As you all know I tend to ramble at times, I would like you to bear with me on this one. It may be a long read, but I think many of your who follow regularly can gain a few things from it. When thinking about where to start, I believe I found a good spot, so I’ll let all of you be the judges.
After performing really well and being on the podium in MBO and Semi-Pro in many shoots in the late ‘90s and early 2000s when there were over a thousand shooters in MBO in each IBO event, I began mapping out a plan. I looked forward to the challenge in front of me.
Then, my shoulder problems began and progressed along the way. Shooting became difficult and shooting without pain was all but impossible. Eventually, it got to the point where I could no longer draw my bow.
Nine years ago, last fall, I sat on the edge of a bed in an orthopedic surgeon’s office and listened to what she had to say after viewing my MRI images and X-rays. I went to her with one last hope, as the two previous surgeons told me I would most likely never shoot a bow again… then she said the same.
The drive to my parents’ house to tell them the news was gut-wrenching. A few minutes after getting there, we all decided together that I had to have the surgery because I could no longer live with the excruciating pain I dealt with every day.
So nine years ago, this week, I went under the knife and didn’t know what to expect. I knew I would work as hard as possible to shoot a bow again, because the peace that shooting gives my mind and soul is undeniable and unmatchable. What follows took place last weekend… nine years after surgery
Registration for 1st Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown
After making the 11-hour drive to West Virginia, we arrived at the shoot site around 11:30. Instead of unpacking, we wandered through the vendor area and caught up with some friends we only see at these events. It was good to see members of my archery family and share stories with them.
Standing in line to register, the entry cost came up. With $280 burning a hole in my pocket, I really didn’t want to lay it on the counter to register. After all, I’m a man of simple means, and most of you know I don’t make an exorbitant amount of money. I make enough to do the things I like to do and live a comfortable life, but I do not make enough to waste any.
In the winter when the cat got out of the bag that I was going to shoot in the Senior Pro class this year, I heard the whispers. People had all sorts of stuff to say, including “How does he ever think he can compete with Tazza, Gillingham, Hopkins and all of the other legends of archery.”
I took it in stride and let it roll off my shoulders. Since my second to last year in SPM, I hadn’t really put much into shooting. I went through the motions and didn’t really practice too terribly hard. While I practiced, I didn’t practice with a purpose. I would change that for this year and come up with a plan to keep me focused and on track.
So I laid my money on the counter, and I was all in. I’m not a gambler, but I was confident enough to gamble on myself to pay the fee to register. I’ll be the first to tell you that if I didn’t believe I could beat everyone on my best day, I would not have done it. I’ve never been lacking for confidence, and I have the confidence I can compete at the highest level. After all, I used to compete with many of these guys in Semi-pro back in the day, and I held my own.
Practice Session
Jeff and I signed up to shoot the practice range and headed down the road to hurry up and wait… and wait… and wait to get onto the course. The course was backed up and the waiting line was long. When we inched our way toward the first target, a young man in front of us asked if we wanted to shoot with him. To prevent causing more of a backup, we jumped in with him and headed to the stake for the first target.
The guy, Leroy Yoder, drew his bow, anchored, and executed a perfect shot, smoking the 11. I knew I had a gamer to compete with on the practice range. It’s always nice to shoot with someone who knows what he is doing and is a good shot.
The day went quickly, and we shot 20 targets together. We shot some bombs and a few close ones, too. After the round, I felt confident about going into the first round the next day. The javelina got me on the second 10, but that was the only one that fooled me. I’m pretty sure it fooled me because I don’t own it and wasn’t sure what it looked like at certain distances. After shooting it low, I looked at it from 35, 40, 45 and 50 to get the different looks to register into my mind. Leaving the stake, I felt confident would do okay on that target when I encountered it over the weekend.
Throughout the course, I began talking with Lee and learned he would be shooting in the SPM class the next day. He was a little nervous and lacking some confidence. Watching him shoot, I told him he had nothing to worry about. He has good form and decent numbers. I told him to just go shoot his bow and have fun. I knew he was a good guy. It always feels good to meet more nice people in the archery world.
