NYFAB NFAA State Championship

   This week was a good week of practice for me. With the indoor NY State Championship on Saturday, I decided I would practice on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I would use Thursday and Friday as rest days so I would be strong going into the tournament on Saturday. Many of you are probably wondering why I posted the quote above as the beginning of this entry, but you'll have to read along to see the reason behind it. I apologize for all errors in the text tonight. I'm not reading it over after typing it. I'm exhausted from the weekend and just wanted to get this up before I retire for the evening.

  I've had a good year of shooting indoors. Last year on Martin Luther King Day in January, I headed out to see Mike Price at the Heritage Archery Academy. He checked me out, and we decided to change my draw length. At that point, I decided I would give up a year of shooting to work on different things in hopes of becoming better than I was before I had made the changes. Throughout the rest of the 2018 winter season and throughout the summer season, I began to question what I was doing. I had lost all of my consistency. Although I was able to pull off a few good performances here and there, I definitely was far below the level I had been on at over the course of my shooting career. I stuck to my guns and decided I would continue giving it my honest effort.

  Finally, when the 2019 indoor season started, I came into my own. I finally began seeing consistent scores and performances for the first time since returning to archery after having reconstructive shoulder surgery in 2011 and rehabbing it for  2 1/2 years. I shot in two leagues this winter and competed with a bowhunter freestyle setup in both leagues. In a 450 league, I averaged 448 28xs, and in the 300 league, I averaged 300 55xs. I seem to struggle in 300 rounds due to the number of arrows that are shot. It just wears me out and affects my aim and execution as the round progresses.

  I also competed in a fair number of tournaments this winter. In my tournament shooting, I averaged 447 27xs and 300 57xs. So my average dropped a point in the 450 round during tournaments, but it increased by two Xs in the 300 tournaments. I think the reason for the increase in the 300 round was due to the fact that I was on the clock, and it slowed me down and made me take more time between shots. I think that alone helped a lot.

  All of that information brings us to this past weekend, the weekend of our NFAA State Championship in New York, which is held in Oneonta, N.Y., the town where I went to college at Oneonta State. I always like going to the tournament just because of the memories that it brings back when I drive through the town.

  My dad and I arrived about an hour and a half before our shooting time. We figured we could get in a little practice before live scoring began. I shot about six rounds of practice and realized that it was going to be a tough day, and I would have to work a little harder than normal. My pin wasn't sitting down, and my sight picture was definitely showing more movement than normal. Although the pin was staying in the 10-ring, it was finding its way all over the highest scoring ring. As long as I focused on my execution, I knew I would be okay.

  During the first scoring end, my shots broke cleanly when they broke, but my shot timing was too long. All of the arrows found their way into the 10-ring, although some of them were living on the edge. As the next few rounds progressed, my inability to hold the bow steady made it really hard to keep the arrows in the middle. I didn't battle it and focused on pulling through my shot. I always remember what coach Tim Strickland used to preach to me. He would tell me to focus on the execution and not pay attention to the movement of the aiming dot, so that is exactly what I did. It unnerved me a little bit because I'm used to the pin being much steadier. I just kept saying, "Motion is correction," and didn't worry about what was going on in front of me.

  My first game went well, and I ended up with a 149 10xs. I missed one arrow in the fifth end, and it hit halfway between the bottom of the 10 and the 9 line. When the sight bobbed, the release fired. Since it was a quick, jagged movement, the sight didn't have time to return to center before the arrow was on its way. I owned it and didn't give it any extra attention.

  The next game gave me the most issues of the three games. I battled some nerves and some tension that made my shot a little more difficult to execute than it has been over the last few weeks. It really wasn't all that big of a deal, and I think it was more mental than anything. A few ends, the arrow bounced off my blade while drawing, and that caused me to rush. When I didn't have any of that going on, I was finishing every end with about 47 seconds left on the clock. I think what was throwing me off was where the arrows were hitting. It seemed like every end I would have one or two arrows that I couldn't tell if they were in or out. My dad was a few lanes away from me, so I would borrow his binoculars after every end to see where the arrows had landed. Since I don't normally use binoculars, I'd say that might have been causing some of my mind's uneasiness. Somehow, I got lucky enough for the arrows to keep catching lines. I guess some days that happens and some days you don't get so lucky.

  Going into the last game, I knew I had to hang on for dear life. I had dropped one point through the first two games, and in my mind, I didn't feel like I had any margin for error. I know Jerry Galley always brings his A game, especially since changing bows this year. He's a hard guy to beat in the BHFS class, and I know he never leaves much wiggle room for his competitors.

 As I stood at the line and waited for the whistle to blow for the last scoring end, I felt calm inside. Although I was down three points, I just wanted to shoot three perfect shots. The first shot fired quickly, and I knew it was in the 10 ring. The next shot fired in its normal timeframe, and the last shot  was identical to the previous one. All three arrows found their way into the 10-ring, and I ended the round with my tournament average for the year, a 447 26x.  Here are the last three arrows I shot. I later learned that I had secured the state title in BHFS for 2019. It wasn't my best shooting of the year, but the execution was solid enough to allow me to overcome an unsteady sight picture throughout the tournament.



                                         John Vozzy is Inducted into the Hall of Fame



  After learning that I had won, I was able to witness my friend John Vozzy get inducted into the NYFAB Hall of Fame, and it was awesome. It's always nice to see people get awarded for years of dedication to any type of sport, but when it's a good friend getting awarded in his state's NFAA organization, it's even more special. I just wanted to give props to John for an awesome accomplishment. He has always gone out of his way to help me whenever I have asked for guidance. He also helped me remain calm in a situation that I'm about to share with you. Congratulations John.

                                        A First for Everything: Being Accused of Cheating

  As I stood around and waited for the Survivor round to begin, I talked with many of my friends. It was good to catch up with everyone since nothing of any importance was going on for anyone. Many of my friends were participating in the $10 buy-in for the round, and I wanted to cheer them on.

