A Young Man's Journey to the Big Show

  It was a cold winter’s night as the tires hummed across the pavement along a desolate country road. In another 14 minutes, I would be at the indoor archery range to work on my shot. Hunting season had come and gone, and the break from my bow felt good and allowed me to refresh mentally. 

  Pulling into the parking lot, I was surprised to see so many cars in the lot in middle of the week. Gathering my gear from the backseat of my truck, the wind slapped the back of my neck and brought a chill with it that raced down my spine, momentarily breathing life into me. The grind was about to begin… again. The next eight months would bring challenges at every corner, and I would have to find a way to navigate rough seas. 

  Opening the door, I instantly noticed a young man in a wheelchair at the far end of the range. After setting my stuff down and preparing to shoot, I couldn’t help but hear people giving him advice. The advice came in all sorts, including range etiquette and how to shoot a good shot. However, a lot of the advice was coming from sources who didn’t have the proper tools to help. Instead, I knew the advice would probably send this new shooter into a rabbit hole that might be impossible to escape as time wore on. Although I’m not a coach, I do have a lot of experience to draw from, and I try to save people a lot of time to get better at the craft. 

  A few hours later, my first practice session of the winter was over. I could feel it in my arms, shoulders and back. I got a good workout and felt ready to start putting more time into it. Everyone who was there earlier in the evening had gone home, and I clicked the lights off and headed outside into the darkness that had consumed the sky. 

  During my short commute home, I began thinking about the young man in the wheelchair. Why was he in a wheelchair? How did he come to like archery? How did he find out about the indoor archery range? Who was the woman standing behind him the whole time he was shooting? Should I have offered some of my own advice? While I wasn’t sure if I had done the right thing, I decided I would get to know him the next time I saw him. 

                                                                 The Introduction

  The next time I headed to the range, the young man was there again. This time there weren’t a lot of people around, so I took the time to introduce myself and gave him a little of my background and explained that many people like to give advice and sometimes it’s better in the beginning to listen to more experienced people than a lot of people. He welcomed the advice and introduced himself as Chris Hall. Our journey to tournament archery started that evening. 

                                                    Going Backward to Move Forward

  Within no time, we began working on proper form and execution. Chris hammered his trigger like a jackhammer operator on a road crew, and we needed to address that first and foremost. It didn’t take him long to understand he was punching the trigger. Since he was shooting a caliper release, we worked on curling his finger around the trigger and pulling with his back. His days of playing Whack-a-Mole at the county fair were over.

  A few weeks later, he was executing great shots and his scores began to climb. That’s when we decided to try our hand at a few indoor tournaments. Chris’ first big test would be the Beast of the East shoot at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., and it would be a 450 Vegas round. 

  When we headed to the shoot, Chris was nervous but ready for his first indoor tournament ever. At the end of the day, he looked at the 434 on his scorecard and his desire to improve began. 

 

                                                               Fast Forward a Few Years

 

  Well, it didn’t take long for a few years to fly by and bring us to 2023. Chris has spent the last year fine tuning his skills. Hours upon hours at the indoor range led to the construction of a new outdoor range at his in-law’s place.

  Then, in August, he attended his first World Archery para event in Chicago. Although I was attending the ASA Classic at the same time, I waited patiently for the results. I followed the live scoring on Ianseo and saw that he was shooting his average and had a good chance to make it into the elimination rounds. After all, this was his first big event. It’s just not the same when you are shooting state and regional events.

   When you find yourself on the field with some of the greatest shooters the world has to offer, it can quickly humble a man and make him weak. However, Chris took the challenge and decided he would give it his best. He had new goals and aspirations and had to have a starting point to allow him to understand what steps would come next. 

  After getting classified prior to the event, he felt good to get that out of the way. When the round started, Chris began shooting his shot like he was practicing at home. At the halfway point, he put up numbers that were comparable to his practice average. Then, the wind picked up and a battle with the elements began.

  The wind wreaked havoc on the field, and all archers found a way to navigate to the finish line. This caused some problems for Chris, but he managed them OK and found himself in the elimination matches. 

  Once in the elimination match, he was bounced out of the competition by an archer from Korea, and he learned things that will serve him well in the future. He must work on shooting in the wind and staying focused on every shot of the round. Confidence is one of the biggest factors that affect success. You will never succeed without being confident. However, confidence must come from a place of truth.