Day 1
When my group was called, I realized they had put people together by alphabetical order, with exception of the groups of people who had shot in the Spring and Winter Nationals. Those people are competing for an award that didn’t affect the rest of us.
So I followed Glenn Meadows and Richard Owens down the trail to find our first target of the day. When we arrived at the target, I saw that it was an antelope on a side hill and across a couple of humps. Although it was a long shot, I felt comfortable with it. I was excited to get the ball rolling and shoot the target.
We drew the cards and waited for the horn to sound. When I heard the horn, the others didn’t hear it. However, when we began hearing arrows being shot, we decided it was Go Time. Being the first shooter, I drew the bow back and settled on the antelope. The pin sat steady, even though I battled a few of the first-target jitters. My hold was long, but I remained patient until the bow fired… 11. I was off to a good start.
Moving to the second target, we experienced our first backup, as the group in front of us got lost and followed some ribbons away from the target. When they figure out what they were doing, they came back up the trail. Having to wait for them, made us get a late start on that target. When it was my turn to shoot, I was ready to draw and let the fallow deer have it. I had already set my sight when the other group was behind the target. The number stuck out to me, so I dialed it and sat in my chair while waiting to shoot. I settled nicely into a spot at the end of the second row of dots and waited for my shot to fire… 11. And with that, I was on my way. My mind was in yardage-judging mode, and my shot felt good.
A few targets later, I saw the impala staring back at me, and it was a poke. Of all the targets I own, I have a love/hate relationship with that one. While I never make bad shots on it, I find that my aim is never the same on it from shot to shot. I can hold like a rock on it some days, and on other days, it seems as if the pin is experiencing an earthquake. When I drew on it, the pin settled okay, but I couldn’t see it well. When the arrow found its way to the foam, I had barely missed the 10-ring, hitting less than ¼ of an inch low. I was disappointed, but I was guessing the arrow hit behind the pin. I accepted it and moved on. You can’t always control the result, and I had made a good shot.
As we progressed down the trail, my aiming was good, which led to strong shots. Stepping up to the stake for the bedded buck, I noticed that Jacob was shooting a target on the opposite side of the trail. Although the bedded buck was a tricky set to get the number, the placement of it instantly brought me back a few weeks to when I shot the target at the Massachusetts State Championship. The set so closely resembled that one, that I felt confident with my number. I set my sight and drew the bow. The pin sat steady in the middle and the release fired. I turned around and Jacob gave me the thumbs up and said, “Good shot.”
A target or two later, I came across two more targets that closely resembled targets I had seen in the two previous weeks at different tournaments. The muley was just like the set at Guan Ho Has and the standing bear was just like the one at Nimrod. I felt like I had been transported back in time. My shot was smooth on the standing grizzly, and the arrow found its way into the 11-ring.
When we reached the caribou before turn, I felt confident that I would stroke another 11 and got a little overconfident. Unfortunately, I got lazy and made a week shot, causing an 8 to show up on my scorecard. I hit it just under the 10 at 6 o’clock. I was not happy about it and knew I needed to remain focused. This was the shot on the caribou.
A few targets later I was able to get the feeding doe and felt good about it. It wasn’t the toughest shot, but it was a set that could easily fool people. A few minutes later, when we arrived at the wolverine, I was thankful that I wasn’t leading it off. Although I was confident with my first guess, I wanted to confirm it with the sound of an arrow. When I heard the arrow, I knew I had the number and just needed to execute a good shot. The pin hit the middle, and the shot fired quickly. I got it and knew that I had probably gained a few points on the field. When you get to a target like that one, you know that an 8 is probably OK.
To mess with our heads after the wolverine, we encountered a few close targets, targets that were placed there to make us realize we “needed” to get them. I got the first one, an alert deer. When I got to the second one, a stone sheep, I was excited because I knew I would 11 it. Unfortunately, I got hung up on my release and over-aimed, which caused all sorts of tension. I tried battling through it the best I could, but I took a few body blows and an uppercut to the chin. My legs wobbled and I fell onto the rope as the arrow landed in the 8-ring, just below the 10. I could feel my ears getting hot and red. I was disappointed in myself for allowing my mind to take control of my situation and vowed to not let it happen the rest or the round. Looking at the next target, the lynx, I knew I was going to have to regroup and get back on track. However, the tension followed me to that target, and I couldn’t get out of the corner as the other boxer (the course) pummeled my rib cage, exposing my weakness. Finally, the shot fired and the arrow found itself sitting in the top of the 10-ring. I had covered my head for protection and withstood the blows.
