him, offering a quick comment or two but nothing of any relevance.

After they both skated through the third end with 33s, it would come down to the last three arrows to declare a winner. It's never fun when you're trailing because you have to rely on your opponent to make a mistake, but pressure also comes with it to finish the deal. 

Before Jacob began his last end, I gave him his arrows once again and told him to do what he does because I had a feeling something might happen. Then, I stepped away and saw that he had pushed the 12 button. He was going to put the pressure on with the first shot. It would either force Lutz into having to think about it for the next three arrows he had to shoot, or it would be game, set, match and Lutz was most likely going to be the winner. When I saw him push the button, I knew he was going to hit it. It reminded me of the day in the ASA shoot-off when he said, "I'm gonna end this right here and smoked a 14-ring." 

Seconds after pushing the button, his arrow was sitting nicely in the 12 ring, and he had momentarily taken the lead. Lutz responded with a pinwheel 11. Without any hesitation, Jacob drew his bow, made a perfect shot and stuffed the 11. Then, Lutz pushed the 12 button. Jacob looked down and listened. When the arrow struck the target, the room was silent. You could've heard a mosquito buzzing from 100 yards away; it was so quiet. Jacob slowly picked his head up and glanced at the screen. We looked at each other kind of dumbfounded, and Jacob said, "I just effen won." 

                                           The handshake after the win

With it still being quiet, it was odd. Finally, they announced he had won and stuck the microphone in his face. I stepped away and watched the quick interview. When he walked away after the interview, I gave him a hug and patted him on the back. An indoor win has been a long time coming, and in my opinion, he won the one that might me the hardest to win of all of them. I can't imagine what it was like in the 1700s when people were made to run through Indian gauntlets, but the Lancaster Archery Classic winner must run through a gauntlet of established worldwide champions to survive and end up on the top. The Closer did just that and closed the deal yet again. 

                                                        Some Final Passing Thoughts

  This was a unique tournament for me, especially since I wasn't shooting. It allowed me to relax more than normal, take in the surroundings, support all my friends, and see how it is from the other side of the line. I don't have any experience with that at all, so I learned a lot from it and will be writing about it in the near future. 

  I did get to watch Jacob's mom the entire weekend. Jacob's mom is like our entire group's mom. She watches out for all of us, and she always offers a kind word or some guidance when we need it. She also is able to make people laugh and makes the most out of some stressful situations. I've always had stomach issues due to stress, and I can't imagine how she does it without having ulcers. After the halfway point of the 660 round, she couldn't bear to watch and would peak to see if he got the X. It was fun to watch, but I could also feel for her because all parents want their children to be successful and happy. They live the highs and lows with their kids. Finally, when Jacob shot the last arrow, a ton of relief was let loose and I witnessed a moment that most people might miss. After walking through his friends and getting a bunch of fist bumps and handshakes, he walked to his mom, and she extended herself over the chair between them and hugged him. It was nice to watch, and I wished all the parents in the building could've seen it, and trust me there was one parent I had to deal with on Saturday afternoon at the Easton shoot that could've learned a lot from that moment. I'll touch on that in the next entry. 

Although that was an incredible moment to watch, the best thing I saw all weekend was after Jacob won the event, his mom was waiting for him in the walkway a little ways from where he fired his last arrow, and she embraced him. You could see the pride displayed, and I cherished the moment. It brought a quick tear to my eye that I made sure nobody noticed, and it also made me realize how quickly life really does pass. I can remember my mom hugging me like that on a few larger-than-life occasions when I was in my 20s, and now my mom is just shy of 80. It seems like yesterday when we were both young and the entire world was in front of us. I guess that's why you have to cherish every moment you can with your kids or your parents.

 Being in the box at this event was unlike anything I've experienced at ASA events with Jacob. In those shootdown rounds, we have time to crack jokes and pretend we are in the backyard. I've had my fair share of big moments in my archery career, and like anyone else, I get nervous. However, in all of the pressure situations I've ever been in for myself, I've never felt as many nerves as I did while standing behind Jacob. When I felt my knees shaking, I suddenly realized what his mom goes through at almost every event. I think it comes from having absolutely no control of the outcome and it's out of your hands. That's the only thing I can surmise. I was nervous for my buddy and wanted him to win no matter what, just like all of his other friends and fans throughout the archery world. 

There were a few moments from the weekend that made me smile, and I'll share one of them with you because it still makes me smile today. As we were watching Jacob Petite on the TV in the warm-up area, Jacob said, "He has an awesome shot. He just makes it look so easy, just like Dave Badgely always does." I sat there and smiled and agreed with him. Having spent a lot of time with Badgely on the range, I always thought his shot looked effortless and wished I could be like him. I also smiled because I'm sure the vast majority of people think his shot looks effortless too. I do know I enjoy watching him shoot a bow. 

On one last note, the highlight of the weekend was when our buddy Rob LeLacheur asked AI a question about Jacob the night before the final and this was the response. At least AI knew he was going to be the champion of the Lancaster Archery Classic, but I'm not sure many people knew Jacob was a professional strongman athlete.