  When I finished my round, I pulled my target, placed it on a chair and put my quiver on top of it. While standing there, I felt an odd presence next to me. A tall guy in a maroon shirt approached me and asked how I did. It caught me off guard because I had never seen the man in my life. I didn't know why someone would ask me how I did if he didn't know me. I told him I shot well. Since I don't normally share scores with anyone, because scores are insignificant when it comes to how people shoot, I wasn't going to share anything with the guy. But he kept pressing for a score, which was even odder since I didn't know him. Finally, I told him I shot a 447. Then, he started in on me and said, "There's no way that target is a 447 target." He would go on to tell me that he saw me shoot all sorts of arrows out of the 10-ring, then he proceeded to point out the arrow holes in the target that were out of the 10-ring. Mind-boggled, I didn't really know what to do. There were four people on my bale, two scorers, a caller and the other shooter. No arrows were touched during scoring, and my arrows were the last arrows pulled on every end. We never had one arrow on any of the four targets throughout the round that we needed to call a judge to clarify the scoring, yet this guy told me he scored the round from his chair that was approximately 35 yards from the target...............impressive, but I think it's time for him to invest in some new binoculars that cost more than $80. The back-and-forth lasted for about five minutes. Finally, I had enough and just walked away. Some people witnessed it and others didn't. I've worked at establishing a solid reputation for the better part of the last 25 years, and this guy was trying to tear that apart. My blood was pushed to a boiling point, so I vented to many of my friends who were nearby. I handled it to the best of my ability.

  I guess I never realized how many people have my back and support me. I'd like to thank everyone who stepped up for me, including Andy Bush, Jeff Wagoner, Jason Clark, Jacob Slusarz, John Vozzy, Jon Scott, and Mike Price, among others. I appreciate the support that all of you guys gave me.

  Most of you who know me know that I don't stay for awards, even if I win. Well, I decided to stay for this award. When I got called to the podium, the guy kept going with the chitter chatter and said things to me under his breath. I smiled, accepted the award, and walked off the podium. The younger Todd would have mixed it up, but I decided to walk away and ignore it. If any of you go back to the picture above, which is the last end of scoring, and can find  what the guy claims to have seen, I'd love to hear about it. You can clearly see the three arrows I missed. They aren't hard to spot. If you find the other three or four that were out of the 10-ring that he was talking about, I'd love to meet another guy who saw whatever it was that he saw. Yes, I agree, it isn't the cleanest looking 447 you will ever see, but it's a 447 with a couple of close line calls that clearly touched the line.

  Scott Norton, if you're reading this, you can't imagine how all of this went down after you and I finished talking after the round. I wish you were still there, so you could have heard everything. I find it amazing how this guy waited until all of the guys who were on my bale were gone before he stalked me out and went after me. I've never been a sore loser in my life. I just don't get it. I congratulate the winners, and I'm happy for them. I always went to be like them and will try harder the next time. It's too bad that some people have to resort to this type of thing after losing. It was a pleasure to meet you Scott, and I look forward to shooting with you again. I'm sure Mark Myers has you on the right track, and I appreciate your feedback on how you could actually see me executing my shot. I'm sure Mark would be happy to know that you saw me following the process and rotating through my shot. I won't tell him about that one that I saw ;-). Great job this weekend. For just finding tournament archery, you will keep getting better, especially with the coach you have picked to help you on your journey.

                                                          The Survivor Round

  I didn't know much about this event, so I stuck around to watch it. Many of my friends were shooting in it, and the last man standing is the one who would walk away with the title. I root for all of my friends, and many of my friends were in it. When I looked up, and the final two were Jacob Slusarz and Jeff Wagoner, I didn't care who won because they are both great friends. In the end, Jacob pulled off the victory. He never ceases to amaze me. I love the kid and his family. They are great people. Here are Jeff and Jacob shooting the final end of the Survivor round.

                                                              
The best part of the Survivor round was the DJ, Mike Price, who played awesome music during the round. I think the music added to the effects and made it really cool to watch. It also gave it a feeling of sudden death. It amped people up and made them feel it when the moved on ---- or sat down. I liked it when he had it playing loud, but for some reason he turned it down a little way through the round, which was a little disappointing. The loudness of it as it went on really added to the atmosphere. I'd like to see that again.

                                                             Good Friends Winning Titles

  The members of the club I shoot out of, Hudson Falls Fish & Game Club, had a great weekend across the region. Jon Purdy shot a great round at the New England NFAA Sectionals in Massachusetts and ended with 58xs in BHFS. I'd say his chances of winning that sectional are pretty damn good. Congratulations Jon. It has been a pleasure watching you represent our club and bring your A-game to ever event you attend.

  Jeff Wagoner shot in the Senior Freestyle class for the first time ever at the NY State Championship and won it. He has now won the state championship in multiple classes over the years. This is no small feat with the competition that we have in New York. Congratulations, Jeff. You have worked hard at it and it shows. I hope your journey continues in the same direction. You had a pretty impressive indoor season, and it was awesome to watch. You started off with a win at Nimrod on New Year's Day and ended with a win at the state shoot.

  Jason Clark has flow under the radar for a long time and has faced some hard luck along the way. Well, he finally got it done this weekend and won the Freestyle class in impressive fashion at the NY State shoot. I've shared many moments with my dad along the way, and I thought it was awesome to watch Jason be able to share his moment with his son, Devon. There's nothing better than being able to share moments like that with each other. Congratulations, Jason. I was glad to see you get the job done this weekend. Great job!

  I always save the best for last: Jacob Slusarz. Jacob showed up with his 3D bow and arrows. He has barely shot the bow since last year and threw it together for this shoot. Although he had long bars on his bow, he shot with a pin and no lens. He won the pro division, shooting a 450 with 41s. Not many people can switch between two bows and still hold scores like that. Great job, Jacob, and thanks for having my back when everything was going down. I appreciate your friendship and support. Here's a picture of us in the end. Although Jacob shoots a Darton, Jeff, Jason and I won our state titles shooting PSE bows. Jason and I have had a good indoor season with our bows, and Jeff has shot his PSE for a long time.



I'd just like to thank everyone again for their support during the unfortunate incident that I had to deal with form the binocular scorer. I really took away from the end of the day with my friends. I also apologize to many of your for venting, but it really bothered me. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation but only a few seconds to destroy it. I could have destroyed it by going off the deep on, but John Vozzy and Mike Price helped me control my emotions, and Jon Scott looked deeper into the happenings and helped me out in that aspect. Thank you to all of my friends in the archery family. I truly appreciate it.