Although the next target, a long wolf up a hill, appeared intimidating, I felt confident. I had practiced this shot on my range a few days earlier. I had no doubt I was going to center it. A few minutes later, I was collecting my arrow out of the 10-ring and headed to my last target of the day, a Corsican ram. As soon as I walked to the stake, the number stuck out to me and I dialed my sight and waited to shoot. When I broke the shot, I thought I had ended with an 11, but it hit just a tad under it. I had escaped the bloody battle with a 200 for the day. I knew the four 8s I shot were my own fault, and I accepted them. I knew what I had to do to correct the issue that caused them.
Day 2
The night before Day 2 was a disaster. We went out to eat and my insulin pump decided it didn’t want to cooperate. The insulin was running low, and I needed to change the infusion set. When I changed it, I knew I would not be getting much sleep… and I didn’t. I ended up getting one hour of sleep due to the high blood sugar I encountered during the night. My blood levels would not come down, and it kept my up all night. I also could not eat breakfast due to the elevated levels. Oh my, the awesomeness of living with Type 1 diabetes for the last 47 years. I’ve dealt with the highs and lows of it, and it does cause a lot of issues while shooting, but I try to deal with it he best I can. It is trying when I’m not able to hold the bow steady due to my blood levels. It makes the chore of shooting a bow at a top level even harder than it already is.
When I got my target assignment for the day, I knew I was going to have my work cut out for me. When you’re in the top few peer groups, you must hold your own and withstand the punches as you are hit with them. When you can throw a few haymakers, you must do that to stay afloat. I’ve been there and have always performed well in peer groups. It tends to bring my concentration up a level.
Allen Conner, Rodger Willett and Tim Gillingham were in my group for the final round, and we all started off OK. When I got to the third target of the day, I saw that it was a relatively short Dahl. Once again, I put too much emphasis on capitalizing on a target that shooters need to get, and I landed in the 8-ring, just under the 10. It got there from a combination of a weak shot that involved tension.
I corrected the problem on the next target and felt good about the direction I was headed. When I got to the top of hill and into the woods, I saw that we were shooting what looked like a grazing doe. I couldn’t see its head, and the target setter had taken the antlers off it to appear as a grazing doe to fool me… and if fooled me. I judge by target size and I shot it for a grazing doe. I hit it just under the 10-ring. Although I wanted to beat myself up for it, I realized I had taken the bait. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, and I knew I had to let it go and move on. Lesson learned: look more closely at the targets before you shoot them.
I easily go the javelina on the next shot and walked down the hill toward an open field. Coming into the field, I could see a coyote on the other side of a huge, wide-open ravine. Walking directly to the stake, I dialed my sight and pulled my bow back. I had shot this same exact shot about 10 times on my own range over the last few weeks. I let the pin nestle into the area at the bottom of the black dots and waited for the bow to fire… 11.
The next target was a leopard, and I was unsure of the number, but I knew I was in the neighborhood. I knew it wasn’t going to be a total disaster, but I was still hesitant, which caused hesitation in my shot. The footing was awkward, as it was on a side hill and the target was across the other end of the open ravine that the coyote was on a few minutes earlier. Unable to settle the pin or hold the bow, I ended up sending it. I knew I shouldn’t have, and it felt like crap. Allen and I laughed on the way to the target when I told him I had to send it. We both agreed that I didn’t do it quite as well as Tim. I need to get a few lessons to better myself in that area. The arrow ended up striking the target a hair to the left of the 10-ring. I had done it to myself and vowed not to do anything else dumb the rest of the way.
After shooting an 8 on a shot like that, it doesn’t do much for the nerves when you walk up on a bomb of a gator. Looking down the hill and across the pond, I knew it was a difference maker. However, the number stuck out, and I execute a great shot. I hit it just over the 11.