  Congratulations, Jacob. I'm proud to call you a friend, and I appreciate your ability to stay grounded and remain humble. You will always just be Jacob to us, and we all value your witty humor, quick comebacks, and ability to tell everyone exactly what you feel without any filter. That's what makes you who you are and that's why we all support you and cheer for you. 

 

An Eye Opener for 2025

 

  Well, here we are in the beginning of 2025. The 2024 competitive archery season left me beside myself without a clue what was going on behind the bow. Although I thought I was making good decisions and getting through rounds making mostly good shots, the scores never seemed to match my shooting. I was drastically misjudging targets, and when I thought I made a good shot, I'd hit the target nowhere near the kill zone. Of course, I did make a few bad shots along the way, but those arrows landed where they should have landed. However, it's the ones throughout the year that I couldn't make sense of that were making me question my ability. When Jacob and I finished the season at the team shoot in late August, I learned that I still had the necessary skills to shoot good scores, as that day was almost flawless and we finished more than 80-up in 30 targets.

  As late October approached, I got ready for my annual diabetic eye exam, but I considered canceling it due to my insurance not covering it. Since diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, I knew I had to bite the bullet, pay the full price and have it done, knowing nothing had changed from the previous year.  

 Sitting in the chair listening to the doctor talk, it seemed surreal when he told me the things he had found behind the surface of my eyes. Instantly, my poor scores from the year began making more sense. A lot of things go through people's minds when they're being told news they don't want to hear, and I'm not an exception to that. His voice echoed off  the inside of my skull and hollowly faded into the nothingness in my brain. 

 

 When I asked him if I would be able to compete at the same level I was accustomed to competing, he looked at me and said, "I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will be incredibly difficult to do that due to the things that have happened to your eyes. You have more than one thing to battle, and that will create a variety of problems when it comes to shooting sports." He went to tell me that I would have more issues in different lighting conditions as compared to steady, constant conditions. 

So without going into any depth about the issues, I've lost half my vision in one eye. I've also lost all depth perception in one eye, and I have cataracts forming in both eyes, but they're not big enough to operate on yet. On top of that, I have retinal bleeding in one eye, and a pterygium in my other eye. 

After finding all of that out, it brought a sense of relief. I still have a hard time swallowing what happened last summer, and I will never quit trying no matter what has been said to me. I was once told I would never shoot a bow again after shoulder surgery, and I overcame that, so I'll give everything I have to try to regain some of my former skills behind the bow. 

                                                               Beginning of 2025 Season

  I shot in a warm-up tournament a week before Christmas using a bow I set up two nights before it and without any practice. Although I didn't think I'd make it to the end, I was able to shoot all 60 arrows. It wasn't a stellar round, as I shot seven or eight nines. Unfortunately, it was the same type of round I've become accustomed to the last few years after falling from a much better place. 

A few weeks later, I took part in the annual New Year's Day shoot at Hudson Falls Fish and Game. This is always a challenge for me and Chuck Weeden. It's difficult to try to run a shoot and also compete. However, we both do our best to get through the day. I decided to shoot on the early line to be available to help after the second line finished. 

At the end of my round, I was pleased to see that I had shot a 448 out of 450, and it seemed relatively effortless. I barely missed two 10s in the same place, low left at 7 o'clock. I did this with a bow that I had only shot for a total of three days, and the draw length was too long and it was set up at 85% let-off. I considered that a success. The elimination round was a train wreck, but it was due to organizing brackets, screwing up placement of people and tapping out to give someone else a spot I had missed along the way. Then, we reorganized everything, and I decided to shoot after already hanging all my stuff up for the day. I can dismiss the results because when I tapped out, I should've just stayed there. I totally lost the tiny bit of focus I had going into it. 

            

                                                                    This Past Weekend 

Although I'm not going to shoot at Lancaster, I decided to attend the Past Presidents Tournament at Ti Yogi Bowmen in Hyde Park, NY. I believe the first time I ever shot there was probably almost 30 years ago. I've gone there a few times over the years, and I've always enjoyed shooting in the club. It gives me a bit of a nostalgic feeling when I return there every few years. I've shot a few good rounds there, and I've shot a few clunkers too. 

  I went down there to experiment with a few things and see what I could learn. Recently, I put a huge dot on my lens, and it covers the entire yellow. Well, I probably shot one of my better rounds as far as execution goes, but the score was far worse than the execution. I believe I was probably hitting behind the dot, but the dot was so big I couldn't tell where it was located during my aim. All of the arrows basically hit in the same place... 6 o'clock in the 10-ring. Nearing the end of the round, I got ticked off because I wasn't making bad enough shots to have them hit where they were landing, so I told myself to pay attention to the dot. In the last three ends, I shot 8 out of 9 Xs and ended my day with that. Here's a look at the target. This is why I never pay attention to scores. Someone could shoot a horrible score at Lancaster, yet keep everything in the 10-ring. Did they shoot horribly? Or on a day like yesterday, I shot a crappy score but I feel the pattern and the shooting were good enough to score really well. It's a frustrating game, but I do it because I love shooting my bow. With all of that said, I shot a 443 with a low 20 X count. In the 51 arrows I shot at this target, I shot nine 9s. See if you can find them. Can I really be mad at myself about it? 

                                                                      Where to Now?

