Over the years, I've attended a fair number of shoots on Mother's Day. Fortunately, I have an incredible mother who understands my drive to succeed and my passion. This year, I've put in more time than usual to prepare myself for the national events. It's been a long time since I stepped onto the podium to accept my awards in the Semi-pro class. It doesn't seem like 20 years have passed since I gradually began getting shoulder pain and had to steer myself in a different direction than where I had intended on going. Things quickly deteriorated to the point that I couldn't shoot without having severe pain in my shoulders. Eventually, I had to have reconstructive shoulder surgery and I figured my archery career was over. When I came back, I decided to not take it as seriously as I once had because I could no longer hold the bow as steady as I believed was necessary to compete at the higher levels. Well, nine years have already passed since I had surgery, and I decided to jump back into the fire at the highest level. My practice has gone well, and I feel confident. So I headed to Guan Ho Ha to have one last practice tournament before heading to West Virginia at the end of this week. 

                                                            The Start of the Tournament

  After a long walk to the first target, my heart rate was accelerated due to the uphill stretch right before the first stake. Then, I had to lead it off. Looking at the fallow deer, the target appeared large to me, but the ground indicated the target shouldn't be as large as it looked. Since I don't have that target, I had to trust my judgment and go with the estimate that I came up with after taking the average of my three guesses.

  Unlike last week in Massachusetts, I knew I wasn't going to have a good holding day. My pin was jiving around pretty good on the target butts, and I knew I would have to accept the movement and go with it. When I drew on the fallow deer, the pin sat down alright but not like it had been sitting in my practice sessions throughout the week. I relaxed and the bow fired. When nobody said a word, I hesitantly stepped back from the stake and glassed it... 10. I was off to the races, shooting just like I had finished the previous week. I executed a perfect shot, and the arrow hit behind the pin. It barely missed the 11. 

As we began meandering down the road, I made one strong shot after another. When I glanced at the gobbling turkey, the number stuck out to me, and I executed a perfect shot. The pin was sitting just left of the dark marking on the wing when it fired, and the arrow split the 11 in two. Although it wasn't one of the most difficult shots I've ever taken, an 11 on a turkey is usually a 3-point swing for most shooters.

  Looking at the coyote, I quickly got a number. Having that target, the size of it gave me the number. When Jeff hit it high, I instantly knew what he had guessed. If I didn't have the target and study yardage on it, I probably would have done the same. I let my pin settle just below the line of black dots... and the bow fired... 11. I was rolling. I continued shooting 11s to the standing bear and my shots were effortless.  I knew I was on my way to shooting 11s on half of the 30 targets. My numbers were spot on, and my shots were breaking like a hot knife going through butter. Unlike many shooters who cripple themselves after a great performance, I was on my way to following up my great performance last week with one that was on par with that one because that's how I shoot. After eight targets, I had shot six 11s and barely missed the other two. I was totally relaxed and only let down two times.

  Moving to the Big 10, I suddenly got distracted as we began seeing two-way traffic, which created a lot of talking and thinking. With the blue stake set on the opposite side of the road, it required people to either wait while you were shooting or walk through in between shooters. Seeing the group of shooters from Massachusetts a few targets away, I began paying more attention to them instead of what I was doing. When I drew on the Big 10, my aim wouldn't settle down, and I didn't make the best of shots. The 8 stung. Seeing it on the card ticked me off. Nothing gets under my skin more than taking an 8 on a target that I guessed the right yardage on. 

  Irritated... and seeing some more people I haven't seen in a while, I began chit-chatting as I waited for to shoot. When I drew on the javelina, I knew I was going to 11 it. My pin sat steady just under the white mark at the top of the 11. When the arrow struck the 8 line straight above 4 inches above the 11, I was not happy. Going to the next target, I looked at my sight and realized I had not set it correctly on the  javelina. This is a mistake I never make. Lesson of the day: pay attention to what you're doing and be ALL there when you're doing it. If you are practicing, turn your phone off and practice. If you are at a shoot and see people you know, talk to them and refocus on your task. In quick fashion. I had dropped four points from being careless. 

  Going to the next target, I knew I was going to get it. The yardage stuck out to me and the huge white goat beckoned me to shoot my arrow into the 11. When my shot broke, I felt confident it had struck the 11. Unfortunately, I hit a liner 10, but it didn't catch the line. At that point my blood was boiling. The 10 minutes, I had erased my start and knew the rest of the day was going to be an all-out battle to stay above water. 

  When I got to the wolf, the number stuck out, and I executed a perfect shot. As the shot broke, I knew it was going to be an 11. Although it ended up being a 10, I accepted it because it was an 11 shot. At that distance, you can't complain when you hit an inch under the 11. 

  Moving to the scraping buck, the number was easy to figure out. It was a straight up 50. The numbers have been coming to me like I'm shooting marked yardage. As I drew my bow, I was listening to a conversation about a contracting job and how long it took individuals to get to Wilton, N.Y. for the job. As I was traveling up I-87 from Schoharie to get to the job site, my bow fired and the arrow landed to the right of the 10-ring... perfect height. 

  Now, my blood is boiling, and I'm ready to blow a pipe. I'm raging inside but calm on the outside. Looking at a McKenzie hyena put me just about over the edge. I let it gnaw at me for some reason and lost focus. Once again, I hit the target to the right. 

  Stepping aside, I had to recollect myself. I had all but lost my great start because I got distracted. I knew I shouldn't have let it happen, and I was going to bear down and chip away at the damage on the second half. 

  When I got to the first target, an elk, I knew I was going to get it. My shot broke perfectly and the arrow was less than a quarter of an inch under the 11. I felt great but disappointed. A shot that good seemed like it should have been rewarded with an 11. 

 Looking at the bedded doe, I could see the 10-ring with my naked eye, even though the target wasn't in my face. Since it could see the lines so well, I centered the pin and pulled. POW!! 11!! Man, what a shot. I haven't shot too many shots that well in a long time. 

  After Jeff put a perfect arrow in the Big 10, I had a great aiming spot. I held my pin on his nock and broke another perfect shot. I lit it up and found the 11. My shot was back on track, and the 11s were finding their way onto my card again... shoot don't think.

  Moving to the howling wolf, I felt confident. My pin locked on a little discolored spot I could see, and the shot fired. Yup, 11. I executed a flawless shot, and it felt like stroking a perfect drive down the fairway when everyone is watching while waiting on the edge of the tee box. 