Beast of the East: The Highs and Lows of Shooting Well

   Since I had to give two seminars at the show, I signed up for the shoot in case I could get away from my booth for a few minutes. I figured it would give me a little bit of practice before next weekend's NY State NFAA Indoor Championship. I know how hard it is to focus on more than one thing during a weekend like this one, but I decided I would give it a whirl.

  I had a really good week of shooting my bow. I was able to get outside for a bit to try to dial in a 3D bow. It definitely wasn't an easy task due to the substantial amount of snow I still have at my house, but I got some numbers roughed in and the bow shot relatively well for having no time behind it. I sighted in my PerformX 3D and will be shooting that bow at the first IBO shoot in NY in a few weeks. I definitely am going to need some time behind it before I can make any solid judgments.

  After talking to Jacob about holding weight and a few other things, I decided to up the holding weight on the bow since I will only be shooting one arrow out of it at a time. After two days of shooting it, I think I might be better suited to drop it a few pounds. I'm currently holding 16 1/2 pounds on it, and I'm holding 11 1/2 pounds on my indoor bow. I'm fairly certain that 14 pounds would be a perfect number. I'll need to experiment with this as it gets nicer outside.

  So I showed up to the club for our final league night of the 450 league. In my practice on Monday night, I felt really solid. My shots have been breaking better than they have in 20 years, and I owe all of that to changing to the best caliper release I have ever shot, the TruBall Execute. After a major release malfunction at a national ASA event many years ago with a TruBall Extreme, I said I would never use a TruBall release again. The release malfunction cost me a national title, and I was highly disappointed because it was through no fault of my own. However, after getting this caliper in my hand, I have decided to go back on my word. This release just seems to work for me right now.

  When my last indoor league scoring round of this year began, my shots broke cleanly, and I felt like I couldn't miss. I've felt this way since changing to this release. It's no longer a struggle when I'm at full draw to do the things I'm supposed to do. I've had many problems over the last decade with trying to relax my hand on every shot. It creates a variety of other issues when I can't relax. Although people have seen me shoot for a long time, they think shooting is easy for me. They would never imagine the struggles I go  through on a daily basis. I basically have shot under the "fake it until you make it" mentality." For now, I have made it out the other end, and it feels incredibly awesome. If you're working at it, just keep plowing forward. Eventually, if there is a will, there is a way.

  As I got near the end of my round, my hold loosened up a little bit, but I really focused on my bow arm. If I keep a solid bow arm and pay attention to it, the arrows usually find their way to the center, even if I'm a little bit nervous and moving around more than normal. Although I was a little jittery near the end of the round, I didn't have any tension..............what an incredible feeling. I finished the round off with my second 450 of the year in the league. It was a great way to put a decent year behind me.



  Being so busy at work, I didn't have a lot of time to practice before the weekend. I went to the club on Thursday evening to make sure my shots were still breaking good. I shot for two hours without keeping score and never missed the 10-ring. I finally got my sight picture with the caliper release to equal my sight picture with a handheld. It took a little bit of adjusting on the length of the strap on the release, but I feel that I have an identical picture now, and it gives me confidence that I can shoot every arrow in the 10-ring.

  I signed up for the 4 o'clock Saturday day line for Beast of the East. I figured my main rush of people would be calmed down by then. I had to give an hourlong seminar at 11, and crowds usually subside at outdoor shows by late afternoon.

  There weren't a lot of people on my line, so it was fairly easy to get in a groove right from the beginning. I knew going into this tournament that it would be difficult to land near the top because of the setup I chose to shoot. There were no classes at this shoot, and all shooters were in one class. The awards were figured out according to the flighting system, which gives all sorts of people a chance to win. I like competing in events like this. There are no classes for men, women, youth, seniors, and there's no differentiation for equipment used, whether it's compounds, recurves, short bars, long bars, scopes, pins, or whatever else you might have for equipment.  In tournaments like this, you figure out in a hurry where you stand against everyone..............shoot what you bring. I knew I should've put a long bar and scope on my bow for the tournament, but I just stuck with what I have shot all year this year, the short bars and a big ol' black pin.

  When my round started, I realized the lighting was going to create problems. The lighting was great, but it cast huge shadows on the targets after the arrows hit. I also shoot the targets in the same order: bottom right, bottom left, top. Unfortunately, the shadows went from bottom to top. I should've changed the order I shot the targets, but I have done it the same way for so long, I chose to stick with my system. I ended up dropping three points total and two of them in the beginning came as complete surprises. I thought both arrows hit behind the pin. After retrieving the arrows, I came to believe that the shadow that showed up on my third target caused me to lose focus of where the pin needed to be. When I realized that was the problem, I quickly made a mental note of it and didn't let it happen again.

  I've shot many rounds over the last 20 years, but none have felt as good as this one. Everything was effortless, and my shots broke better than I an ever remember. I was finally in the zone again during an indoor round. Of course, I did experience a little bit of bad luck with the shadows, but I pay no attention to that when looking back on the performance. I had a winning performance but didn't win. I executed 44 perfect shots. I over-held one shot and barely missed it out the bottom. When I pulled the arrows out of the target after the last end, I smiled to myself and talked to Old Todd. I said, "Welcome back ol' Todd. I'm glad that tension that has kept you away is gone, and I couldn't be happier to have you back."



  This round felt like the year that I competed in the second leg of the NY Vegas Triple Crown about 20 years ago. I shot next to Dave Badgley at Sara Spa Rod and Gun. I shot a 446 with 41Xs at that tournament. Yup, all 4 xs I missed were 9s. This tournament was very similar to that. If the Beast of the East had Lancaster scoring this year, I would have been tied for first at the end. I still ended up okay, and the placement is insignificant. If you have a winning performance and don't win, you can't do anything about that. I've been piling those types of performances up this winter. It's just a matter of sticking to the programming and allowing things to happen rather than making them happen. When all was said and done, I finished with a 447 36xs, but I executed my shots at a 449 42X pace. I feel that with a scope on my bow, that's the type of round I would've shot. Sometimes the real score doesn't equal your execution score. I always take my execution score to figure out how well I shot. I also have to give a shoutout to Jon Scott, Chris Wegner and Jeff Wagoner. All of those guys are stout shooters. If I were able to pull off a miracle and beat those guys with a short bar and a pin, I would have been very lucky. For all of you pin guys, I gave it my best shot.  Here's my last end of scoring. In the number 2 bullseye, I missed the one that's high and a hair to the right during the first practice end, oh so close but oh so far away from a 450.