  I'm not sure where I'm headed as far as archery goes. Currently, I'm 100% focused on finding a job. I'm looking for something in the communications field since that is where most of my professional skills lie. I'd love to find something in the outdoors or archery industry, but I'm more than content to try my hand at anything. If anyone has any ideas or knows anyone in need of a person with great communications skills and background, please feel free to reach out. I'm also willing to change career paths if possible. I'd appreciate any leads I might receive.

Over the last year, I've listened to a lot of people who support me. Our friends always try to pick us up when we are down, and sometimes they say just the right things. Other times, they give great advice, but it's hard to explain things from your own perspective. All I can tell everyone who has given me a pep talk or two... or 10 in the last year, is that I appreciate all of you, and I'm thankful for your concern, guidance and support. However, if the time has finally come where I must walk away from competing at the highest level and going to a lot of national events -- and even the regional ones -- I'm 100% satisfied with my archery career. I always showed up and gave it my best effort, even when I had nothing to give. No matter how bad it got, I never stopped fighting until I shot the last arrow of the tournament. It never mattered whether I was first or last, I always tried treating people in the same manner when I saw them. I tried being humble after some great accomplishments, and I tried being polite and positive after crushing, demoralizing, and embarrassing performances. I'm not sure if I succeeded in any of that, but I tried my best. I was taught those lessons at 6 years old by my father, and I hope I displayed what I gained from them from that time until the present. As I've gotten older, I've taken a step back and realized I should've slowed down a little and enjoyed the big moments a little more when they were all happening. When the successful moments become more fleeting, it can bring a mixture of emotions to the forefront. 

As of right now, I'm going to try to go to Foley for the first ASA, and that will probably be the only national event I will be able to attend this year. I'm saying this because I'm planning on landing a new job in the coming days, weeks or months, and I wouldn't imagine too many employers would allow me to travel around the country to shoot my bow. 

 If I get to go to a big one or two, I'll give it my best, even with all of the health issues that make it much more difficult to shoot a bow than it should be. Good luck to all of my friends who are going to Lancaster. I hope everyone has a productive winter tournament season and brings it with them to the 3D ranges this spring and summer. 

Looking Back on 2024

  Although I considered not writing this entry, I finally decided I owed it to myself and to my followers to put it out there. As many of you know, this past year is what I would call a train wreck. Train wrecks cannot be predicted, and when I began the indoor season in mid-December last year, I felt confident. I got out of the gate with a 598 on a 600 Vegas round at the winter warm-up in Hudson Falls and felt good about it because I set the bow up the same week as the shoot. I also decided I would go back to shooting a handheld release. When that day was over, I considered it a victory on many levels and couldn't wait to see where it would go. 

  My only goal throughout the indoor season was to get used to shooting a handheld release again. Going into February, I felt good about the results with it, as I shot in two Lancaster warm-up tournaments and shot 40-45 Xs in both of them. However, the things I experienced in my hand and wrist while shooting a handheld release created some concern for me going into the ASA in Foley. That's when I chose to go back to a wrist-strap release to see if things felt any better. 

  I went to Hall's Arrow in Connecticut to give it a whirl. I wasn't surprised with the results when I shot 45 out of 60 inner 10s. My shot was good, and I felt good on both ends while executing every shot. It strengthened my confidence, and I headed to Foley with a release attached to my wrist. 

  The first day didn't go as planned, and I found myself at the bottom of the pack. I fought my way out of the bottom and shot one of the higher scores on Day 2, but it wasn't nearly enough to make a difference. I headed home with my tail tucked between my legs, but I was satisfied with the results on Day 2. I could build off from that. 

  That first shoot was the last one of the year in which I would shoot with a quiet mind, and I've always found a quiet mind has led to my best performances. My world was turned upside down in March, and I took a mental beating in every aspect of my life. I guess I had gotten into a routine and never realized how much I value routine in my daily life. Since March, things have been different, and I'm still fumbling around trying to figure things out. While doing these things, I lost focus on archery. 

  I probably put more into practicing this year than I ever have put into it, but I wasn't practicing with a purpose. It was more like I was just shooting piles of arrows for therapy, and no matter how much I did it, I couldn't find what I needed to clear my mind and allow it to be rested, calm, and at peace when I laid my head on the pillow every night. The outside noise took hold and never let go. This directly affected my performances, as I would have one great day and one horrendous day, never putting two good days together. Unfortunately, I ended the year without a shoot-down appearance, the first time since 2020. I gave it my best shot, finding myself in 6th place a few times, the first guy out of the shoot-down round. I'm not ashamed to admit I didn't realize the things that were necessary to help me succeed, as I found myself in a few places I would never wish upon anyone.

 With a closer look at the year, I did have some high moments that made me realize I still have what it takes when all cylinders are clicking at the same time. In all my years of shooting, even in local shoots, I've never cleaned an unmarked course by shooting all 10s, with exception of some national and regional IBOs in which there were 10-target courses. I was finally able to do that at the IBO NH State Championship and topped it off with 18 elevens. It was a day I will store away and come back to when I need some confidence that I have what it takes to be perfect when I need to be. Although it didn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things, it still felt good and made my 4 1/2 hour drive to the event worth it. 