  The bedded buck stuck out to me. Although I don't have that target, the yardage stuck out to me. I settled in quickly but had to let down a few times. Somewhere in my mind the squirrels started throwing nuts off the inside of my skull. As the squirrels chattered and chased each other around the tree, I pulled with all of my might... POW! Another perfect shot had left my bowstring. The arrow struck in a direct line above the 11, and I reminded myself that 10 is my friend. 

  When I got to the red stag, the wind was hammering up the hill and blowing to from right to left. It made it almost impossible to hold on the target . On my second attempt, the wind gusted and the shot fired. I hit it dead left. Although it pissed me off, I couldn't do anything about it. Sometimes the elements creep up and get us. Since we can't control the weather, we have to move on. After shooting my arrow, Jeff stepped up and the wind completely stopped. That has been my story this year. The wind is challenging me at every shoot, but I'm up for the challenge. I've kicked its ass more than it has kicked mine. 

  As the squirrels chased me through the rest of the course, I stayed on the path and struggled to the end. When I got to the hen turkey to finish my day, I wasn't happy about seeing it. It's just one of my pet peeves. When my shot broke, I thought I smoked the 11 ring. Unfortunately, it hit just to the left of it... 21 points for the two turkeys on the day. I'm glad I made turkeys my favorite target. That has helped me immensely over the years and helped me with the IBO World a few times. Make your least favorite target your favorite, and you'll never have a problem with it again. 

                                                           My Take on the Day

  It's like me to shoot a lot of 11s when I'm relaxed and even when I'm tense. I judge yardage really well, too. Today, it became blatantly obvious that I need to really work on staying focused. My attention to detail is what has allowed me to get off to a good start this year. I need to work on not letting little things distract me, even if I think I'm not distracted. The proof was in the pudding today. I had a stretch of six targets that I guessed the yardage correctly on every one of them, yet I lost a lot of points. 

  My shot started off really well today. At first, I wasn't sure why everything became a struggle as the day progressed, but when I sat back and thought about it, I believe it's because of what I did on Saturday. I went for 9-plus mile hike with a friend to check out some new deer hunting areas. I carried a backpack, which made my shoulders a little sore and overtired. I'm pretty sure that's why I did't hold that well today. This bow has been holding really well, and today I just didn't feel comfortable behind the steering wheel. I felt like was wandering onto the rumble strip regularly throughout my travels. 

  Overall, this was not a bad day. I learned I can survive peaks and valleys and stay on the path. It's important to not get sucked into the black hole when it opens up in front of you. If you tinkle your toes in it, it will suck you in and throw you into the spin cycle. 

  Here are a few lessons from the day: 

1.) I asked Joe Ricard how he was shooting. He told me he was having a good day. I picked their cards up off a stool and looked at the cards. I noticed everyone in the group was consistent. They were all staying in the 10 for the most part. They all had some 8s and 11s mixed in. I was happy to see that they had a battle going in their own group for the top spot. Everyone was within striking distance. It wasn't until later that I learned Joe had shot a zero. With his consistency, I never noticed it on the card or acknowledged it. We all have shot zeros, 5s, 8s, 10s, and 11s, and we will all shoot a lot more of them on our journeys. We just need to remember it's only one arrow. One arrow can't do us in, but a bad attitude after one arrow can affect us the rest of the day. I also saw that Jeremy was in the lead, although the gap was narrow. I whispered some encouragement into his ear as I walked away. They had about 7 targets left and I said, "Finish this off. You are a good finisher." You should always encourage people. Avoid the negative and put positive thoughts in their heads. If you believe you can do something and someone tells you that you can... it will happen. Believe in yourself. 

2.) Walter Muzzey made the journey to Guan Ho Ha from New Hampshire and came by himself. He did it because he wanted to shoot with George Connors, the guy whom many people believe is the man to beat when he's on his game. I watched Wally shoot his first target of the day, and I remembered seeing myself in his shoes. He shot a five on that first target, and I asked him afterward if it was from nerves. He told me it was from nerves. He was jacked up and really nervous. He put himself in an awkward place by shooting with one of the best in his class. This class is just brutal. Almost everyone in it can lay it down, Wally included, but nerves got to him. Yes, nerves get all of us. Wally didn't let it bother him. He get refocused and tried crawling out of the hole the rest of the day. He almost made it back to even, and he only shot three 8s the rest of the way out. That's some great shooting when you're shooting in a group with one of the best shooters out there and you know that man has won almost everything there is to win in his region. So what's the moral of the story? Shoot with people who are better than you or at your same level. This will bring your concentration to another level, and it will expose you to nerves that you don't normally feel. It's an awkward feeling when you're finally shooting with that guy whom you strive to beat. Then, you realize he's just like you. 

  The boys from Massachusetts were all shooting together. Unlike Wally, these guys were all in the same class and they all want to win. Although they might be slightly more relaxed, they still have the pressure to beat each other. Everyone wants to win. So they challenged themselves and all put up good scores because of the internal pressure between them. Try these things and it will help you get better. 

  I'm off to West Virginia this week. We'll see how it goes. This is where we find out if we've prepared properly. Good luck to anyone who is going. 

  

 

  

 

  After getting home from the IBO in Batavia, N.Y., last Sunday, I was irritated. Although most people would be ecstatic if they scored the round that I shot, I knew I needed to work on something. A few days later, I talked to George Connors for a long time on the phone, and we discussed the peaks and valleys we traveled over and across during the weekend. 

  When it was time to discuss some of the issues I've been battling, George gave me some sound advice. He told me that I had to change my mindset and pretend the target was just any normal backstop and to shoot my shot like I was in a tournament that rounds were timed. Since I've never timed out in an indoor event, this mindset would force me to make a good shot once I began aiming. 

  After talking with George, I texted back and forth with Jacob for a bit, too. Jacob's advice was to shoot a different release for a while. He also advised the same thing a few weeks ago, and that's when I started shooting other releases regularly. While practicing I spent a lot of time using my Stan SX2 and my Tru-Ball HBC. I quickly learned that my accuracy is the best with a hinge, but I need to be completely relaxed to get that accuracy. As I practiced, my shot began to feel good again. However, in the few weeks of trying, I never got to the point where I felt comfortable with the accuracy on a 3D target. My SX2 fired the best, but I seemed to get unexplainable high shots, and it seemed to randomly hit a little bit to the right. I would not hesitate to shoot that release in a tournament, though. I think I could hold my own with it again. After all, it was my primary release since the year it was designed and hit the market. A few years back, after changing my draw length, I began using an index trigger release and have stayed with once since that time. It seems easier to relax. 