                                                                      The Future

  Now that the work has begun and goals have been set, Chris will continue his trek down a path that so few people know anything about. He will roll into the range, organize his gear, and shoot hundreds of arrows every day. He will work on his mental game, ask questions, and use the knowledge that is available to him to perfect his craft… and I will watch quietly from a distance and cheer for him. 

  I will look back on the day I met him and understand that some people take longer than others to find their niche. I’ll also know that when I told him he must pay his dues to get to where he wants to go, he will truly understand it when the road brings him across the world. 

  While all of us don’t have people like Chris to inspire us, we do encounter other things that can transform our lives and the way we think about things. Chris has inspired me to never stop trying. Even when I face bad days on the range, I remember that I can do things that so many other people are unable to do. A few bad arrows here and there don’t amount to much when I can walk to the target, pull them out and try again. Sometimes I tend to forget that I’ve been granted an ability to compete as a professional archer and be competitive at the highest level. Looking at Chris every day makes me appreciate my own journey. While I have worked hard, I have also been gifted. There are only X number of professional football players. Not everyone who plays football can find himself on the field every Sunday competing against the best of the best. People claim you can outwork others and get there. The simple fact that many people cannot is too often overlooked. Everyone has a peak and many people’s peaks will fall short of the highest level. It’s impossible for every college quarterback to become an NFL quarterback, no matter how hard they work. Some just have a higher ceiling that is unattainable by others. I encourage everyone to try to reach the peak of their skillset and be thankful for wherever that peak might be. That’s when you must sit back and enjoy archery for what it is. The mystical flight of an arrow brings different things to everyone who observes it.

  I never imagined Chris would be where he is now when I met him a handful of years ago. Watching his journey to this point has been refreshing. Nowadays, I often find myself rubbing elbows with some of the best archers in the world. I’ve seen some of these people throw things through the woods and complain and cuss nonstop. It saddens me that people don’t have the ability to step aside and realize how lucky they are to do what they do. Chris cannot do those things, but he still finds a way to enjoy archery. He enjoys it whether he shoots an X or a 0. He has embraced the fact that shooting archery has brought people and things into his life that never would’ve been there otherwise. 

  Finding K.J. Polish, one of the best para-archers to ever play the game, has been a blessing for both Chris and K.J. They now have a friendship that will withstand the test of time because they can both relate to the other’s journey. Share your journey with others and help the ones who are in a place on the path you once walked. I can remember KJ as a 16-year-old kid who was shooting in the pro class at Nelsonville, Ohio. He was on the practice range on a brutally hot July day, and he was shooting with Johnny Heath. Johnny told him what he shot a target for, so K.J. dialed his sight into that number and shot at the target. His arrow struck below the 8-line for a 5. Johnny laughed and said, “You’ve been Johnny Heathed.” He was teaching the young pro a lesson to never skip steps in practice. Although I remember it well, I’m sure neither of them remembers it. That moment stuck with me for some reason, and when I told Chris to reach out to K.J., I knew the intangibles K.J. could share with Chris were things that I would never be able to relate to.

                                           Finding the right people who truly understand what you're going through is really important in archery and life. When Chris found KJ, his life changed for the better. A friendship for life has been created. 

I will be rooting for Chris as he continues his journey. While I’m in the twilight of my competitive archery career, Chris is in the beginning. However, he will never learn to walk again. He will make do with what he has been given, and he will never complain. He will keep moving forward and living the dream, realizing he has been blessed to find his niche… the one thing that brings him peace of mind and puts him where he belongs. 

                                   Chris will get getting married to Sara in a few weeks. She always keeps him on the right track and uses her phenomenal teaching skills to help him navigate things he would have a much tougher time with if she didn't share her wisdom. #powercouple

A New but Familiar Direction

   I’m not sure how to start this, other than to tell you to always expect the unexpected. After walking off the course at the IBO World and finding out I was the first guy out of the shootdown round, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. The trip back to the vendor area didn’t bring a warm and fuzzy feeling. Instead, as many of us have found ourselves doing in the past, I sat there in disbelief. I had given it away. Nobody helped me do it. I did it all on my own. I had the tiger by the tail and let it loose before I could tame it and put it back in the cage. I had solidly beaten my opponent for the first 13 rounds, but my legs got a little wobbly in the 14^th, and I took a shot to the chin in the 15^th, and that shot wrote my ticket.