  I shot my PSE Supra Focus for this tournament. The bow has been shooting incredibly well. This is quickly turning into one of the favorite bows that I have shot indoors. It aims really well, and I like the feedback it gives me while shooting. The Evolve cam system is one of the best cam systems I've ever shot and it's extremely easy to draw. The adjustments within the modular system to get it where you want it is definitely top-notch. It's pretty much a target shooter's dream. The more I shoot the bow, the more impressed I am with it.



  Although I can't express to you guys how happy I am about all of the progress I've made in the last year, the star of this show was my buddy Chris Hall. Chris showed up at my club this year and was interested in target archery. He asked a lot of questions and seemed like one of those guys who really wanted to get better at the craft. Having a lot of bad habits and no competitive experience, I figured I might have my hands full when he asked for help. I'm the furtherest thing from a coach, but I do have a lot of experience to draw from to help people avoid a few pitfalls here and there. If I can save someone some time, I do my best to help him if he asks for the help.

  When Chris asked me for help, I decided I would do my best to help him. We quickly identified that he was slapping the crap out of his trigger. He was hitting that thing like an adult playing whack-a-mole at the amusement park. We made quick work of that problem and got him to execute a shot that surprised him when the release fired. Since that time, we have concentrated solely on working at 10 yards. Chris's average went from under a 400 on a 450 Vegas round to about 420. We also improved his average on a 5-spot 300 round from the 270s to mid to high 290s, and he's knocking on the door of shooting his first 300. He will definitely pull that feat off in the near future.

  I convinced Chris to go to the Beast of the East. He was really nervous because he had never attended a tournament and didn't think he was good enough to go. I told him tournaments aren't about how well you shoot, they're more about making friends, having a good time and gaining experience that can't be gained anywhere else. If you want to be a good tournament archer, you need to attend tournaments.

  Chris got in a groove at the beginning of the tournament and stayed in it until the end. I'm proud of him for his ability to stay focused with the chore at hand and not sway in another direction. It was very impressive to watch. When the dust settled and all arrows had been shot, Chris had surpassed his personal best by 11 points and ended up with a 432. He simply rocked it.

      



  I've heard a lot of people beat themselves up and say they can't do something in archery. Some people make the game so frustrating that it's not even fun to compete. A lot of that comes from trying so hard to be perfect. I'm also guilty of it. Until I recently went back to a wrist strap release, I hadn't realized how much fun had gone out of shooting for me over the years. Although I shot well, every tournament was a struggle. The last few I have shot with this wrist strap have been fun. Of course, it's hard to have fun when you're struggling and don't reach your goals, but ultimately, you shoot a bow because you like to launch arrows toward a target. Don't lose sight of that in your travels around the tournament trail.

  Great job, Chris. You make me proud. A lot of people have welcomed Chris into the archery circle, and he made even more friends at the shoot last weekend. Jon Purdy, Jeff Frasier and Chuck Weeden have all given things to Chris, including their time, to make sure he enjoys himself. Encourage other people along the way and welcome them into our circle. It's our responsibility to grow our sport so do your part.

 I have one more indoor shoot left this year, and I can't wait to get done with it and get outside. Until next week ------------------------> shoot straight and have fun.

The Winter Can-Am Classic & Pure Space Hypnosis

   I went to visit Jeff Frazier last Thursday when I got out of work. It was a blustery day, and there was no sign that spring is just around the corner. When I walked in the door to Jeff’s shop, Jeff Wagoner and Jon Scott were inside. 

  My fascination with Jeff’s workbench area drew me to it. Every time I visit Jeff, I know I will find something I can play with. Usually, I find a release or two that I want to try. Amazingly, I spotted a TruBall Execute release lying on the bench. I’ve been interested in trying it since it came out but haven’t known anyone who has one.

  I secured it around my wrist and decided to give it a whirl. With Jon Scott sitting in the chair next to the door, I came to full draw and settled into my anchor point. As I began cradling the trigger to become friends with it, the release fired. Jon laughed because the release fired so quickly. I had the deer in the headlights looks look due to the surprise.

  We looked for the stiffer spring but couldn’t find it. Eventually, after shooting the release for a while and playing with some bows, I headed home with the release in my pocket. Jeff said I could borrow it to see what I thought about it. 

  On Friday night, I was unsure if I wanted to shoot in my weekly league. Since I had planned on heading to the Winter CanAm Classic early Saturday morning, I didn’t want to be out all night. Well, the decision was made for me when I showed up at the club. Jeff Wagoner had the stiff spring with him, so we installed the spring. I decided to give the release an honest effort. 

  Out of the gate, I knew this release was going to be something special. When I began shooting it, my shot execution was effortless. One arrow after another found its way into the X-ring, and I became a believer. Although I wasn’t familiar with the release, I told the guys that I would probably use it at the Winter CanAm Classic the next day. They all laughed and thought I was crazy. A few of them warned me against it, but I told them I would make my choice at the target bag the next day. I ended Friday night league with a 300 54x round. It was a struggle from start to finish, but I focused on my good shots and left it behind when I headed home. 

                                                 The Ride Out & the First Couple of Arrows

  When the alarm rang at 4:30 a.m., I knew I would be in for a long day. I had gone to bed at 11:30 and hadn’t slept a wink when I looked at the clock at 1:30. After getting up and wandering around the house, I hoped I would fall asleep when my head hit the pillow. Unfortunately, I tossed and turned for a while longer. By the time I finally lost consciousness, it was after 2:00. 

  I felt calm, cool and collected on my ride to Syracuse. Being alone, it was a quiet ride, and I enjoyed much of it in complete silence -- no radio, no background noise other than the tires of the car rolling over the pavement. The noise created a calming sensation that coursed through my veins, and I enjoyed the feeling. 

  After pulling into the parking lot, finding a parking place and unloading my gear, I headed into the building. Opening the door and seeing my archery family inside, I felt a smile briefly form on my lips. Making my way to the Northeast Big Buck Club booth, I chatted with people I hadn’t seen since last year, and I caught up with a few I hadn’t seen since the Lancaster Archery Classic in January. It felt good to be “home” with my extended family. 