  On Saturday night, I finally got a few hours of relatively calm conditions. Although it was breezy, it was nothing like the previous days of the week. I shot my Carter 2-shot and my Tru-Ball Execute and decided I would use one -- or both -- of them at the IBO shoot in Massachusetts the next day. They both fired well, and I set the trigger heavier on both of them that it has been set on the release that I've been shooting for a while. 

                                                               Off to the Shoot

  Dad and I met Wade, Jeff and Jacob in Saratoga on Sunday morning. Although we would be a little cramped for the drive, it was good to be together. We all get along, and we all support each other. It always makes it easier when traveling with good people. Unfortunately, Jeff still can't shoot. He won't be released to shoot until next weekend. He had surgery a few weeks ago, and the doctor said Jeff needed to take a break. Since he couldn't shoot, he wanted to go so he could judge targets and look at them in a tournament setting. He made a great choice. That's thinking ahead to be prepared. I don't know many others who would do the same thing. That's the difference between horses that run in the back of the pack and the ones that are always in the thick of the pack when they hit the backstretch. 

  Upon arriving at Nimrod in Princeton, Mass., it was really nice to see all of the archers in one place at the same time. I've seen a lot of them here and there over the last year, but not everyone in the same place at the same time. I probably would have seen the same last weekend at the ASA if I had arrived a little earlier.  

  I shot a few warmup arrows and didn't feel great about where they landed, but I felt pretty good about my execution. After riding in a cramped vehicle, it can take a bit to warm up and get everything stretched out. After a few minutes, I began feeling a little better. 

  When they came out with the cards, they decided to keep all of us who rode together in the same group. That way I could be with my dad. Since he has lost a lot of strength, I feel better if I'm close to him. Last weekend he struggled a little near the end of the day. The day took its toll on him, and it appeared from Jason's explanation of the range, that the day's walk would be about the same as what we encountered in Connecticut last week. 

                                                     Shooters to the Line... the Horn Sounds

  There was a little bit of a backup when we got to the first target, so we had to wait a bit. I got to watch Jason Kennedy and Joe Santos shoot their shots. The first target was a mountain lion, and it was a tough one to start on. It was long and set so we had to shoot between two trees. Glancing at the target, I rolled my site to the general neighborhood of what I though the target might be set at for distance. This is something I do every time I walk to the next target. I do this to prevent me from not moving my site from the last target. This ensures that I will most likely never miss a target by forgetting one of the most important steps. 

  Jacob led the target off and made a good shot. His arrow provided a great marker for me. When I drew my bow, the pin settled quickly and I waited for my shot to fire. It sat as still as the full moon in a dark sky. Then, it fired. The arrow hit directly behind the pin... 11. I was off to a good start, and I made good on what George and I had discussed. I did what I needed to do, and it felt really good. I made an incredible shot... with no tension.

  As I walked to the second target, I felt as if a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. As I settled into my aim on the second target and waited patiently, my pin sat nicely right where I thought the 11 should be located. When the shot broke, I knew I had it. I guess that's what they call a great shot that hits behind the pin, but the archer aimed in the wrong spot I missed it by a quarter of an inch to the right. When I strolled up to target number three, it appeared that the antelope was leaning slightly backward. I knew it was going to be tough to aim at, but I did my best. Once again, I barely missed the 11, but I made up for it on the wolverine, centering it. Every shot up to that point had followed the plan that George and I mapped out for me to follow. I loaded into my back and patiently waited while relaxing my forearm as much as possible. My release hand tends to get tension in it because of tension in my forearm. I know if I can eliminate that tension, my shoots will be effortless and smooth. I had stuck the dragon a few times with my sword, and I could finally see the blood oozing down its rough green skin. I was finally able to stand up and fight the demon that has lurked inside for a long time. With the new weapon in my quiver, I can't wait to battle the beast. I will beat him now that I have the necessary tools. 

  When I got to the white ram, the distance stuck out to me and I dialed my sight. Right before the shot fired, I lost my concentration for a split second and paid the price. The arrow landed well right of where I was aiming, and I wasn't happy with the result. Instead of letting it eat at me, I stepped aside and envisioned what would have happened if I had shot the shot like I shot the four previous ones, then I moved on. 

  I followed up that shot with great shot after great shot. When I looked at the boar in the swamp, the number stuck out to me, as I've seen targets in similar settings. I used my memory really to pin the number. The small water holes through the pines made for a great set. There were a lot of obstacles to work our way through to find a number. I had a perfect aiming spot, as I could see a dark spot with a hole in it at the top of the 11. I settled onto a spot below it and buried my pin on it and waited. When the shot fired, I knew I had it. It was a no-doubter. 

  When I got to the cinnamon bear against the hill, I watched Wade and my dad shoot it low. Looking closer, I was pretty sure I knew what they did and wanted to avoid doing the same. When Jacob centered it, I felt better about my chances, as he and I usually guess yardage in similar patterns. When one of us misjudges something, we can usually figure out what the other one was thinking because we tend to see many targets the same. It's always good to shoot with someone like that. 

  My favorite shot of the day may have been the bedded buck. It was probably the coolest target set I've seen in a long time. I looked at the stake and saw the babbling brook a few yards in front of it. The bedded buck was laying in front of a stone wall (or large rock) at the base of a hill that started in front of the creek and went all the way to the target. I thought I might stick the buck in the back or shoot it in the hoof. When I finally decided on my number, I was confident. The pin found its mark and just sat in the middle. I watched it until the bow fired by itself... effortlessly. 

  After my great shot on the bedded buck, I walked around the corner to see a javelina staring back at me. It was up a small grade along a road, and the way it was set, the target looked big to me even though I knew it was a poke. The pin dipped but didn't bang when the release was ready to go. Luckily, the arrow caught the bottom of the 10 when the release decided to fire a few seconds after the dip. 

  As we made our way through the rest of that course, we encountered a few awesome target sets, and the shoot just kept getting better. The snarling wolf kind of stuck out to me. I'm not sure why, but it didn't really surprise me a whole lot. Usually when there's nothing but air, targets are closer than most archers estimate them to be at. I told Jacob something I learned a long time ago and it's usually the case for most people. When you have empty air across a ravine, most people will judge the targets too long. So I always tell myself, "Across the ravine is not as far as it seems." I usually cut some yardage, and that's what I did on the red fox. Luckily, after cutting yardage I was able to get the little critter. 