As we meandered through the rest of the course, I remained a steady Eddy. After shooting the 3-yard boar, we had a long alert deer. The number stuck out and I knew I would get it. I ended up pulling too hard, and the arrow went dead left, hitting just outside the 10-ring.
I knew I would have to buckle down and focus harder for the remaining shots. I ended up shooting 11s the rest of the way out. When the counting was done, I learned I was headed to the shoot-off in third place. My shooting was much better than the day before, and I felt good about my execution and hold.
The Shoot-off
I drew the javelina on my first shot, and I don’t own a javelina. Although I had centered it during Round 2, I had shot a low 5 on it on the practice range. After shooting the 5 on the practice range, I looked at it from three different distances and felt confident. I set my sight and executed my shot. Feeling some nerves, I made a weaker shot than normal, causing the arrow to hit just under the 10-ring. It wasn’t the way I wanted the shoot-off to start, but I knew why the arrow landed where it did. I made a good shot on the impala but misjudged the yardage by a few yards. The arrow caught the bottom of the 10-ring. Looking at the black bear on the third station, I knew I could 11 or 12 it and make up some ground. I found myself aiming too hard and getting tense. I didn’t make a good shot, and the arrow hit way to the left, even though it was still in the 10-ring. I guessed the yardage well on the leopard but couldn’t decide where to aim. I hit it a little left of center for a 10 and moved on to my last shot, the standing grizzly. I dialed the sight, drew my bow, to the shot into back, and waited for the release to fire. I broke one of my best shots of the weekend to end the tournament and thought it had a chance of finding its way inside out of the X-ring. Unfortunately, it caught the bottom and I ended up in third by a point, but it was still an awesome shot and a good way to end the weekend.
My Take on the Weekend
I’m not sure where to start, but I’ll say that I shot well but still need to work on a few things so I can avoid shooting 8s when I know the yardage to the targets. When you make the shoot-off in any pro class, you probably had a stellar weekend because you’re shooting against the best in the world.
When I decided to shoot in the Senior Pro class this year, I decided I would finally practice the way I should practice instead of launching arrows and having fun doing it. I would methodically work my way through sessions to figure things out. Here are some other bullet points from the weekend.
1.) I spent the entire winter working on my shot and setting goals. Putting myself in position to win the NFAA State Championship, the NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectional, and the NFAA Indoor Nationals allowed me to feel the pressure while shooting at Xs. I knew this would help me going into 3D. I set a goal to win each of these events and won them all. It helped me realize that setting realistic goals is important and doing what you have to do to achieve them is more important.
2.) Talking to Darrin Christenberry and Harold Cogar made me realize how fast time really does go by. It seems like it was just a few years ago when we were all competing in peer groups in MBO when there were 1,000 shooters in the class. It hurts me to watch Darrin struggle right now. Unfortunately, we can’t control health problems as we age, and I’m sure shooting isn’t much fun for him right now. I commend him for his efforts. He is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met or competed against in my life. He has always taken the time to talk to me over the years. Although he and Digger both went on to shoot in pro classes, my health issues caused my debut to take al little longer than theirs.
3.) Watching Digger come in second brought me back to the mid to late ‘90s when we battled at every event. I always knew if I came out on top, I had beaten one of the best, and when he beat me, it made me work harder to get him the next time. I’m glad that we found our way back into the same class all these years later, as both of our dads are still able to attend the events, and they shoot in the same class, too.
4.) My call to Mike Price, owner of Heritage Archery Academy, helped me a lot over the weekend. Mike and I have been friends for 30 years, and he has seen me shoot in a number of events. I called him for advice, and he spelled it out simply for me. I guess it was more of a therapy call, and Mike is a great therapist. He advised me to try a few things, and I incorporated them into my shooting. In short time, I made good on the work and it showed up in my performance. Thank you, Mike. If anyone out there is considering getting coached, I would highly recommend Mike.
5.) I’m thankful for the journey that brought be back to the highest level of shooting. It hasn’t been easy, and I don’t shoot nearly as well as where I was headed before all the shoulder problems and shoulder surgeries, but somehow, I persevered, and I’m proud of that. Anything is possible, even if doctors tell you it’s not possible. It’s important to always remember that.