  Since I was there early, I decided to unpack my bow and shoot a few arrows. Walking to the practice butt, I shared a few more pleasantries with familiar faces. Feeling completely calm, I reached for an arrow in my quiver to get ready for my first shot of the day. When I drew the bow, I felt the rush of adrenaline that always greets me, however, this rush seemed far greater than many rushes I have received in the past. It almost overwhelmed me, and the sight picture was erratic. Although I tried ignoring it, it was difficult to stuff it into my back pocket. I continued shooting, and the pin continued moving. I focused on executing good shots instead of paying attention to the movement that I normally don’t see. When all was said and done, I shot a group of five arrows in the white on a 5-spot target at 40 yards and called it good. Being back on track and shooting a normal-sized group, I knew I would be ready to roll when the round started. 

                                                                    First Scoring Round

 I decided to start my round with the TruBall Execute release. Although I don’t hold as well with a caliper release, I feel that I break a better and more consistent shot with one. I don’t have to battle hand tension or any of the things that go along with it while trying to shoot good shots. I’ve never been a good indoor 3D shooter due to my inability to pick up any type of definition on targets. Simply put, I just don’t see well enough to know if the pin is sitting in the exact spot I want to hit. Knowing that, I put the pin in the general area and try to execute good shots. 

  My shots broke clean during the first end, but the unsteady sight picture seemed a little hard to deal with. That’s when I chose to go back to “old reliable.” I broke out my Stan SX2 and decided to try that for the next end. Five minutes later, I realized I should’ve stuck to the original plan and finish with the release I had started with.The SX2 went back into the release pouch, and the Execute found its way back onto my wrist. I would trade the tension-filled shots for the unsteady sight picture. 

  Mentally, the rest of the round was one of the best rounds I’ve shot in as long as I can remember. My aiming was effortless, and I think the arrows were hitting behind the pin. Having shot McKenzie 3D targets for the better part of my 3D archery career, I’m familiar with the location of the 10-ring on most targets. Without being able to see well, I decided to aim in the area where I thought the center 10 should be located. Confidence found its way into my head and my shot when I began piling up center 11s. Going into the last third of the round, I decided to start guessing at the location of the 12-rings and gunning at them, barely missing every one I shot at. When the round finished, I was satisfied with my shooting. The score didn’t reflect my performance. I knew I had a winning performance and was really pleased with that aspect of the round. I figured I would pile up the points in the next round. Could I possibly shoot another 20 targets without hitting one 12? I highly doubted the probability of that happening.

                                                                The Second Scoring Round

  After trying to process the first round and the score that came out of it, I knew I needed to pick my game up to make the cut. I got a head start on it by getting to my starting station as the shooters in the time period prior to mine were finishing their rounds. Sean Roberts, Scott Tozier and Jake VanHillo were finishing their round on the same target I would be starting on. When I glanced at the first few targets I would be shooting, I visualized my shots and felt good about the result that appeared in my mind. Having to make ground up, I knew I had to shoot at some bonus rings to stay alive. I definitely could not afford to drop any points.

  After getting a few targets into the second round, I realized I was following the same path that I had walked on a few hours earlier. I couldn't see enough definition on any of the targets to hold on a spot and feel confident about where the pin was sitting. Although I knew I was in the 10-ring on most targets, I couldn't see them well enough to shoot for 12s. 

  As I was getting near the end of my round, John Vozzy and Sean Roberts came to cheer me on. I always appreciate a vote of confidence from my friends. I tried putting on a show for them but came up short. The last six targets I shot, I could see the kill zones well enough to give it an honest effort and go after the 12s. I shot at most of them and barely missed them, some by no more than 1/4 of an inch. My shooting was flawless, and I felt really good about it. When the dust settled, I had shot one, yes ONE 12 out of the 40 targets and eded at 6 down. I don't think I've ever shot so well and had the results tell a different story. If I had been shooting an indoor 300 round, I executed my shots well enough to hang a 300 60X target on the wall when I finished. I'm extremely happy with that fact. I did make the cut but got in by the skin of my teeth in the last qualifying spot. That alone goes to show you that you should never give up. I shot one bonus ring and made it in.

                                                                Elimination Match

  Once again, I knew which targets I would be shooting in the three-target elimination match, so I went to the station and imagined myself shooting them. I decided to start on a 45 yard chamois. I could see a spot on the target that was shot out, and it was just to the left of the 11 and above the 12. I would aim at that spot and cut some yardage.

  When the whistle blew to start the elimination match, I drew my bow, anchored, and let the pin bury itself in that spot. Although my shot timing was a tad longer than normal, the pin never moved out of the spot. As soon as the shot broke, I knew I had gold. There was no doubt the arrow would find its way into the 12 -- and it did.  

  With that behind me, I shot the new tapir target. Once again, I had a dark spot to aim at above the 12. I aimed at it and broke another great shot, with the arrow landing just above the 12. Going into the last target, I waited for my competitor to shoot his last arrow. After a quick glance at the targets, I knew I could win with an 8. He had shot two 10s and an 8. Sean and Scott confirmed it with me when I turned around to look at them. Instead of taking my time and really looking at the target to get a great place to aim at, I shot the target. I put the pin behind the shoulder and executed another great shot. The arrow landed behind the pin, and I knew it was time to move on to the next round. With the way my shot was feeling, I was confident I would make it into the final 5, especially since I only had to win one more round of three arrows. 

  Well, all of that went out the window when I walked up to the last target I shot. My arrow had landed exactly where I had put the pin, which was out of the 10 to the left. I hadn't looked at it close enough and shot the target by memory, and I haven't shot McKenzies in a tournament in years. I simply shot the target in the wrong spot.........a 26.5 yard target. Then, looking at my competitor's arrow, I knew there was going to be a debate on whether it was in or out. I've always given shooters the benefit of the doubt, but I had to call this arrow out. Although it was actually touching the 10 line, I didn't think it was touching the 12 line. In my eyes, it was too high and to the right, and I'm a loose caller. After my competitor called for a judge, the arrow got called in, not in the 8 and not in the 10........in the 12. Since I had scored an 8 on the target, I would be taking a seat. My tournament had ended. 

                                                           Props to Great Performances

  Everyone who knows me, knows I root for my friends first and foremost. If I can't win, I want my friends to win. If I'm competing against them, I want to beat them at their best. When I had to take a seat, I focused on my friend Scott Tozier. We've competed with and against each other for almost 30 years, so I always route for him when he's shooting. He ended up making it into the finals and pulling off a podium finish. Knowing all of the work he put into volunteering at the tournament, his finish is impressive. I know how difficult it is to focus on shooting when there are a zillion other things going on throughout out the day. Great job, Scott!