  When I saw the bedded elk as the last target of that loop, I was excited. Elk of any sort have always been my favorite targets. It's probably because of all of the elk hunting I've done and the excitement that goes along with arrowing one. The number stuck out to me and I had great markers to go off from to aim precisely at the 11. Seconds later, my arrow was sticking in the 11, and we all marched off the course. I had shot 15 targets to the best of my ability while working hard on the plan that George and I had talked about executing. We both agreed that if I could consistently execute the plan, I would be in much better shape than normal. Instead of inhibiting my abilities, I would do everything possible to release the dragon that lurks within and continuously stab it until it looks for a new place to reside. I'm looking to take full ownsfership of my inner soul, and I've finally decided I have the control to remove all squatters. It may take a bit, but those 15 targets clearly showed me that I now have the tools in my shed to fight the demon... and win. 

  Going into the last 15 targets, the wind began to big up, causing me to grip the steering wheel to try to keep it between the lines. While gripping the wheel, the tension crept into my limbs and the rest of the day wasn't quite as easy as the first loop of targets. I started off with an 8 on the impala, barely missing it high with the right number. I think it had more to do with the wind than the number. It's just where the arrow landed. I moved on and quickly rebounded with an 11 on the alert deer that was hiding amongst the mountain laurel and brush. I've always loved shooting deer targets and still do. I knew I was going to smoke it. 

  Glancing at the next target when I got to the stake, I felt my stomach quiver. It was the standing grizzly, but it wasn't facing us like we usually see that target. Instead, we had to shoot at the kill zone on its back (side), and I had to lead it off. It wasn't exactly in my back pocket, so I started dialing the sight down until I didn't have much left on it. Right after the shot broke, I kicked a tree and swore a little bit. The arrow hit well right of where I had aimed. I though I had shot a five. The wind caught me a little and the release fired. When Wade told me I had caught the 10, I found it hard to believe. However, he was correct. He got it on the other side, and I don't thing I've ever seen two arrows so far apart that were both in the 10-ring. It was just deceiving from the stake due to the little angle on the target. 

  As we worked our way through the course, I saw Jeremy, Joe, Matt and Matt. Jeremy told me he was shooting really well, but had a bad one on the turkey and shot a 5 on it. I tried to pretend I didn't hear him say it, but I couldn't un-hear it. Now, I knew a turkey was coming, and I figured it had to be a tough one if he had shot a 5 on it. I put it in the back of my mind and smoked an 11 on the Big 10 buck in the thick evergreen swamp. From there I moved on and shot another 11 on the cheetah. I had executed two perfect shots and just watched the arrow appear in the 11. 

  Walking up the road, I wasn't too happy when I saw the strutting turkey up the hill. It had a little bit of an angle to it, making the 10 even smaller than it already is. Jacob and Wade made perfect shots and appeared to me to be barely under the 10. When I drew the bow, I put my pin above their arrows and a hair to the right. Then, I forgot how to shoot my bow, and I forgot to follow the process. Instead, I tried rushing the shut between wind gusts and shot an arrow I never should have shot. I tried too hard to not miss the 10 when I should have just tried to make a good shot like I had done all day. The little bit of doubt I let creep into my head stabbed me... or should I say the dragon stabbed me? Now, I was bleeding. The battle was on. I had a few targets left to slay the beast, and I made it my goal to finish him off for the day by erasing the wound he had given to me. Before walking away, I envisioned myself making a good shot on the turkey and watching the arrow land in the 10. Then, I walked to the next stake and knew I was going to pound the long antelope down the road. 

  Jacob stepped up and placed his arrow in the 11. I followed by doing the same. We both walked away feeling good after our debacle a few minutes earlier. We followed up the antelope with 11s on the gator. We were on a roll. The next three targets, I missed the 11 by no more than an inch, and I felt great about every shot. I was so close yet so far away from capitalizing on all of them. 

  When we arrived at the last target, the fallow deer, the wind was blowing so hard, I knew it was going to have to be a good shot that fired at the perfect time. I struggled a lot with that last shot, but when it fired, it landed in the middle of the 11. I walked away feeling good about my day. I had erased the demon's damage. Walking down the trail toward the clubhouse, I flipped him the bird and said, "You've lived in there a long time, but I found your kryptonite today." 

Here's my card for the day. 

                                                             My Thoughts for the Weekend

  I'm thankful for the courses that Mark Dyer and Jason VanHillo set the last two weeks. I gained a lot from both shoots, and I'm glad I attended both events. I encourage everyone to support all archery events in your area if you can. I'm an archery nut, so I try to shoot anything I can if if doesn't conflict with prior plans. If we don't support the shoots, the people won't find it worth their efforts to provide them. 

  I have to say that Jason's course is in my Top 3 best set up shoots of all time. He made everyone roll there sights all day, and it was just a phenomenal course. Every set had a lot of work put into it. He made sure he had the right targets in the right places. The back and forth yardage proved that you don't need big yardage to make scores even out. Courses like this usually show who can actually judge all yardages. Some people are good at all long courses. Some are good at all short courses. However, not many are good at all yardages. Great job, Jason. You put this one out of the park. Kudos to you and whoever helped you. I'm glad you sat back and took all of the constructive criticism from past shoots and really showed what you learned. 

  I love the idea of Triple Crowns. I think it just adds fuel to the fire. Do you want to come from behind or do you want to be in the lead and try to hold on? Everyone approaches things differently, but it's a true test of consistency. To win a Triple Crown you can win two shoots and not win the crown. It's amazing how the winners end up with the crowns at the end. I can't wait to see how some of these classes play out. At any time, any person in the Hunter Class could win the shoot by a landslide. We have many of the regulars battling it out and a few new guys in the mix, too. Will Rob LeLacheur hang on or will Ron Sargent or one of the other guys in that mix catch him? It will be fun to watch. In the SHC, will Mike Lucier continue his incredible shooting, or will Jon Thompson and the gang catch him if he stumbles? The BBO class is stacked, and I'm sure that's going to be one where nobody is going to tap out until they're knocked out in Hudson Falls in the end of June. Then we have MBO, and I'm just glad I'm not in that class. We have the Future, the Past and the Up-and-Comer who are going to battle it out? I wish we could wager on this class. Kennedy has made the cut at the world. Tyler has won a national event, and Vallee is always in the hunt no matter what venue he chooses to shoot. I'll take wager money on all of these classes. I like cheering on everyone because I want people to be at their best. It's not fun beating up on someone while he/she is struggling, but it's really enjoyable to compete with people while they're laying it down. 