  It took until the annual team shoot in Massachusetts for me to realize something that might have happened this year to prevent me from having some of those great days I've had in the past at national events. Going into the team shoot, I made a conscious effort to not shoot any bad shots. In doing so, I let down a number of times, just like I always did when I shot the best 3D scores of my life. I believe this year I may have focused on making a good shot and nothing else. I don't believe I actually aimed all that well. At the team shoot, almost every arrow hit behind the pin, even at 70 yards. Although I shot a few 8s, the arrows hit directly behind the pin. My 55-year-old eyes just didn't have the pin in the exact place it needed to be. I made pretty good shots throughout the year, but I didn't focus hard enough on picking the exact place I wanted to hit and doing everything possible to make sure I would hit it. 

  I could never stop writing this without offering my genuine thanks to Kevin Koch. I met Kevin a few years ago when he was in my group at the ASA Classic. I was battling an extremely low blood sugar level when we started that day, and I paid the price by blanking the first target of the day. This year, I was lucky enough to shoot with Kevin a few times and share conversations at the events. Well, at the London ASA, the round was stressful for everyone in our group the second day when we were all battling to get into the shoot-down round. Somewhere along the lines, the cards got a little mixed up and the bonus ring column didn't match on both cards. At the end of the round, I was disappointed because I made a few mistakes and found myself on the outside looking in. I quickly looked at the score and signed the card without looking at the bonus rings column. That column would break a tie for 8th place, the last place to get paid. Well, when I looked at the scores online, I saw I was at the bottom of the 8th place ties due to the number of bonus rings, but the number didn't match what I had actually shot. After writing my article that week and telling people to learn from my mistakes and make sure to look at the card before signing it, Kevin stepped up and paid my entry fees for the last two ASA events because it was his mistake. We both made a mistake, and I could own my neglect in not doing what I should've done. Kevin never had to do what he did. He went on to win that event, and he won two of the ASAs for the year. He's definitely one of the good guys on the tour. You don't meet many people like him. Thanks, Kevin, for being a genuine, wonderful human being. There needs to be more people like you. I'm thankful for your friendship.

  We spent a lot of time with Tom Thygesen this year too. Tyler had a lot of things going on in his life this year, and Tom spent more time than normal with us. Tom makes me laugh. He offers people help through experience, and he always tries to pick you up when you're feeling down. One thing that makes me laugh when I think about Tom is that you never have to wonder what he's thinking. He's kinda like me in that regard. That's probably why I value that quality. He doesn't have a filter, and sometimes people can take his comments to be harsh or out of line. Thanks, Tom, for making me laugh and always lending your support. I truly appreciate it. This one's for you:

  I don't have much else to offer on the year, other than I'm going to do my best to remember the great times with friends and family and hope this isn't my last year traveling to national events. I've landed a few part-time gigs to get by right now, but once I land my next full-time job, I'm not sure if I will have the time to do the things I love to do, and that's all a part of life. Everyone encounters change, and sometimes the changes affect our lives in both positive and negative ways that are beyond our control. If that becomes the case, I can walk away from it and tell all of you that I'm satisfied with my archery career. I've been lucky enough to accomplish many things that a lot of people dream about, and I've succeeded at the national level at the highest level as a professional archer. I could never ask for more than that. While I didn't reach all of my goals, I gave it my best shot, and I can and will walk away with a clear conscience if my new path in life requires that to be done. I'll go back to walking into remote streams and ponds and take up trout fishing again, and I'll find other things to do with my free time around home. Archery has given me things I never would've gotten in my life otherwise, but they say everything happens for a reason, and I'll go forward with that in my mind. I'm sure I'll end up where I'm supposed to be when everything is all said and done. 

   

 

The Annual Royalston Team Shoot

 

    Every year, I look forward to the annual team shoot that Shawn Couture and his wife, Wendy, put on with the help of their friends and club members. It's a way for everyone to unwind from the competitive season, hang out, laugh, and have fun. The seriousness that accompanies the usual tournaments is all but gone, and we all know that this will be the last time we see each other until early winter or possibly next spring. However, this year, I really didn't have much interest in attending. As most of you know, this year was basically a train wreck for me, and after the IBO World Championship, all I wanted to do was hang my bows up and not look at them until next winter. 

  After getting home from the IBO World a few weeks ago, I quickly set a bow up to shoot at the Maine Senior Games. Although I put no effort into preparing for the tournament, I wanted to see how my PSE Supra X felt during a target archery setting instead of a 3D setting, as I've always shot the Supra platform well for target archery. 

  So I went and shot the senior games to see how things felt. I also decided to shoot my new HBC Flex (small). A few years ago I let Aiden Pfiitze borrow my medium one, but I never felt that one fit well. When I began shooting the small version of the release, it felt good in my hands. I ended up holding my own with the hinge and shot what I would consider a decent score for all things considered. While it was nowhere near my high, it was a score most people would kill to shoot. I had to realize I was shooting a bow I had no experience behind, and I was also shooting a release style that I hadn't shot in a number of years in a tournament. After getting done in Maine, I headed home and put that bow away. I learned the bow will probably perform well next indoor season, and I look forward to seeing what I can do with it. 