  On Saturday night, I got to watch my friend John Vozzy in the senior pro shootdown round. Although the crowd didn't know, a few of us knew that John was making his way back from a shoulder replacement surgery. We have all been pulling for him and want to see him do well. Like us, he puts an awful lot into archery. Archery is his life. John played a smart game in the beginning but then saw an opening and went for it, shooting at a few 14s and nailing them. The crowd appreciated it but not as much as we did, knowing the journey of getting back to the top has begun. Vozzy ended up finishing in second place, and I feel confident in saying that he will gradually get better and better as the year progresses. This is a story that everyone should keep an eye on. My buddy Shawn Couture had rotator cuff surgery a few months back and is struggling mightily with rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Vozzy has an entirely new shoulder and is shooting his bow at a high level. We hope Shawn makes progress and can get back on top, too.

  It was cool to watch Mark Nott compete against Vozzy in the shootdown round. Unfortunately, Mark had some bad luck during the round and wasn't able to figure it out until the last arrow had been fired. Mark has always done well at this tournament and he did it again this year. Mark, it was fun to watch. Hopefully, the bad luck has been put behind you for the coming year. You still have to be happy with the shooting for the weekend. 

  Saturday was full of drama and suspense with all of the elimination matches going on. There were piles of people from New York and New England in the matches. Some of them advanced a round before being eliminated and some of them made it to the finals. I'd try to mention everyone, but I'm sure I'd forget a few. I did notice that Pat Clark shot well in both classes he entered. He made the cut in one and barely missed in another. Joe Ricard shot one of the highest scores on the range during one of his rounds but didn't quite make the cut. This is still something to hang your hat on going into the 3D season. Andy Bush made the cut, and he is always a tough competitor to knock out. I enjoy watching him shoot. He always finds a way to survive, even if the day isn't one of his best. Ron Sargent put up a great score when he shot and found himself in the dance. Ron has worked hard this winter, and it has definitely been showing up everywhere he shoots. Jeremy Flagg gave it a really good run but came up just a hair short. I was disappointed when he didn't make the cut, but he put himself in a good position to do so. I guess some days it's meant to happen, but this wasn't his weekend. He will get another chance in a month to defend a title from last year when we head outside and start the 3D shoots across the region. Longtime archer and friend Brian Kasten made his way through his matches and found himself on the podium in Senior Hunter. he has worked hard this winter and began attending target archery tournaments. It has been improving his game, and that was obvious at this tournament. I forgot to mention a few of you, but it's not because I didn't notice. One thing I did notice is how good Jake VanHillo's shot looked this weekend. I also know he has been working a lot on the process, and he looked good from a distance. When someone's shot looks good, the results are usually good, too. That was the case with Jake. Although he didn't make the cut, he did put up a very respectable score. Although Jake shot really well, Sean, Scott and I think (all in good fun) he might need to get a stronger prescription for his glasses when scoring arrows. Jerry Galley never fails to impress. This year he made a big change, just like me, when he changed to a different bow. The bow he is shooting now just agrees with him. He has been banging out great scores in every tournament he attends. He ended up on the podium in the hunter class, and his new bow carried him once again. He should have a phenomenal year in 3D this year with the bow. I look forward to watching him shoot it this year. It seems to have made a difference in his shooting. I also switched bows for indoors, and it has allowed me to be much more consistent this season. I've also made some form changes, too, so I'm sure it's a combination of both. But having a forgiving setup in your hands, no matter who you are, is definitely going to give you confidence and help your game. 

  The star of the show from our region this weekend was Matt Defeudis. He just laid it down. The most impressive part of Matt's shooting is that he went there with a plan and carried it out. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he did it. It was impressive to watch, especially since he had to live with the stress of forgetting his arrows at home. Luckily, his buddy got his arrows to him before he started. Now, that's a great friend. Matt has worked hard and has a good training partner in Jeremy to push him. These two guys have definitely made each other better since last summer. They are both hungry, and I saw it in Matt's shooting as well as seeing it in Jeremy's shooting. When Matt got into the final, he played smart and stayed where he needed to stay going into the second to last target when he tagged a 12 to take a share of the lead. On the next shot, he centered a long strutting turkey for the win. I was happy for him, and this is a big win for him that should catapult him into the outdoor 3D season. Great job! Here's a photo of the winning shot.

                                       Pure Space Hypnosis: Highlight of the Weekend

 If you want to up your game and become a 300 shooter or a 60x shooter, you need to read this part. 

  A few days after returning home from the Lancaster Archery Classic, I listened to a podcast about hypnosis and the business Pure Space Hypnosis. Joe Crisanti, the owner of the business was the man I listened to. Everything he said resonated with me, and I knew I had to seek him out. I sent him an email and told him I would catch up to him at the Winter CanAm Classic, where we could get to know each other and talk a little bit. 

  When I arrived at the venue, Gary Neal saw me and grabbed me by the arm. He said, "I have a guy you have to see. I thought of you as soon as I met him, and I believe he can fix all of those problems you have run into over the years."

  Gary walked me over to Joe's booth and introduced us. Later in the weekend, I found about 45 minutes to spare and got to know Joe a little bit better. We talked about a lot of things, and I filled him in on situations I have encountered in archery -- and life -- over the years. It was a stimulating conversation. He's a good listener and takes everything in as people talk to him, always in deep thought trying to process different things if they're applicable to his profession. 

  During our conversation I shared something with him about accepting awards after winning them, and he stopped me and told me to make sure I brought that same topic up when I scheduled an appointment with him because he thought that might have something to do with the issues I've had problems with in my archery career. 

  He explained to me that everyone has a trigger, something that triggers our subconscious mind to react as it does. It causes it to go down a certain path, and we have a hard time controlling that path because the origin is so deep-rooted that we might not even know what causes it. I listened closely and thought about all of the people I know who could benefit from what he was talking about. He could help with archery issues and life issues. 

  Joe gets the archery part. He's a certified archery coach, which enables him to have a greater understanding about what we go through as tournament archers. Although this type of thing probably doesn't work on all people, I believe there are a great many of you who are reading this who could benefit from his services. 