  I can't walk away from this without saying how happy I am for Joe Ricard. This is a guy who works his balls off to succeed. He should be thankful for his friends, too. A little bird has told me that one of his buddies has been helping him with his mental game and I've seen it while conversing with him on the course the last few weeks. I never would've known whether he was shooting well or poorly. Although I could see where he wanted to resort back to his old ways, he stayed the course and didn't do it. I saw it clearly. 

  I'm also thankful for my archery family, which comprises all of you. You guys all make me want to get better. I appreciate your support, and I always try to represent our region to the best of my ability. I will never be a Jacob, but I'm sure glad I have him around to help when I need a vote of encouragement. Shooting with him as helped me to concentrate. We seem to get along because we think in a similar fashion. He's also easy to bounce things off from and get honest feedback. Cheering him on this winter during indoor season was great for all of us and hopefully we will be able to do the same for him this summer. Vozzy, Wagoner and I will give our best too. Jeff and I are glad to join John this year and have some fun while we participate. I hope all of you enjoyed the shoot, and I wish you luck if you're going to any nationals or if you are just going to keep plugging along in the Northeast Triple Crown. 

  On another note, please attend the RBD if you can. This is an incredible series of shoots in which you can win A LOT of money, and you don't even have to shoot well to win. They have all sorts of great prizes, and everyone has a chance to be in the shutoff when the flights are broken at the last event. It's done just like Vegas, so you can shoot poorly and still bring home a wallet full of money. The first even to this series will be this coming weekend. I will not be able to attend due to my inability to attend the last event of the year because of a prior commitment. Since the shootoff is at the end of the last shoot, you have to be able to be there that weekend if you make it into any of the flight shootoffs. If you have any questions about this event, you can contact Rob D'Alfonso, and he can answer all of your questions.

  On a closing note, I'm a superstitious guy. A few weeks ago Ron Sargent gave me an Easton hat because I've shot Easton arrows since I was 20 years old. I told him I would give it a try. After the last two IBO events I shot over the last two weekends, the hat has passed the test. This hat has some magic in it, and I think it probably needs to stay on my head. Thank you, Ron. It is much appreciated. 

  Rob LeLacheur and I may be working on something that I think can have a far and wide reach. I'm excited to take this project on and can only imagine where it might go. Stay tuned for that. 

 

  

    

                 

ASA & IBO to Start the Year Off

 

  I was lucky enough to attend a shoot from each of the majors organizations last weekend. It always makes it nice when there are different options to choose from in the same geographical region. Unfortunately, shooters in many regions are stuck doing just one thing because that is all that is available. 

  With so many archery games to play, it sometimes takes a bit to find the one that you enjoy the most. I just like shooting my bow, so I kind of enjoy doing anything that has to do with archery. When I looked at the forecast for the weekend, I decided I would head to Connecticut to participate in the ASA shoot, and on Sunday, I headed to western New York to participate in an IBO tournament. 

 

                                                             The ASA Tournament

  Since Dad wanted to shoot in the ASA tournament, we headed out at 5:00 a.m. We accidentally took a few wrong turns on the way, but we got to the site around 8:45. When we pulled in, it appeared that most people had already signed up and headed onto the course. We shot a few arrows and decided we were ready. Before heading out, we had to shoot through the chronograph to make sure our bows weren't going too fast. Over the years, I've always used a competition electronic chronograph because it's the same band of chronograph the officials use at the national tournaments. So when Dad and I both shot through the chronograph, the results that displayed on the screen surprised me. I had shot my bow through Aron's chronograph, Sean's chronograph and my own, and every one of them gave me the same speed. This one seemed to read a little bit higher than mine. I also heard other people saying their bows were going slower through that chronograph than their own chronographs. Those machines can make you pull your hair out at times, and they've always been that way. It seems like they could design all of them the same. 

  When we headed onto the range, the wind was hammering, and the first shot was out in the open. I had a hard time settling down and the bow was really moving around when the shot fired. Shooting unmarked yardage, I was disappointed to see my arrow on the 8 line under the 10. I knew I had the yardage, but I executed a poor shot. The next two shots were not stellar, and it started getting in my head. I couldn't hold well due to the wind, and it was causing me to be non-committal on my release. After getting into the woods, things improved a little, and I executed a couple of great shots. When I got the place where the course turned and started coming up the other side of the road, I made an incredible shot and smoked a javelina. I had the perfect yardage, ant he arrow hit directly behind the pin. 

  A few targets later, I was standing high on a rock and shooting a chamois that was down a hill. The wind wouldn't let up and my pin went from the front to the back of the animal. When the release fired, the arrow hit directly right of the 10, where the arrow had drifted with the wind. When you're shooting light poundage and a 290 grain arrow that has a 90 grain point in it, it doesn't leave much for error while shooting in the wind. I let the shot bother me, and as I approached the next target, I was concerned about my stabilizer and cam touching the pile of rocks in front of the stake. I let it mentally distract me and paid more attention to that than shooting my arrow. Being distracted on a 44.5 yard coyote usually doesn't result in a happy ending -- and it didn't. 

  Still thinking about the last shot, which I never do, and paying attention to my stabilizer and cam amongst the rocks, I paid the price, and barely caught foam on the coyote. I had the right yardage but came unglued. Continuing down the trail, I let it bother me, and I knew my first shoot of the year wasn't going as I had expected or planned. Unlike my normal process, I got sidetracked and began becoming lost in outside thoughts about everything else going on in my life. I paid the price a few more times over the next few targets. 

  Going into the second half my goal was to stay afloat and not lose ground. With the long yardage, it made it difficult to stay on track, but I did the best I could. The wind got me on a few shots, but overall my arrows found their mark. I think I came off that half about 6 down, which I considered a success for shooting unmarked yardage and the difficulty level of the course. 