  On Monday, I went outside, unpacked my bow from the IBO World the previous week, and decided to shoot a few arrows at 60 and 70 yards just to make sure the marks were good. Since my shoulders were beat up from shooting 90 arrows at the senior games, I decided not to shoot during the week, but I also needed to make sure the marks were good since I hadn't shot the bow beyond 50 yards all summer. 

  Having avoided anything to do with 3D for a week and not caring where the arrows hit, I went to the top of the hill and shot an end from 60 and 70 without expecting anything good. I shot this group from 70 yards and sent it to Barry via text. I said, "I think we are good to go, but I think Jacob might have more confidence in me than I have in myself." I didn't bother shooting any more groups because I didn't want to diminish any confidence I had, and my Dominator Duo 35 gives me a fair amount of confidence. 

                              

                                                                      Game Day

  

  I rolled out of bed around 4:25 on Saturday morning and had no idea what to expect. With the pain in my shoulder near the same level of discomfort as the time period in which I was rehabbing it after surgery, I was tentative about going. However, I told Jacob I would pick him up about 5:45, so I gathered my stuff and headed out. 

It would just be the two of us on the journey to north central Massachusetts, and as I drove to pick him up, I confronted the realization of this "fun" shoot. While we are usually expected to win, I also go with the realization that every person out there thinks they would win if they partnered with Jacob. However, most of those people don't realize that that fact alone brings a lot of pressure with it. If we lose, it's because I didn't go my job, and my job is to give Jacob as many opportunities as possible to shoot at 14s. We always approach this shoot with a plan, and we adjust to the plan as we progress through the course. Sometimes we veer off the path and other times we stay on the straight and narrow. We never do anything that isn't discussed before it's done. We truly work as a team, and I think that sometimes gets lost in this event when other people look at it from afar. How many of you come up with a plan and stick to it throughout the round?

      When we arrived, we got there when everyone else was warming up and loading out of their vehicles. It felt good to see everyone, knowing this would be our last hurrah for the summer. My shoulder was extremely stiff and had all sorts of pain in it. I knew it was going to be tortuous to shoot my bow. The pain was more than I wanted to deal with, but I figured I could withstand it for 30 shots... never knowing I would probably draw my bow about 100 times before the day had finished. 

  I stayed at the 20-yard bale the entire time and shot a lot of arrows to loosen up the shoulder and arm. Although the pain didn't get any better, my shoulder loosened up and lost some of the stiffness. I knew it wasn't going to be a great day for holding. The hold wasn't bad enough to make me worry, but it also was going to present a lot of movement while executing my shots. It was definitely going to give me more movement than normal, and the longer shots would most likely make it show up even more than my eyes were accustomed to seeing. It would surely be a challenge. 

  Heading to our first target of the day, an antelope at 41 yards, I was glad Jake Lafontaine and Cole Bromley would be shooting with us. In all our years of shooting team shoots, we have only shot with the same two people in a group one time, and they are Jake and Cole. 

  I settled in after drawing and the shot fired effortlessly. The arrow struck directly below the 11. Jacob made a good shot but barely missed the 14. We've never started off well, so we had no concerns whatsoever. 

  Moving to target 2, a 52-yard brown bear up the hill and on a slight angle, we both knew it might take a bit to get going. After shooting an arrow that hit just low right of the 11, Jacob smoked the 14... we were off and running. It was a difficult shot, and we were both rolling. Jacob missed the first one by less than an inch and smoked this one, and we got off to a start that would allow him to get into a groove shooting at the pink 14s. It's always easier if you get to shoot at them regularly rather than randomly throughout the day. 

  When we got to target 3, the Rinehart wolf that is biting the deer's leg, it was a 44-yard uphill shot. When Jake shot before me, he hit it low and there was no defined aiming spot on the target. Being unfamiliar with the target, no defined aiming spot, and the history in my head of shooting the same target two weeks earlier on a practice range and not killing it, my shot went off and the arrow landed about two inches to the right of where I was aiming. We couldn't tell whether it was in or out of the 10-ring. After discussing things, we decided to have Jacob shoot at the 14. When the arrow hit the target, it barely missed the 14. We walked away with the only 8 we would shoot for the day, and we decided we would not give anymore points away the rest of the day. 

  After walking away from a relatively close target with an 8, neither one of us felt good when we looked up the hill at the next target, a 62-yard mountain lion. It was intimidating to look at, and the uphill shot would add a degree of difficulty that would make it a difficult target to gain points. 

  When I drew the bow, the pin was bobbing and weaving pretty good, and I had to let down a few times. On the third draw, I said to myself, "Just make the best shot you can."

  I held for a long time, but it felt decent. When the shot fired, I heard Cole say, "You smoked it." 

The arrow was inside-out in the 11-ring. Those bombs can make it difficult to stay above water, but after Jacob barely missed it by less than an inch, we walked away with a plus 1 gain. We both felt good about the result. We also both knew that we were on the edge of beginning a run that might last all day. Through four targets, Jacob hadn't missed a 14 by more than an inch, and I was all around the 11s on everything but the wolf that I could not find a good place to put my pin. 