  If you come from humble means like me, it's hard to justify spending any money on something like this when you don't know if you will gain anything from it. But that's why I look at it in another manner and will find a way to save enough money to book a few sessions with him, even if it means selling some of my stuff to be able to afford it. Think about how much money you have spent on archery things over the years. We spend some of the money and don't keep whatever we bought for more than a month or two. With Joes' help, you might just be able to keep something with you for the rest of your life that will help your archery game. Do you want to get over the tournament anxiety? Do you want to get over a mental stumbling block that seems to bite you at the worst times? Do you want to stop shooting one arrow out that prevents you from shooting a 300, 450 or 60xs? He might just have what you need to get you over the hump. Be forewarned that he can't make you shoot 60xs if you don't have the ability in your form to do so, but he can help your mental game if the mental game is what is holding you back. 

  The proof is in the pudding. I've known Gary Neal for the better part of 30 years. He knows where I have struggled, and he also knows that I have won multiple state, national and world championships. Many people don't think that archers like me struggle with the subconscious mind. They look at all of the big wins and think that it must be easy. It's never easy, and I have still been able to somehow pull it off. I would like to shoot as relaxed and confidently in a tournament as I do in my backyard. Joe can help people do this. 

  Many of you are probably still wondering what I classify as "expensive." We all have different means, and I 'm definitely not a man of much money. Don't quote me, but I think Joe said the first session is around $300 or $350 and each session beyond that is $150. The first session will usually last between an hour and two hours, and each session after that should be about an hour. Please contact him through his website for more information. Let him know I sent you his way if you want to give it a whirl. He also said he can do this through FaceTime or possibly on Skype. I know many of you in my archery world could change your game if this worked for you. I will keep all of you filled in on my progress when I gather enough money to schedule a visit.  I've posted his card right here so you can contact him. Let me know if you decide to give I t whirl and please share your success stories.

  Once again, the Winter CanAm Classic was an awesome run event. Please support the big events in your region, no matter where you live. It's important to stay on the same page and support one another. I was highly disappointed with the absence of many people who I believe should have been at this tournament. It's time to grow up and support these things. Instead of going tit for tat, why don't we all pull up our big-boy panties and try to work together instead of against each other. Do we want to go back to what we had a handful of years ago when there weren't any notable events to attend? Do we all want a piece of the pie, or do we want to smash the pie in other people's faces because we don't like them? You make the call. I try to attend everything in my region because I know how important it is to do this. There are only so many things I can do, but I try to get to as many as time allows, especially if the event is within three hours of my house. Many of you should swallow your pride and promote archer in your region because you love archery, instead of staying home because you have a bone with an organizer or an organization. Let's come together before we run everyone out of town............again. Big shoutout to Jason Minnamon and all of his volunteers who made this shoot possible. The amount of work that goes into these things is beyond anyone's wildest imagination if you haven't done it yourself. It was nice to see some of the heavy hitters such as the owner of ASA, Mike Tyrell, and Rob Kaufhold, who owns Lancaster archery, in attendance. 

  

  

  

2019 NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectionals

  With the title of this entry, a lot of your are probably wondering why I started it with this picture. Well, it's because Jacob and I shot the NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectionals at the same host site in upstate New York. Although we shot both of our rounds at different times, we did get to catch up with each other at the end of the last line on Sunday.

  We had both discussed going to Reedy's Archery in Massachusetts to shoot in their annual Vegas tournament, but we chose to stay in our home state and attempt to exorcise the demons that this tournament has give us on occasion here and there.

  I've made a few changes since the last time I wrote anything. I had to stop shooting my caliper release because of the pain in my shoulder. For some reason, the day after shooting the caliper I would get a lot of pain in the top of my shoulder. Although I was executing much better and more relaxed shots, I knew I needed to go back to a handheld. I'll have to work more to figure out why I get all of the shoulder pain while shooting a caliper because I believe that style release is a much better choice for me.

  Since I knew I had to go back to a handheld, I decided to lengthen the draw length a little bit to experiment with a few things I've been feeling for most of the indoor season. Anyone who knows me, knows I hate change. I just can't stand changing things, even if I think the changes will make things better. I finally got to the point where I thought I could make things better, so I added two twists to each cable and headed to the range. Most of your probably are thinking that it's no big deal, and it probably isn't to most people. But for me that's a huge change. Call me odd, but that's just the way I have always rolled. I always think I can make something work, even if it isn't quite right.

  The first night of league after changing the draw length, I could't believe the difference. Although my holding pattern stayed the same, I definitely realized I could get away with shots that were less than par, which hadn't been the case the entire indoor season up until that point.

  When the dust had cleared in league after making the changes, I shot a 450, the first 450 I've shot with that bow since the first round I shot with it indoors in October when I thought I would be ready to roll. When you shoot a bow that well out of the gate, you can usually expect that it's a shooter. Although I haven't shot the bow poorly, I haven't felt like it was very forgiving at all -- until now.

  After a few more practice sessions, I changed the pin for the NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectionals. Instead of shooting a solid, large dark pin, I put my .019 fiber back in. The fiber shows up much better on the 5-spot target, and the solid pin shows up better on the Vegas target.  For some reason, I lose the solid one on the white background during the 5-spot rounds.

  I decided to shoot the first two lines of the sectionals at the location I chose because I had so many other things to do during the weekend. When I arrived at the host site on Friday evening, I was a little frazzled due to a bunch of things that had gone on since the time I had gotten out of work. I normally shoot in a Friday night league, so I figured staying on that path would be beneficial to my shooting. Since I'm used to shooting on Friday nights, I would feel like I was shooting in my normal league. Sometimes we have to use our mind to play tricks on ourselves, which is what I did in this case.

  After getting there and organizing my gear for the tournament, I had to wait for more than an hour for the line to start. I hadn't anticipated being there that early, so I needed to find something to do while I waited. A few other people were there, so I began conversing with everyone, and before I knew it, it was time for the practice ends to start.

  When I shot three Xs and two fives in the first practice end and followed it up with the same score the next practice end, I wasn't sure what to think about the first scoring end when I stepped to the line.   I could feel my nerves, and my shot felt loose during the first end. My pin float was larger than normal, but I ignored it and focused on making the best shots I could. I battled through the first game and dropped an X in each of the first three ends. Although a start like that can get in many people's heads, I knew I could clean out if I just executed the the things I have been working on in practice, and I do practice much more than others.