  If I had to evaluate my ASA tournament, I would give myself a 6 out of 10. I struggled with commitment to the shot, but I executed great shots. I did a phenomenal job of concentrating when I had to bear down on the second half. I did the best I could to shoot in the wind and accept the results. I didn't expect he course to be set with so many long-yardage targets, so the judging was a little tougher, as yardage definitely gets harder to estimate after it gets beyond 40 yards. I did learn that my yardage judging was stellar, and that made me happy. My work in that area passed the test. The long distances made it difficult to actually aim directly at 12s. Although I aimed at a few, I only hit one the entire day and I called the upper because I could see it well. At the end of the day, I learned that I should have just announced at the beginning of the day, that I was shooting all uppers. I judged a hair hot, causing me to hit high. If I had called all uppers, I would have ended at nine down. It just goes to show you that a lot of people luck into the 12, no matter where it might be. Many people never think about it, but the 12s are the size of a 5-spot X and not many people can repeatedly shoot 5 Xs on a 5-spot regularly at 20 yards, let alone 30, 40 or 50. Although I can't prove it, in classes other than pro classes, I think that's why people are so up and down in ASA shoots and the same person doesn't  usually win consecutive shoots at the national events. 

  My take on the day: I shot well. I struggled getting my shot to go off. I got distracted. I barely missed when I missed. My sub-par shots go left with this bow. My concentration was at an elite level on the second half. My aiming was phenomenal. The club always does a great job with their events, and it's a pleasure to shoot there. 

                                                                 The IBO Shoot

  After checking the weather, Wade, George and I decided to head to western New York to shoot on Sunday. The forecast called for a few showers early, but that was about it. George met me at 4:45 after driving an hour from his house to my house, and we headed out to meet Wade. We got to the shoot at about 9:35, warmed up and headed out on the course. We were grouped with Ike and Mike, and I haven't shot with them in probably 15 years. I still remember the first time I ever met Mike, and we have remained friends over the years. Although he lives west of Buffalo, and we don't see each other much, it's always good to see him. Unfortunately, having five people in the group, I knew it was going to be a long day, but I also knew there would be good arrows in the target every time I didn't have to lead off because every shooter shoots well. 

  I started off well, barely missing an 11 on a Corsican ram. Stepping up to the stake on target 2, I knew it was going to be a tough shot. It was a long cheetah that was set up a creek bed and the black spots blended in so it made it really hard to aim. When it was my turn there were a few good arrows just a hair to the left of the 11. I held just off from them and the release fired. The arrow instantly appeared in the 11. I made a great shot, guessed the distance perfectly and ended up being rewarded. I executed another great shot on the next target and found myself in the 11 agin. Through the rest of the course, I held my own and shot good shots. I judged well and felt good about the loop when we finished. I sat at 4 down and knew I should have been a little higher. Also, of the three 8s I shot, one was on a long Jake turkey, which isn't an official IBO target, so I basically wrote that one off. 

  Heading onto the second loop, I felt good about my start. I executed a great shot on a long alert buck and barely missed the 11. I followed up that great shot with a great shot on a long coyote and smoked the 11. I love coyotes because the black stripe ends directly in the 10-ring. That target is the closest to dot shooting that you will get on a 3D course. As we picked our way through the rest of the course, we got hammered with an intense downpour for about 5-10 minutes, and we got soaked. It drenched our bows and made a mess out of things After it past, the wind began howling, and the day seemed to become somewhat miserable. I executed a great shot on the lynx and hit it over the 11. Although I was disappointed, I was happy to get a 10 because that target is tough no matter where it is set. 

  The first shot after the rainstorm, was a very long hogzilla, another target that will never be seen on a national range, and I was unsure where the arrow would hit. I wanted to add yardage due to the amount of water that the strings had soaked up, but I chose to dial the sight into the yardage I guessed. I hit dead low after making a good shot. It irritated me for a second, but I moved on and realized it's all a part of the game. The middle 10 treated me well, and I ended up 3 up on that loop. Going into the last 10, I just wanted to finish off the day on a positive note. I had good yardage estimations all day, and wanted to keep building on that. 

  A couple targets after hogzilla, I came upon another target that won't be seen at a national event, which was a gobbling turkey. I missed it about an inch to the left of the 10. It was a good shot, but barely missed the 10. Although I was disappointed, I moved on and let it go. Although I shot one more 8 on a long medium deer, I stayed in the 10 the rest of the way. When all was said and done, I had finished at 3 down on a course similar to many courses I've shot at national events. It had a mixture of all yardages and made you use the sight tape. Although there were a couple close ones, the vast majority of them were in the 38-48 range, and that is what can be expected. Once again, I had good yardage, and I shot three 8s on the only there targets that weren't official targets. I can take that any day of the week. 

  My thoughts on the day: I aimed unbelievably well. I stayed focused all day. I didn't let anything distract me to the point of throwing me off my game. My concentration was at another level. My yardage estimations were spot on. My bad shots go a hair left with this bow. 

  When I struggle with my game, I sometimes consult people I respect for opinions. After texting Jacob, I may try my old reliable Stan SX2 this week and see how that goes. If we can ever get a day where the wind isn't blowing Mach 9, I might be able to try it and see what happens. I'm going to use the IBO shoot this weekend in Massachusetts to experiment with a few things and see what happens. It might be a train wreck, but I could find something that is missing that could propel me to another place. That's what I'm hoping for this weekend. 

  If anyone didn't notice, I decided to shoot Senior Pro this year. I worked hard in the winter to be ready for it, and I'm working on yardages to give it my best shot. Sometimes insignificant conversations stick with people, and I had a talk with Ted and Sara Kay last year in West Virginia. I had just finished my round, and they were sitting on their tailgate when I approached them. After chatting for a bit and discussing the Senior Pro class, Ted said, "You've definitely earned your right to shoot in that class. You should just do it." 

  Well, I didn't put much into it last year due to all of the COVID stuff going on and wasn't feeling it. However, the more I thought about Ted's words, the more I decided the time is now. I'm not getting any younger and many of the guys in the class are the same guys I met in MBO and SPM back in the early days of my archery career. I've always been able to compete at the top of every class I've shot in, so I'll give it my best and see what happens. If I lay an egg, at least I know I tried. 

  Here's my card for Sunday's shoot and a few pictures of my deer head that just got finished. It's an Adirondack buck. I hope I see all of you out on the trail 

  

That's a Wrap for 2021 Indoors

 

  Going into the 2021 indoor season, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if we would be back to a somewhat normal tournament schedule or if the season would be one to forget due to the inability to travel and participate in different events. 

  As the year flipped and things began getting sorted out, I decided I wanted to set three goals that would combine to become one goal. I knew I would have to work hard in silence to accomplish the goals, but I felt like I was in a good frame of mind to succeed. 