  After visiting with some people in the vendor area and watching my buddy Tyler win the Eagle Eye, I made my way back to the condo. During the Eagle Eye, I got a message that Darren Collins wanted me to call him if I got a chance. Since we had talked the previous week at the ASA Classic about a mechanical release idea he had been toying with, I figured he wanted to give me an update on it. Since I’m a release junkie, I looked forward to hearing what he had to say, but I also had to sit down and let the day’s events process before I got on the phone. 

  When I called, we BSd for a little bit before getting down to business. Although the release came up in conversation, that wasn’t the reason he wanted to talk to me. Instead, he told me that he and Dave Cousins were going to be in charge of the Factory Pro Staff and he wanted to know if I would be interested in coming back to PSE. He gave me some of the particulars and told me to think it over. 

  After stepping away from the phone, I had to let the conversation process. After all, I hadn’t pursued any avenues other than the one I was currently on, and the offer to shoot for PSE caught me off guard. However, I feel people should entertain every offer that comes their way if they aren’t bound to a contract… so that’s what I did. 

  When I got home from the event, I took a piece of paper out and wrote down all the pluses and minuses of accepting the offer. Then, I did the same for my current situation. When I got done with it, I took a few days to consider things from different angles. 

  I looked back on the last year and started from the beginning. As part of my deal last year, it was my job to build the brand in New England and New York, as the sales were lacking to almost non-existent. I took it upon myself to secure reputable dealers who could move products. In doing so, the sales in the region saw a huge increase in percentage over the previous year. I’m proud of that because I know my reputation as a good person and influencer among dealers and people in my region was the reason why many people chose to follow me. I took on the challenge last year because I knew I could succeed. The percentage of sales in the region jumped dramatically, and I looked forward to continuing in the same direction. 

  When I look back at my shooting for the year, I did OK, so I did my part on the performance end of representing the company. Although I didn’t podium this year, I was relevant in 8 of the 10 tournaments in which I participated, making one shootdown round and finding myself on the leaderboard at some point in every event except a couple. I also found myself standing on the top step of the podium as a team winner when my teammates and I won the IBO National Triple Crown. We brought home the first Manufacturer’s Cup to the company. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when it got absolutely no coverage. I can remember coming through the ranks when Mathews dominated and almost all Manufacturer’s Cups returned to Sparta, Wis. It felt good to be a part of a winning team for a manufacturer. In some small way, it was something I always wanted to be a part of. 

  When it came down to making the decision, I looked back at time I spent shooting a PSE in the four years prior to last year. I was able to rack up some notable things while shooting a PSE, including state, regional, sectional, and national championships in 3D, Humana Senior Games, and NFAA stuff, as well as breaking a few target records along the way.

  Thinking back to those things, I felt like I had performed my best while shooting a PSE. When I was dialed in with those bows, I felt like I could never miss. One year, I shot 13 11s in my last 15 shots at one of the legs of the National Triple Crown; one time I shot 57 straight Xs after dropping my first three to secure a national championship; and another time I shot over 50% 11s in another leg of the National Triple Crown. PSEs just performed well for me, or I should say I performed well with them in my hands. I made a shootdown round with every PSE I shot at a national tournament, so I know I can shoot any bow well that I choose to shoot. It gives me a lot of confidence.

  I’ve decided to return to PSE for these reasons, and I look forward to seeing where the change leads me for the next two years. I’m excited for the change, and I fully embrace it. I also can’t wait to work with Darren Collins to see what we can do together to grow the brand and get the bows in people’s hands. I’m thankful Darren reached out to me, and I’ll do my best to make sure I solidify his confidence in me. 

  Shoot straight, and I’ll see all of you in the winter. Looking forward to a few more million-dollar contingency checks in the coming years. 

 

Looking Back at the 2023 Season

 

With August comes the IBO World and the end of the national 3D archery tournaments. Although it has saddened me at times, I’m usually ready to take a break, reflect on the year, set goals for the next year, and make plans to achieve the goals. When I’m done with those things, I grab my hunting bow and head into the woods to see what memories I can make with my family and friends.

  Last year at this time, my contract had expired, and I was searching for a new home for the 2023 season. After narrowing it down to two companies, I chose to go with Darton Archery. With some of my peers headed in the same direction and Jacob already there, I figured I would have plenty of people to bounce things off from while trying to figure things out. This thought process treated me well. 