  That 62-yard mountain lion would be the last time any questions would remain as to whether we were going to have a good day. We would not shoot anything other than 11s and 14s from target 6 to the end of the first half. However, it doesn't mean that we didn't tackle all the same challenges as all the other shooters, and the two that really told the tale were the last two targets of the first half. 

  When we arrived at the second-to-last target of the first half, a 67-yard bedded buck, the shadows were wreaking havoc. After letting down a few times, I realized the shadow had moved and given me a perfect aiming spot. I put the pin on a shadow in the 11 and shot a perfect shot. The arrow smoked the 11. Although I made a few good shots throughout the first half, that one rivaled the shot on the mountain lion. We were once again in a perfect predicament. We were in the plus no matter what happened. Then, Jacob erased my 11 and pierced the 14-ring... 67 yards... something the size of a quarter... the arrow lying squarely inside-out in the pink dot. When that kind of thing happens repeatedly, there's no mistaking that you're shooting with one of the world's best archers. There is no argument, no debate, and no questions, and it's amazing to watch. 

  Laughing and giggling as we all moved to the next target. We guessed what it might be. Something in my head told me it would be the elk that was in that area a few years ago. I figured Shawn Couture's friend, Chuck Reed, who has since passed and the shoot was in memoriam of him, probably loved that shot. When we got to the station, it was the elk. It made me smile, and I realized I wanted to make a good shot in memory of Shawn's friend. Something in my gut told me that target was there solely because of him. It resembled a scene you would actually see in the west while elk hunting, and I have plenty of those experiences to look back on. It brought me back to Colorado. Here's a picture of the elk.

  There was a good crosswind when I hit anchor, and I knew the 69-yard shot would test our skills as well as our equipment. I tried battling with it before succumbing and letting down. Shooting a 290-grain arrow, I knew the arrow wasn't built to withstand any crosswind. When I drew my bow the second time, I got the pin in the middle and tried to get the shot off as fast as possible. When it fired, I felt relieved when Jake said it was in the 10-ring. I felt like I had just smoked a real elk. Then, Jacob stepped up, drew his bow, settled in and donutted the 14 once again. We walked off our first half at 37 up, and Jacob hit eight of the last 10 14s on that half... mind-boggling. After he got the last two, a 67-yarder and a 69-yarder, I wondered in my head what Jake and Cole were thinking. What were their true thoughts? They both finally got to witness both of us clicking at the same time. Although we encountered a few bumps early in the round, we both bailed each other out when needed, and it made things relaxing. I'd still like to know what they were thinking then and as the day progressed. Having never experienced shooting with two people like that in a team event, I'm wondering what goes through one's head because I know what goes through my mind. 

                                                              

Second Half

  As we made our way to the first target of the second half, I shared where we stood. We have always wanted to break the 80-up mark, and we both knew if we showed up and both did our job we could get there. However, it would take both of us being at or near or best to achieve the almost impossible task. Knowing we usually shoot better on the bottom half, we wanted to give it a run. 

  We got off to a quick start, as we both did our job. When we got to a 53-yard snarling wolf, I was having a hard time determining where to hold my pin. When I finally thought I could see it well enough to hold in a spot, I felt confident. When the shot finally broke, I said, "Yup," in my head. However, the arrow landed less than an inch out the left of the 10-ring at 3 o'clock. I really couldn't complain. The arrow directly behind the pin. I guess that's all a part of aging. You just don't see like you did when you were younger, and that's a part of it. Jacob only took seconds before picking me up and covering for me with an inside out 11. Although I messed up, we still gained points. How could I ever ask for a better teammate?

  After getting back on track, we got to the last target on the range before turning back and heading down the other side of the road. It was a large HD deer at 44 yards. Being an older target and with faded lines, I couldn't see where the 10-ring was located and had to guess where to shoot it. Once again, it was one of those targets that is difficult to shoot if you're an older person due to vision and definition. I hit about an inch to the right of where my pin was located and the arrow landed less than a half inch outside the 10-ring. We were unsure whether it was in or out, but we decided to take no chances. Jacob lined up and smoked yet another 11. He bailed me out again... my arrow was, indeed, in the 8-ring. I still couldn't find anything to complain about. I had shot a couple of 8s in a five target stretch, but I had hit both of them within an inch of where I was aiming. 

  As we began making our way down the homestretch, we both began to feel like we could never miss. It was similar to having someone else move your legs to walk. I moved my right leg and Jacob followed it up by moving his left leg. We walked together in stride and never missed a beat. If it were field-day in grade school, we would surely win the potato-sack race, because that's the race we ran the entire day. We never wobbled, and we never tumbled onto the grass, where we would have to pick up and start over. We were headed to a mountain top that seemed untouchable. This was not Kilamanjaro, and it was not Everest, this was just two teammates doing everything they could to survive the climb and plant a flag where no-one had ever imagined going and may never go again. We were on our way to the moon, and we were carrying our own flag. 

  When we got to the last target in the woods, a 59-yard rising boar, I felt extremely confident. When my pin finally settled down after a few letdowns, I got it to the middle and executed the best shot I could make. The arrow struck the 11 dead center. Then, Jacob continued being Jacob, and he shot what I considered the most memorable shot of the day. As soon as the shot broke, he said, "Did that barely miss to the left?"