  Although the NFAA Indoor National was canceled in Louisville last March, the NFAA decided to host a virtual event. NFAA-sanctioned clubs were allowed to act as host locations, providing there were also NFAA certified judges on hand. When this decision was made, I instantly decided I would participate in the event at the closest host site. I also made the decision that I would settle for nothing less than a winning performance. Even if I wasn't able to pull out a win, I would make sure I gave it everything I had to accomplish my goal. Although the Indoor National is usually the last indoor event of the year, it was going to be the first of the year for me. So going into it I set the goal of winning the NFAA National, the NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectional and the NFAA New York State Championship. 

  As I've aged, I've learned that it's more difficult to be consistent from week to week, let alone from month to month in the game of archery. I knew I was taking on quite the task with my goal, but I also knew I would put the work in to accomplish it. 

                                                            The Indoor National

  Originally, I knew I wasn't going to get much practice before the event. It's no secret that hunting takes all of my time in the fall and I will not focus on anything else until the season closes. Well, the date for the Indoor National was scheduled for the weekend after the close of hunting season. Fortunately, a major storm clobbered the region and postponed the event for about a month. 

  Although I felt confident after a few practice sessions that week, shooting 57 and 58 Xs out of the gate, I was thankful for the extra time that the postponement gave me to mentally prepare. I used the extra time to shoot back-to-back rounds every few days and mentally prepare for the event. I rehearsed each end, and I saw myself finishing each day with a perfect final round. I stayed consistent with my shooting  and never scored below 55 Xs in my practice rounds. 

  In the first end of the first day, I unexpectedly dropped three of my first five Xs, putting me at three down with 55 shots left in the round. I refocused on my way back to the line and knew I was going to have to do what I've done a thousand times in the past. I would have to clean the rest of the round to reach my goal of beating the national record. Otherwise, I would be facing an uphill battle if I started letting the train run off the tracks. 

  As the round progressed, I stayed steady and stuck to my shot process on every shot. I knew I had to win the one-arrow shoottoff for the next 55 arrows. I needed every arrow to be a winning arrow. Moving into the last end of the day, I had become lost in the process and didn't know it was the last end until my fellow competitors told me that was the last end. I survived!! I had only dropped those first three Xs in the first end and had a solid scored: 300 57 Xs and 37 were inside out. 

  Going into the second day, I felt much calmer than the first day. I stayed on the path throughout the day. My hold wasn't as good as it was the first day until we got near the end. That's when the pin decided it just wanted to sit in the X and not move, causing me to battle to get going. Instead, I just wanted to look at my pin. Finally, I released the last arrow and it found its way inside the X on the top left  spot. My round was done, and all I could do was wait for the results. I had tied the national record for Senior Bowhunter Freestyle with a 600 113. I shot 57 Xs the first day and 56 the second day. I'll be the first to tell you that it's definitely pretty difficult to shoot with a pin that accurately as you begin aging and get into your 50s. 

  When all host locations were done shooting, I learned that I had won the tournament by a considerable margin. Of all of the tournaments I've been fortunate enough to win over the years, this one seemed to go along according to the script. Almost every part of it played out as it had in my visualizations over the last month except the first end of the first round. My first goal of the year had been completed. On to the next one. 

                                                    The NFAA Mid-Atlantic Sectional

  Once again, I prepared for the sectional just as I had prepared for the national. I visualized the rounds in my head and shot them over and over before I actually shot in the event. I struggled through the first day and was disappointed when I ended with a 300 53xs. While it's not a great round, it's also not too terribly bad for the class I was shooting in.  I knew that score probably wouldn't stand up and I would have to get back to my average the next day. I didn't shoot poorly that first day, but I just couldn't catch a break and score well. 

  On the second day, my shots broke cleanly and the arrows found there way into the X. Unfortunately, I shot the bottom out of every X on the 5-spot target. I have a hard time aiming anywhere other than the middle of the target, and I couldn't make myself aim higher as the round progressed. I knew I was hitting low, and archers aren't allowed to move their sights in my class once the round begins. Fortunately, I was breaking good enough shots and felt confident that I could keep pounding the bottom of the X if I held it in the middle. I decided at that point that I would focus on staying in the X and ignoring the inside out X count that is used for tie-breakers. 

 

  When the round concluded, I had shot 57 Xs with only 19 inside/out Xs. Although I was highly disappointed with the inside/out count, I knew exactly why the number was extremely low. I accepted that for the overall X count, and I'm glad I didn't try aiming high to rectify the problem during the round. In the end, it all worked out. I walked away with the Mid-Atlantic Sectional win. 

  At the end of the weekend I stood at 600 110 Xs. So between the national and the sectional the difference wasn't much. Both tournaments produced solid rounds. While most people don't like shooting the 5-spot target, I enjoy it. I put in most of my time this year on that target to prepare for these two events, and I'm glad I spent the time doing that. I feel like it helped me stay focused throughout the five shots every end. Shooting back-to-back rounds two days in a row while practicing definitely helped me when I had to do the same thing in the actual tournaments. I feel like my plan worked well. A man without a plan is a man hoping for something to happen. A man with a plan has direction and knows where his path will lead him. 

  Now, I was 2/3 of the way toward my ultimate goal. I would have a only a few weeks to practice on a Vegas target for the state championship. The Vegas target has never treated me that well, but I've also been able to put up a few stellar numbers on that target in the last 30 years. 

                                                               The State Championship

  Although I shot almost every Tuesday night with the guys who were shooting in the Vegas league, I never committed to the league because I didn't know what my schedule was going to look like across the winter. This made it difficult to get into any type of rhythm on that target. Without practicing on it, I didn't expect too much. My sight picture is much different on a Vegas target than it is on a 5-spot. I have a hard time shooting a fiber optic pin on the Vegas target, but it shows up really well on the 5-spot. I decided to stick with it and see what would happen. 

  I felt a lot of nerves in the beginning of the round. The pin was dancing around like the Grateful Dead's singing bears. Although it had a steady vibration to it, it didn't wander out of the 10-ring. When I finished the first game, I had fallen into the Zone. I had one arrow hole in the bottom right target and all of my arrows had found their way into the 10-ring on the other two spots. My shot became effortless, and my mind was numb. I knew I would not miss on that day. Then, the person running the line decided we would take a 10-minute break at the halfway point. Although it distracted me a little bit, I began hammering the Xs again when we returned after the break. 

  Going into the 10th end, I bobbled a little bit on my first shot and the arrow found its way into the 9 ring, barely missing the 10. Being a questionable call, I let it bother me a little bit and allowed that one shot to get into my head. Although I finished the round with a good score, I had fallen out of the Zone, which usually doesn't happen when an athlete finds himself in it during a performance. 

