All of us from the Northeast have been working toward this week all spring and summer. Our 3D season will culminate at the end of the week on Snowshoe Mountain. I have some good memories and some not-so-good memories from that mountain. Amazingly, I can still remember a few shots on those courses, shots that made me pucker. One year, I can remember cruising down the mountain on autopilot. I couldn't miss no matter what I did. I can also remember grinding through a few of the courses on different years. I'm not sure what this year will bring, but I'll take it and move on to the next week.
I spent a lot of time behind the bow this week. I haven't spent nearly enough time shooting at my dad's house this year. I've let all of my 3D shooting go by the wayside to improve my shot. Now that I think my shot is better than it used to be, I decided I needed to get some targets out and give it everything I had for the week before the World Championship.
I didn't think I had very many targets out, but when I counted them the other day, I realized that I had 51 targets out. I shot them every day of the week, even between thunderstorms. I could feel my yardage coming around, and I instantly realized why I struggled so badly this 3D season. I simply didn't practice enough on 3D targets on my own range. Since I put the time in this week, I'm hoping to pull a rabbit out of the hat next week. I'll go with no expectations and see what happens.
In my practice, I spent a lot of time shooting long distances. I still have good numbers. I haven't lost my numbers. I just need to avoid making any bad shots, and that will happen if I allow myself to relax and shoot my bow without having any tension in my hand, wrist or forearm.
I also loosened my triggers up after last weekend's experiment. The experiment didn't work that well, and after shooting some arrows with a looser trigger, I realized that I execute better with the trigger that way. I worked on relaxing my index finger while letting the pressure build on my pinky but not applying pressure with the pinky. That probably sounds confusing to some of you, but the relaxation of the index finger just transfers the pressure down the hand. It works well and allows me to identify that I'm relaxing and getting rid of any unnecessary tension in my fingers and hand. If the hand doesn't relax, the pressure stays on my index finger. It's a tell-tale sign that I need to relax.
I decided to head down to Connecticut to shoot in the CAA State Championship. Although the weather forecast called for severe rain, I decided to go anyway. I headed down with my dad and Wade Chandler. The rain was brutal on the way down, and we came across a car burning up on the side of the highway. It was toast by the time we were able to pass by it, but the woman driving appeared to be okay.
When we started shooting, the rain drizzled through the leaves, and it was extremely dark in the woods. I took my lens out and began my day on a long coyote. The coyote looked a country mile away without a lens in my scope housing. Luckily, I started with a 10. The morning got off to a good start, as I only got a few 8s through the first 12 targets. Unfortunately, I had an equipment issue on target 13 and it lasted until the last target of the half, target 15. I can't remember the last time I shot two fives in a row, let alone three of them. I ended that half by shooting three fives, all really low. Since Sean had set the course and was following us, he asked what I shot for numbers. When I told him, he confirmed that my guesses were correct.
I stopped at the target butt at the halfway point and moved my indicator three yards. I'm thinking that the rain may have soaked into my string and slowed things down, but I'm still unsure. After moving the indicator, I continued my good day and got four more 8s the rest of the way. I didn't shoot many 11s and didn't even get one until target 21, then in the last 9 targets, I got four of them. Overall, I had a great day of shooting if I can subtract the equipment issue.
The best part of the day is that I was able to hold it together when I could barely hold the bow still on the target. My dad even commented on it, saying, "I've never seen you so unsteady in my life." Well, my blood sugar went through the roof after we started. It got up near 300, which made it all but impossible to hold the bow still. Even though I couldn't hold it still, I made the best of it and got off the first half with three 8s besides the bow issue 5s.
I just wanted to wish everyone who is headed to the IBO World Championship good luck. I think it's important to remember that you should forget your recent performances if they weren't what you wanted. Instead, remember the ones that you performed flawlessly. We should never dwell on our past failures or success. If we do this, we can get into a rut. I've been lucky enough to win my class a few times along the way at the biggest 3D tournament of the year. I'll be the first to tell you that winning isn't what most people think it is. Think of this when you arrive: You sure as hell can't win on the first day, so don't bother trying to win. Instead, just go shoot your shots and hope for the best.
Your goal fo the first day should be to give yourself a chance going into the second day. If you're within 10-12 points of the lead after the first day, you still have a shot. You also don't need to shoot lights out for three straight days. You need to have one great day, one good day and one hang around day. It doesn't matter which day you have the performances, although it usually is a lot easier if you're right near the top going into the final. Capitalizing on others mistakes is what makes winners. You can't shoot like you're trying not to miss. You have to shoot like you're going to bury your competitors. You need that killer instinct.
Most of all, just go have fun and enjoy the tournament. I have had some unforgettable memories come from the world championship. I can remember missing the cut in three different classes (SPM, MBO, MBR). Two times I missed by one point. In two of those instances, there weren't any ties, so I was the sixth place guy. That's the worst feeling in the world.
I'm not doing a shooter profile this week. I just want to wish all of you some good luck, and I one our two of you are able to come home with one of these:
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