  Sure enough, the arrow was sitting less than a half inch to the left of a quarter-sized pink dot 59 yards away, and he knew exactly where he missed it when the shot fired before the arrow had hit the target. If that's not beyond amazing, I don't know what is. It has nothing to do with the fact that he missed. It has to do with the fact that he knew exactly where the arrow hit when the shot fired, and it was because his shot wasn't perfect. This is what is so hard to explain. At the level he's at, he can explain all of these things in ways that the vast majority of archers could never comprehend. Yes, others might be able to do that at 20-yards, but  to tell you that at 59-yards on a quarter-sized bullseye is something that only the best of the very best can do.

  When we got to the ball field for the last three shots, I was undecided if I should tell him, but I told him where we stood. We needed to get two of the last three 14s to get to 80 up. We were sitting at 73 up.  I know he loves the challenge, so I shared with him where we were standing, and I felt confident he would get us to where we needed to be. However, in telling him, I also knew I just put and undue amount of pressure on myself because I knew I had to 10 or 11 every one of the last three targets in front of the crowd and our friends, who are always waiting for all the shooters to finish in front of the pavilion. 

  The wind was blowing across the ball field when I drew on the 45-yard antelope, but I still felt confident. When my shot broke, I barely missed the 11 to the right. I gave Jacob a chance to get our first of the two 14s we would need. He decided to play the wind and aimed according to what he predicted would happen. Well, the plan didn't work and the wind didn't help us. We walked away with a 10. 

  When I looked at the next target, I knew any chance of breaking 80 up was going to be on my shot. If I didn't come through and give Jacob a chance, we would have no chance at all. When I looked at the 59-yard blesbok, I had a few recurring thoughts about the target. I've struggled mightily with that target over the years because I can never find a good aiming spot, and I knew I had to come through on it this one time. People think there is no pressure, but pressure even shows up in fun shoots. 

  Jacob, looked at me and said, "You got this." Although I briefly thought about needing to shoot a 10, it never crossed my mind after drawing my bow. My pin went up the leg and a hair to the right. As soon as it hit the "spot," the shot fired, and I knew I had it. The arrow landed right in the middle of the 11... we still had a chance. Seconds later, everyone in the area let out some exclamations when Jacob smoked the 14. Could we get the last one and go from 77 up to the rarified air of 80-plus up?

  When I looked at the 43-yard stone sheep before drawing my bow, I could clearly see a glare under the 11, so it gave me a perfect place to put my pin. Looking to my right, I saw Brandon Ashford with the spotting scope, and I knew he was there to watch people shoot the last shot of the day, so I made sure to shoot a good shot and give Jacob the chance we both wanted. I let down on the first draw, but the second one felt good right from the start. When the shot fired, I knew we had a chance, and everything in my gut told me Jacob would finish the job. He's the best finisher in the world of 3D archery... and he's my teammate. He had great timing the entire day, and I know when his timing is good, he is unbeatable. When he drew his bow on the stone sheep, the shot went a little longer than normal, but I recalled his win in Metropolis this year, so I waited patiently. Then, seconds later, the shot broke, and the arrow appeared in the 14... we had broken the magical, unheard of score of 80 up, finishing at +81. 

                                                              My Final Thoughts

 

  Honestly, I'm not sure what to say after witnessing what I witnessed on Saturday. My entire archery career I've been surrounded by phenomenal shooters and have had the pleasure of shooting with some of the best who have ever shot a bow and arrow. However, I can say with 100% conviction that I have never shot with anyone who is more skilled than Jacob Slusarz when it comes to the majority of archery games you can play. Overall, he is a step above all others in my opinion. He can hold his own in any indoor venue, and he has beaten legendary shooters in the professional ranks, shooters who will go down as the greatest ever. On his best days, in my opinion, there is nobody who can beat him. 

 

  I asked Jacob to be my teammate at this event when he was still in the youth class, and we have shown up every year and gave it our best. We have seen a few years where we couldn't seem to get things going, but we both figured out a way to survive and help each other when we could. Last year, we simply didn't have it. I struggled mightily on the first half, but never missed on the second half. Jacob had issues with his sight and had to add yardage after 55 yards and subtract yardage before 35. It made for a brutal day, as we were never able to bale each other out. I believe we still shot 53 up, but we were far from our best. 

  In our first year at the event, we struggled in the beginning and things got off to a shaky start before we began gelling and knocked off Sean Roberts and Josh Binger, who had been running the table for a few years and seemed unbeatable. A few years after that, we hit our stride and came in around 72 up, but we haven't returned there in a few years. We screwed with our equipment after the IBO World, and I usually ended up bringing a bow I hadn't shot much all year and only used for target archery. Well, this year, we both decided to not do anything to get ready for the event and just shoot a couple arrows the day or two before the shoot to make sure our marks were good. It was the first year I showed up with my actual 3d bow in quite a few years. Instead of shooting a higher power lens, I also left my 4x lens in for the shoot. Maybe that is what got us over the hump. I'll never know for sure. It might also be because we are both professionals, young and old alike, who have succeeded at a national level. 