  Going into the 2023 season, I chose to focus solely on 3D. Although I attended three regional indoor tournaments, I wasn’t there to see what I could do in the scoring column. Instead, I was at those shoots to figure out a few little things in the setup that I would need to know for crunch time on the national 3D tours. In doing so, I encountered two train-wreck scores, but I knew I had figured out what I needed to know for the first ASA event in Foley, Ala. While I’d imagine most others were there trying to shoot their best and turn in big scores, I was there doing things to figure out what I could get away with and what to avoid doing during any important moment I would face in the coming months. It might not be the place to try new things to see what doesn’t work, but that’s what I did. 

  I think it’s important for people to know that sometimes you must be willing to take one on the chin, be willing to turn in a score that will leave many questioning your abilities and accomplish things that others know nothing about. It’s called “paying your dues.” Sometimes you must swallow your pride for an end goal. That’s what I chose to do last winter, and that’s what I will most likely do again this winter. Indoor shooting is no longer what it used to be for me, and while I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of cool things that I’m extremely proud about in that venue over the years, I have other priorities now that I feel a greater need to prioritize during the indoor season. 

                                                                    Showtime

  When I arrived in Foley, I felt confident. I was shooting well, and things were falling into place. After the first day, I found myself near the top of the pack and in the second group. Unfortunately, I ran into some issues with my sight loosening up during the round, which prevented me from making a serious run. It was all caused by my negligence of making sure everything was tightened down. The quick-detach knob had loosened up, and I didn’t realize it had happened until I shot seven consecutive 8s out the top of the 10-ring. After fixing it, my scoring returned to the same level it had been the day prior. At the end of the weekend, I felt confident and had a lot to build off from. However, I also knew I had lot one slip away by being complacent and not catching the problem earlier. 

  I had a difficult time preparing for the next event due to a record-setting snowfall in my area. It made it all but impossible to get outside to put in any work. With that in mind, I just wanted to give it my best and see where I landed. 

  I got off to a good start and maintained it throughout the first 10-15 targets. Then, near the end of my round, the wheels fell off the bus, and I had a sudden realization that you can never relax in this game. You can be on top of the pack, then find yourself near the bottom 15 minutes later. If I could forget about any of the tournaments this year, that is the one I would gladly leave behind. I learned that it’s hard to compete at any level, let alone the top level, when it’s impossible to be well prepared. 

  As I readied myself for Camp Minden, I felt good about the way my bow was shooting. However, when I got there, I couldn’t seem to hit the broadside of a barn. When the round started, I got on a roll and rode the wave as long as I could ride it. When I neared the end of the round, I shot a wolverine for 50 and shot a 5 low with the right number. After being 8 up with a few left, I stumbled my way to a 3 up round, which put me in sixth heading into the second round. 

  Near the end of the second round, I felt like I had a good chance to make it into the shootdown round, so I changed my tactics and decided to coast to the finish line. That’s when I learned I was the first guy out. Instead of gunning hard at the last handful of targets, or at least a few of them, I opted to shoot safe 10s. I learned that I need to keep the pedal mashed to the floor when I’m shooting well. 

  As we began getting into spring back here in the Northeast, I started spending significant time with my Rinehart targets to be prepared for the IBOs. The first round of the first IBO treated me well. I was sitting in the five-hole at 200, after Round 1. I cruised through the first half of Round 2, then ran into some problems. Although I ended up with a top 10 finish, I wasn’t satisfied. I let a great opportunity slip away. 

  Then, going to London, Ky., for the next ASA, I let another opportunity slip away. I decided to change my tactics and shoot at every 12. I quickly found myself at +8 and felt like I was going to have one of those days that people dream about. That’s when my nemesis, the wolverine, came out of nowhere to bite me once again. I shot it for the right number (50) and found my arrow sitting underneath the 8-line for a 5. The arrow was in the same exact place as the one I shot a month earlier at Minden. I was able to limp my way to the finish line and found myself in one of the top peer groups for Round 2… I liked my chances. 

  I never got going in Round 2, but I didn’t fall back too far either. Once again, the wolverine cost me points. I walked away with a total of 15 points on the wolverine after two shoots. That’s not a good sign when you get 15 points out of a total of 44. When I was done, I walked to the trailer with Jacob and bought a wolverine – my first ASA target. I would not let it get me again. 