6.) I’m thankful for all the support everyone showed me during the weekend and afterward. It makes me realize that I’ve had an impact on people just by offering my time and kindness to them. I believe that’s the way it should be. I always try to give back to the sport I love, and I want to help people enjoy it as I have enjoyed it.
7.) I heard the whispers after Day 1… “Who is Todd Mead?” “Does anyone know Todd Mead?” I hope some of the people now know who I am, and that I support my friends and fellow archers. By looking at me, you will never know whether I’ve shot my best round ever or my worst. I like to remain steady and constant. I take the highs and the lows and ride them like a wave until I get to the beach and pick up my surfboard and walk back to the car. The whispers reminded me of my longtime friend and competitor, Roger Thibault. He made his grand entrance into the professional class at the age of 49 in Flatwoods, W.V., and laid it down. he shot a 198 on the first day of the World Championship and everyone was talking about him because they didn't know him. He did it with a duct-taped Darton bow and shot the second day with an Oregon bow with duct-taped limbs. Roger was always trying to distract other shooters and get under their skin. I learned a lot from him, and I used every bit of it to my advantage this weekend. I learned how to be the underdog and take it all on with comfort and confidence. I could also feel the other Roger, Roger Griggs, of New England Roger was always the steady Eddy, like me. He was never too high or too low. He just went about his business and did what he had to do. My only hope is that they were looking down on me and I made them proud. Unlike Roger Thibault, I had to wait until I was 52 to make my debut in a pro class, but I feel I made the right decision. Hopefully, my journey continues in the same direction his did after his debut. That's all I could ever hope for.
8.) I’d like to continue going on and on, but I’ve already written enough, and I’m sure many people haven’t made it to this point. However, if you have, I can’t sign off without telling you that I was highly disappointed with a few things I witnessed on Sunday during the round. It doesn’t matter whether I witnessed them up close or from a distance, I just saw a few things that were disturbing, and I had a hard time wrapping my head around them. When I was 6 years old, my baseball team was eliminated from the playoffs. It had rained and a rainbow was in the sky. I was crying and I was upset. My dad wrapped his arm around my shoulder and took me away from the field. We leaned over another field’s fence and he said, “You can’t win them all. Let the defeats guide you and drive you. Also, don’t ever forget to congratulate your competitors and cheer them on. If they defeat you, make a plan to be better than them the next time. Do not show them that losing affects you. Instead, show them that you can lose graciously and learn things in the process.” As I complained about a few bad calls on the basepaths, he reminded me that those things happen in every single game. However, the calls all even out in the end. Some will go against you and some will be for you. Take the ones that go in your favor and walk away the same way you walk away when you don’t get the call. Over the years, I’ve learned that statement is true with everything in life. There will always be ups and downs, but in the end things inevitably end up evening out.
9.) On a side note and pertaining to many conversations I listened to in the vendor area and things I saw on the courses, I have a pterygium in my right eye. Just like other ailments I’ve faced, it isn’t one I had a choice over acquiring. Unfortunately, the eye condition affects my vision differently every day. The most common thing it does is cause blurry vision and inhibits my ability to see things clearly up close. Things become fuzzy but only within inches of my face. This is one of the reasons, I prefer not to call arrows, as I know arrow calling can cause some controversy. Just like others, I call arrows like I see them. I also look at all angles of the arrow and take that into account. If an arrow looks out from the top, but in from the bottom, I call it in. I don’t use one viewpoint and pretend that’s the only viewpoint there is. There have been many times when it has been 3-1 with me being the odd guy, and there have been many times when it was 2-2. I’ve played this game for many years, and I would never intentionally screw someone over and help someone out. Too many people don’t understand why people call arrows as they do. Sometimes, we should step back and reconsider things before we jump to conclusions and say things about others in the heat of the moment.
10.)I had a great time and I’m ready to shoot my bow again in the near future. Thanks again to all of my old and new friends. I appreciate all of your kindness, and I'll forever be thankful for the people who help me get better every time I shoot. Jacob and Jeff drive me to keep on point and push me to be better.
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