This past weekend, I participated in the annual NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectionals. I felt prepared going into the event, and I've been working on my shot for the last few weeks. After shooting in the NFAA Virtual Indoor Nationals in January, I lost my shot for a little bit and needed to get back on track. I made it a point to do a lot of shooting at my blank bale from a few feet away. I worked on my process and finger placement on the trigger. Going into the event, I was in a good place. I've learned to put expectations to the side and just go shoot my bow. I knew if my tournament took the same path as my mental preparation and blind baling, I would be in good shape.
Saturday's round seemed choppy. While I experienced good moments throughout the round, I never really found a good rhythm. I had a little more sight movement than I liked, but I know you can't stop a moving sight. Knowing that, I accepted the movement and did the best I could do under the circumstances.
When the round came to an end, I wasn't too happy about the score, but I also wasn't disappointed with my shooting. I made good shots and accepted where the arrows landed. After all, we can't walk to the target and place them where we think they should hit. Instead, we need to follow our steps, execute with good form and see the rewards for our efforts.
I felt confident going into Sunday's round. I knew I had not performed close to my abilities on Saturday, and I knew a better version of myself would make an appearance in the second round. I couldn't wait for my second round to start the next day.
Sunday: The Second Round
My shots went off smoothly in the two practice ends before official scoring started. They were smooth and crisp. When the announcement was made that we were on the first official scoring end, I felt good. The pin settled on the lower right bullseye, and I began executing. A few seconds later I saw the arrow land in the X-ring. The next four shots followed the first one, and I was off to a good start.
I cruised through the early rounds without a care in my mind. I didn't think about anything other than aiming, and the arrows broke cleanly from the bowstring and began creating a hole on the lower half of the X-ring. Finally, in the fifth end, I lost one out the bottom. It was out about the width of a human hair, but it was out.
After taking a break and switching targets from top to bottom and bottom to top at the halfway point, I felt pretty good. I was halfway home, and my form was feeling like I'd finish it off as I started. Then, the first end after the flop, I struggled with my shot a little bit and got slow. I ended up missing another one that was out no more than the width of a hair. I believe it hit directly behind the pin, and the hole on the bottom of the X sucked the arrow in and spit it out below the line. About now, I was wishing it was legal to move the sight in the bowhunter classes. I knew if I could give the sight a few clicks, I would probably be clean. I was aiming at the top of the holes, but the holes were low of center, and most of the arrows were hitting right at 6 o'clock in the X-ring.
The second end after the flop gave me the most problems of any end throughout the two days. I had to let down on my third shot three times, but I still finished with 45 seconds on the clock. I'm not sure what was causing the struggle, but I shrugged it off and told myself it was like me to make good, relaxed shots in a consistent time frame. After reinforcing those thoughts after the final arrow of that end, the rest of the round went smoothly.
When I got to the last end, I knew I would finish strong, as I am always a strong finisher. When the opponent's legs are weak, I can throw the knockout punch, and I knew my Xs were weak. I decided to punch them out and put them away. I pictured the knockout punch for each of the five arrows, then saw the image appear in real time. My last shot of the tournament was executed flawlessly and landed in the scribe of the X.
After the scoring was completed, I pulled my arrows, stuck them in my quiver and walked back to the line to put my stuff away. No matter where I end up finishing, as sectionals are mail-in tournaments, I knew that I had had a winning performance, and nobody can ever ask for more than that, no matter what their scorecard might have for numbers on it. I gave it my best and didn't quit. Here's my card for the weekend. I shot a 600 with 110 Xs, but in the Mid-Atlantic Sectional, for some unknown reason, they only take your best score, so my score getting mailed in by the host site will be 300 57xs. I'd say I'll stand a good chance in Senior Bowhunter Freestyle.
Closing Thoughts on the Weekend
Looking back at the weekend, I've learned that I can go into tournaments and temper my expectations. The old me would have gone into the tournament expecting to shoot what I've been shooting in practice sessions. The new me just goes to the tournament and figures if I use the tournament to practice what I've been practicing, then the end results should be similar. That's what has been happening. I leave the expectations outside of the range before I go inside. Expectations can suck the life out of you and destroy any chance of having fun. If you have expectations and don't meet them, it leaves no room for you to realize your growth. Instead, it breeds negative thoughts and negative thoughts give birth to negative results. You will never accomplish goals if you don't set a realistic plan to reach the goals. The secret is executing the plan -- both in your mind before you achieve the goal and in real life. If you execute the plan enough times in your mind, it will be much easier when your'e living that moment in a tournament. The mind is powerful ... use it to give you power, not to suck the life out of you.
Sometimes we don't realize how fortunate we are to be surrounded by good people and good shooters. In all the years I've shot tournament archery, my home club has produced some phenomenal archers and many good ones, too. Our leagues have always been run like tournaments, too. That helps all of us get the same experience a tournament provides. I've been able to stand next to these people and try to improve myself and gain knowledge. We can never know too much, and sometimes we can gain the most valuable insight just by listening to what others say. Always be open-minded and listen while watching.
The last few years we've shot our NFAA Indoor State Championship, Jason Clark, Jeff Wagoner, Jacob Slusarz, and I have won our respective classes. We all get to shoot with each other regularly, and we all get along. When you're shooting with one of the best shooters in the world, there's no way that can't motivate you to get better. Sometimes a person's presence drives you to try harder and do better but also just take what your work gives you. When you have friends who are that good, it makes you route harder for them. I'm a firm believer that when you route for people, it makes you better. You can ignore your bad times and talk about the good ones. When you focus on the positive and talk about it, it builds everyone around you. Nobody wants to hear about the bad shots or experiences that so many others like to share. Instead, the good ones talk about the things they battled and conquered during their round. A lot of people don't realize the struggles that great shooters face in almost every round they shoot. They need to be able to adjust on the fly and find a way to make things work. You are never going to be perfect every single time you shoot.
I shot in a lane next to Jacob all weekend. We usually shoot well when we shoot together, and the same held true this weekend. We have similar personalities and they kind of give fuel to each other. I enjoy being around young people who know how to work hard toward a goal. It seems like it's a rarity these days to see that kind of desire, dedication and perseverance in someone who wants to achieve something. Having the same type of dedication to different things in my life over the last 30 years, I can relate to the long hours of hard work when nobody is watching. I love the people who say, "I wish I could shoot like that." Well, I'll be the first to tell you that I'm sure you'll never be saying, "Gee, I wish I could put that much into it and drive myself crazy with all of the work I put into this sport." It just doesn't happen. That's where the great ones separate themselves from all others: they work in silence when nobody else can see their work. We only see it on the scoreboard.
As you continue shooting your bow this spring/summer try to remember that everyone works hard at this game if they shoot a lot. However, the great ones have a little something extra that others don't have. It's okay to ask these people how they go about doing things. Jacob, Jeff and I talked for two hours after we were done shooting today. We talked solely about archery. Conversations like that give me new life. They make me realize I could try something Jeff does or something Jacob does to improve myself. It may work and it might go in the other direction. Either way, any thoughts from great competitors go a long way with me.
Although I would love to go to the Indoor Nationals in Yankton, S.D., I can't justify going out there. If the nationals were in Louisville, I would be heading to the tournament. I'll shoot the NYFAB/NFAA Indoor State Championship in a few weeks and call it a year for the indoor shooting. I'm ready to get outdoors and focus on 3D shooting since we missed so much shooting last summer.
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