  I also came into this shoot after experiencing one of my worst years ever in national tournaments. That would make one think I probably wouldn't pull my weight in this event. However, things kind of fell into place, and the only times I left the 10-ring were when I couldn't actually see the places clearly where I needed to hold the pin. I never missed due to a poorly executed shot. That was the biggest plus of the day for me, and those issues are to be expected by a 55-year-old man.

  Although I won't say it's the best I've ever shot, I do know that I shot marked yardage two times this year, and both times the results were pretty damn good, especially this time with the max yardage of 70 yards. The other time I shot marked yardage was with Rob, Tyler, Tom and Matt on the day off at the IBO World, and I performed flawlessly that day too. If I can see where I want to hit and make a good shot, I will hit it. When shooting marked yardage, seeing a defined aiming spot is essential to my success. 

  I let down a zillion times on Saturday due to an injured shoulder and the inability to rotate properly and without pain. I was in a substantial amount of pain and actually considered quitting halfway through. However, I've never quit, even due to injury, so I decided to stick it out. As I type this right now, I can barely lift my surgically repaired shoulder, so I probably didn't make the best choice, but this will be a memory I will never forget... so that makes my stupidity worth it. 

  In my archery career, I've never considered myself any better than anyone else. However, I do know I've beaten everyone at the highest level while shooting head-to-head against them at national tournaments, and I also know that all of them and the vast majority of amateurs have beaten me too. When I was a young man, many people accused me of cheating and people used to accuse Jacob of cheating. We both went to nationals and made those people eat their words. When you're competing against the best of the best, there's not much room for error. We both proved early on at national events that we could compete against the best shooters in the country when going head to head. There's no better practice than going head to head with the best people of your region or the best people in the country. I encourage everyone to do that. It will only make you better. I did this with Roger Thibault when I was a kid. Funny, but I kind of feel like Roger must've felt back then. Cole and Jake are the same age I was at back then, and I'm the same age Roger was back then. I hope they gain things from me like I gained from Roger back then, and I hope they remember the times with me and they things they learned when I am gone. 

  When I shoot in events like these, I think I sometimes fail to realize that I'm also a professional like Jacob. While I haven't had the success he has had and will continue having, I've had my share of time in the top 10, and I've made the dance a number of times to shoot for titles while also securing podium finishes and cashing Happy Gilmore checks. Therefore, I think sometimes people look at us at team shoots and don't realize the experience the two of us bring to the table. We remain slow and steady, and we encourage each other along the way when encouragement is needed. We have both succeeded on the highest level and competing against that can be a daunting task. However, we shot with Jake and Cole and we cheered them on. We gave them high fives when they smoked 14s and 11s, and we felt the disappointment when they couldn't bail each other out. We've all been there, and it doesn't matter whether you're a pro or a Joe. Many of us are very close, and many of us have succeeded at a national level, so we all know what it takes. I guess that makes us all appreciate each other's journeys in a more intimate way. We are all a team, and I couldn't ask for better teammates. I actually write these things for all of us. We all fail and succeed together because all of us want each other to succeed. 

  When I took a step back and looked at the scores, it humbled me. When I see Tom and Tyler at 322, Jake and Cole at 325 and George and Shane at 335, I know and understand how difficult it is to shoot those scores. I also know that all of those guys have at least one top 10 national finish and four of them have top 3 finishes or wins, and four of them have finished in the top 6 at the IBO World. They have succeeded at national shoots and to compete against these guys and call all of them my closest archery friends in my region is an honor. They all drive me to succeed and keep at it in hopes of giving others things to shoot for. I've also shot with every one of these guys multiple times, and they have always complimented me  and supported me with all of my decisions along the way. They have helped me with equipment and have given me their thoughts on shot execution and other important things. They have all helped me reach success on my journey, and I'm thankful for all of them. I also realize all of these guys could flip flop next week with scores if we held the same shoot next week. They are all great shooters, and that is what makes shooting in our region so challenging. I encourage all shooters in our region to shoot with the guys who have succeeded nationally. It will definitely bring your game to a different level, and it will give you different perspectives from people who have been there and done that. I also know that all of the guys I mentioned sought me and Jacob out and wanted to shoot with us at different times. When Tyler did this a number of years ago, I instantly saw a difference in his performances. He went to a national event shortly after and won. He hasn't slowed down since that year he got out of his comfort zone and answered all the critics. In the process, Tyler has become one of my best friends, and I try to offer advice that I could've used when I was in my early 30s. All I can do is hope that any mentorship has helped him, as well as Jake and Cole and the rest of the crew. I do what I do, so you guys can succeed. Jacob and I love shooting with you guys because we are all one and the same. We just love shooting our bows, and that's all that really matters. 

  I could go on and on, but I want to thank Shawn and crew for all of their work every year. You give us something to look forward to, and we all appreciate your time and efforts. It never goes unnoticed and we truly appreciate you and all of your help. I can only hope you truly know how grateful we are for everything you do for us every year. It goes a lot deeper than you will ever see from the surface. Thanks for everything. Here's the picture of the last arrow shot when we shot 72 up a few years back. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures this year, but this one is for inspiration that you can always do better.