  After getting home, I quickly learned I was aiming in the wrong place. I was aiming down in the brown, and the brown isn’t too far from the disaster area. After buying the target, I only saw it two more times, which was at the classic, and I got a total of 21 points on it. It just goes to show you that sometimes, you can make good shots and still score poorly. I just didn’t study the target enough to know I was aiming in the wrong place until I owned it… lesson learned. 

 I finally decided to change bows when I headed to the Second Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown. I had a hard time getting comfortable with the one I had used up to that point. I changed to a Veracity 35 and things seemed to get better. I found myself in the top 5 after Day 1, and I ended Day 2 sitting in the 3-hole. The bow performed better than I shot it. After the shootdown round, I walked away with a check for fourth place. Although I wasn’t pleased with my shootdown round performance, Tazza didn’t miss a bonus ring, and it’s hard to keep that up with that pace in a sprint to the finish line.

  I was gaining ground… a sixth and fourth place finish in two of the last three events. My confidence was beginning to increase, and I liked my chances heading down the homestretch. Due to my mother’s health, I couldn’t attend the ASA in Metropolis, so I headed to Nelsonville sitting in a tie for third place overall in the IBO National Triple Crown. I found myself in the top peer group again and liked my chances. It’s a place I’ve become accustomed to being in over the years, ever since my early days in the mid ‘90s. 

  Although the first day wasn’t great, it wasn’t a total disaster either, as I found myself sitting in the top 10 going into Day 2. Day 2 started off poorly and never got better. With everything going on in my mind, I lost focus and picked up the pieces on my way off the range the second day. I fell from 3^rd overall to 7^th. It wasn’t anything to be proud about. 

  Going into the ASA Classic and IBO World, I felt good about my practice sessions and couldn’t wait to get going. When we got to Cullman, Ala., for the Classic, the weather didn’t cooperate. It held everything up for most of Day 1, and when we finally got started, my mental focus seemed like it had been drained from preparing to start in the morning. It’s hard to explain, but that’s the only thing I can tie it to. 

  I never got on track throughout the weekend and felt a sense of relief when the ASA season ended. I fell fall short of my expectations, but I’m determined to figure it out. I have chosen to try my hand at it again next year. If I can continuously finish near the top and in shootdown rounds regularly in the IBO, there’s no reason I shouldn’t do the same in ASA. It’s just a matter of figuring out a gameplan and sticking to it instead of trying something different every time I shoot. 

  As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, my practice at the IBO World was a trainwreck. I don’t recall shooting that poorly in many years, but I shrugged it off and pretended it didn’t happen when I got to the first stake on Day 1. 

  I cruised through the beginning of the course until I got distracted, but I stayed within myself when I recognized what the distractions were doing. After Day 1, I knew I had a great shot at making the shootdown round, so I knew I had to keep doing what I always do. I never get too high or low, but I always remain slow and steady until I get to the finish line… and that’s what I did on Day 2. 

  Although I started off a little shaky, I quickly got back on track and picked up speed as the day continued. As I headed down the backstretch, I felt in complete control, like nothing could stop me. However, a few yardage errors on the last two targets took their toll… and once again, I was the first guy out of the shootdown round. It wasn’t for lack of effort.  

                                                     Final Thoughts

  I’d be lying if I told you I was satisfied with the results of 2023. I fell far short of the goals I had set for myself, and this weighs on me heavily. I struggled with many different things throughout the year. If it wasn’t one thing, it always seemed to be something else. I had a hard time escaping the black cloud that was spitting rain. However, I look back on some of the better moments and realize that I never performed near my best this past season, yet I still found myself in the hunt at a lot of tournaments. 

 Throughout the season, I considered hanging it up at the end of the season. With the pain in my shoulders and elbows, it makes shooting difficult at times. However, the most difficult part of that is that I find a great deal of inner peace when I shoot. I probably shoot my bow too much, and I should listen to my body and get away from it. I’m not sure how my mind would react if I did that. I’m sure I would find something else to replace it, but I love shooting. 

  After finding out I was the first guy out at the IBO World, I received an interesting phone call that helped me make my decision for next year. I will be coming back next year, and I’ll give it another shot. In the coming days, I’ll share some news with you concerning next year if you haven’t heard it already. I look forward to having a quiet mind next year, and I know some of the decisions I’ve made about my future will help with that.