 As the round continued, it seemed to be a roller coaster ride, but I never experienced any hair-raising corners. I stayed focus and worked hard to get through it to the best of my ability. I made some incredible shots, and they broke loose just like they do when I'm in my basement, a feeling I've been becoming more accustomed to during scoring rounds.

  When the clock started at the beginning of the last round, I drew my bow and shot the shots one shot at a time. The last five shots of the round felt fantastic. I loved bringing the feeling out the door with me at the end. It was good knowing that I would be shooting on the 9 a.m. line the next day. I would be able to take those shots with me and start off in the same place the next morning. I ended the round with a 300 56X 29 inside out round. They count inside outs on every round in our sectionals to break ties. I was happy with the round. For shooting a pin and short bars, I knew that I had put up a competitive and respectable score.



  The next morning found me at the site bright and early. I felt fairly calm and relatively relaxed. After putting up the score I put up the night before, I figured I would just try to shoot the best I could and see where I landed at the end of the round.

  Once again, I missed a few during the two practice ends, but I felt much better than I did the night before. My shots seemed to break a little cleaner, and I executed all of them just as if I were in my basement.

  When the scoring round started, I felt a few nerves that I hadn't felt up until that point. My hold was a hair larger than normal, but it was still pretty good. I executed all good shots but got a little unlucky with a few arrows, as they barely missed the X. It could have been where the pin was sitting when  the shot broke because all of my shots felt good.
  After getting through the first few ends, I began to stroke. My shots seemed effortless, and I could feel every one of them. I stretched the fishing line and pulled the X out of the target toward the bow until the line snapped. Every time it snapped, I knew that I had landed another X. The boat quickly began filling up with enough Xs for a fish fry, and I knew there was no stopping me on this day.

  I had two recurve guys on my bale while shooting, and they both had to keep telling me how impressed they were with my shooting. When we got to the last end, they both reminded me that it was the last end. So when I walked to the line and waited for the clock to start ticking toward zero from the 4-minute park, I felt a little bit of extra pressure, knowing I had an opportunity to beat my round from the day before. Although the shots weren't my best shots of the day, I stayed the course and put them all in the X to finish my round. I ended the round with a 300 57Xs 35 inside out Xs, a success for me.



  I put together two good rounds for the sectionals and was pretty happy about it. I shot a 600 with 113Xs. In the old days, they counted both rounds in the sectionals, which I think they should still do. However, now they keep the best of your two rounds, so my round that will count is the 57X round. Now, we will have to wait for all of the scores to get tallied up down the eastern seaboard to figure out where I stand. In past years, this would put me on the podium. I'd like to make it since I will be heading into the senior division next year. I would be nice to end my last year in the young guy class on the podium. Time will tell.

  Although I couldn't be at the host site on Saturday, I decided I would go back on Sunday to see how everyone had done and to catch some of the last line. I figured I could catch up on some stuff with my teammate Jacob Slusarz at the shoot. As always, I wanted to ask him some questions about shooting stuff, too. That's one thing I recommend to everyone out there: Always ask good shooters questions that can help you with your game. Good shooters know a lot, and great shooters know even more. Since Jacob is a great shooter and a great friend, I ask him a lot of questions. Our topic of discussion today was holding weight. He recently bumped up his holding weight and it has helped him a lot when he feels some nerves. His pin might not sit as steady as normal, but the change isn't much, and the bad shots during nervous moments aren't nearly as bad.

  I felt good to catch up with Jacob and also chat with his mom for a bit. They are good people. I'm glad I met them a few years back. I like to follow Jacob's journey and watch him shoot. It's a pleasure. I also like to interact with him because we have similar feeling about a lot of different things when it comes to hunting, shooting and our fathers. It's easy to route for someone like him.

  As I watched him shoot his round a little bit, it felt good to know that all of the changes he made a few weeks ago have allowed him to get back on track and enjoy shooting. Although great shooters and good shooters make shooting look easy, we must all remember that shooting isn't nearly as easy as people make it look. All you have to do is talk to a bunch of people who shoot really well to determine that it really is much harder than they make it look. All people feel nerves, and all people put pressure on themselves, whether it's a little pressure or a lot. The people who make it look easy have found ways to use their mental strength to persevere. That's the part that I can appreciate the most when watching great shooters shoot great shots under pressure.

 Although Jacob pounded the first day with 300 60Xs and 58 inside out Xs, he felt like he shot a little better the second day. He basically shot the same score, shooting 57 inside out Xs instead of 58 on the second day, both stellar rounds. Here are both of Jacob's rounds.



  This weekend was a big step in the right direction for both of us. We have both been working on some things to get us back on the path we want to follow. Although the sample size is small, I feel confident that we both made great strides. My shot felt the best it has the entire indoor season. Although all of them weren't up to snuff, I can easily say that 50 to 75% were spot on. Even the other shots that didn't fit into the top tier weren't that bad. I believe my inside out X count kind of speaks for the shots. My perfect shots go inside out X, and I shot a little more than half of my arrows inside out on the second day.

  As I close this up tonight, I just wanted to stay congratulations to everyone across the region who shot good rounds this weekend. There were a lot of tournaments going on, and many people shot well in the places they were shooting. When I look at Jacob, I sometimes like to think I'm his age, but then I quickly realize that I'm 30 years older than him. He's one of the nicest young men you will ever met and he's mature beyond his age. That's a really nice thing to see at this day and age.  It also felt reassuring to know that  he's usually my teammate when we shoot as teammates in different fun team events across the region in the summer. Although we weren't teammates at the host site where we shot the Mid-Atlantics this weekend, I still felt like it was one and the same: I route for him, and I think he routes for me, because that's what good friends do. Between the two of us, we shot the two highest scores at this particular host site for the weekend. Here are the two cards we got returned to us because they were our low scores that weren't counted



  I'll be at the Winter CanAm Classic in Syracuse, NY, this weekend shooting at ASA 12s. I haven't done that in a long time, so it should be interesting. I don't really have anything set up for it, and my bow is going 250 fps. I plan on being in the NY State Big Buck Club booth selling some of my books on Saturday when I'm not shooting. Stop in and look me up if you're interested in one of my new books.