  After all of the scores were tallied, I learned that I had won the state championship. I had accomplished the goal I set at the beginning of indoor season. I worked hard to accomplish the goals and have decided to try something new for this coming 3D season. I'm not sure where the road will lead me, but I'm going to give this challenge everything make every attempt to be prepared. 

  I've had pretty good luck with the PSE Supra Focus since I got the bow a few years ago in an attempt to find a bow that reminded me of a few of the ones I used to shoot really well. The deflexed riser caught my attention, and I knew I had to go back in time and give it a whirl. Heck, what did I have to lose? This year I used that bow with GAS high-octane strings, Black Eagle PS 26s, Axcel XP sight, and a Shrewd Optum scope with a .019 green fiber. Erig Griggs' strings have worked flawlessly on this bow, and nothing has moved since I put them on the bow. I'm thankful for that. Check out GAS strings if you're in need of new threads. 

                                                      Final Thoughts on the Indoor Season

  Although I was able to accomplish a few things with my bow that many people dream of, I was more proud of getting a message from my buddy Jeremy when he wanted to inform me that he had won the final monthly indoor shoot at Hall's Arrow. Not being much of an indoor shooter, he told me he was going to use some advice I gave him last summer and see what he could do. He made a choice to improve his mental game, and I offered him some help that I knew he could use. He put all of the tools I gave him into his pouch and pulled them out throughout the winter. If you're going to build a house, you need to have a solid foundation before you begin pounding nails. We set him up with a solid foundation and began leveling our boards to build the house. I'm proud of Jeremy, and I think I felt better about his win than he did. When I help others succeed, there is nothing that can compare to that feeling. Here are the results from that shoot. Awesome job, Jeremy. Keep working. 

  I also couldn't tell you how happy I was for Rob LeLacheur when I learned that he won both classes he shot in in the MFAA State Championship. Rob worked hard at his indoor game this season and stayed the course throughout the winter to accomplish his goal. This is no easy feat. You must shoot well and have a little luck along the way to get the job done. Sometimes you can do everything right and not win. 

  Jacob Slusarz knows that feeling all too well. Everyone in our region is routing for him to keep putting himself in positions to have a chance at winning. His performance at the Rushmore Rumble was nothing short of amazing. Watching him throw down with the best in the world was inspiring. He shot X after X after X in the shootoff. I'm pretty sure most of us were more nervous watching him than he was while shooting. Hopefully, Jacob will continue his great shooting as we go into the 3D season. Two top 5s at the only two indoor national events he attended for the year is beyond what most professionals can hope for. Great job, Jacob. Keep putting yourself in a position to win and hopefully you'll get a break one of these times. 

  I'd like to end by giving a shout-out to Chuck Weeden. Chuck changed bows this winter and put a lot of time into getting used to his new bow. He found out he can shoot it the same when he's under pressure as he can when he's practicing. Chuck shot a personal best on the Vegas target this year, and he got himself a 3rd place finish in the NYFAB NFAA State Championship. The road has been bumpy for Chuck, so this made me happy when I saw that the work he has put in finally showed up on the score card. 

  I'll see everyone on the 3D range. Good luck out there. 

NYFAB/NFAA Virtual State Championship

 

   

  If you shoot for the stars, you might miss and hit the moon, but at leas you'll be heading in the right direction! This weekend I attend the  NYFAB/NFAA Virtual State Championship. Unfortunately, I didn't spend as much time mentally preparing for this event as I had for the Indoor National and the Mid-Atlantic Sectional. Those two events were my main focus for the indoor season. I know better than to be unprepared when I attend an event, but I just didn't feel like I needed the same mental game for this event as the others to be successful. It's a very poor attitude to have, and I'll share with you how my round went after arriving at the host site. 

  I registered for the 9 a.m. Sunday line, figuring the shooting time would be the same time I shoot every Sunday morning. I figured that would work well since my daily routine wasn't changing at all. I had a great practice round on Thursday night and felt good about my shot. I shot a Lancaster round for a warmup on Thursday and ended up with a 641, which I considered pretty good for shooting a bowhunter setup. It gave me a lot of confidence going into the event. After the practice session, I decided to take a few days off and not touch my bow. 

  When I got to the event, I was happy to see Jeff Wagoner and John Vozzy. I didn't know John was going to shoot, and I haven't seen him all winter, so it felt good to catch up with him about archery -- and life. I haven't seen Jeff since going to Hall's in January, and I always enjoy hanging out with Jeff and sharing stories. 

  My first two practice ends felt good. I shot a nine or two in the practice ends, but I was focusing on my shot and not my aiming. Then, the  line judge said, "This is the first official scoring end. The line is hot." 

  The clock began ticking, and I drew my bow. My hold was long and my back felt like jello. When I'm nervous, I know I need to stay strong with my bow arm, so I focused on that. When the release fired, the arrow stroked the 10-ring and pierced the X-ring through the heart. I talked to myself in my mind and said, "Nice shot, Todd. You always shoot well when you feel nervous." Then, I reached for my second arrow and nocked it. I pictured myself shooting another good shot, watching the arrow find its way to the X. Then, I drew my bow. The picture I had just seen wasn't quite as clear as the one that was actually occurring, but I stayed the course and kept pulling. Seconds later the arrow found it's way into the highest scoring ring. The anxiety continued building as I nocked the the third arrow. This time, both arms felt like jello. It was if I was Plastic man and my arms were dangling from tree limbs. I had a long hold, but when it fired, it followed the first two arrows and made its way into the 10-ring. Walking to the  target to begin scoring, I told myself, "I always get stronger as the round continues. I knew I was going to have work hard because I felt a lot more anxiety than I had felt in any round of the year. I didn't expect it, and I knew I would have to dig deep and figure it out as I went. Nerves are incredible thing and learning to deal with them on your own terms is something that takes experience. You might have to work a while to figure out what things work for you and what things don't work. You need to stay the path and learn from every experience. 

  

  After that first end, I struggled with my shot a little bit through the next couple of ends, but the arrows kept finding their mark. Then, in the fourth end, every shot felt like the most incredible shot I ever made. The first one was awesome, and the feeling built from there. I was sinking into the zone, and the times I've been in the zone in the past, I've been on cruise control until the end. Although I could still feel the nerves, my pin was sitting still and my shots were breaking with consistency. Going into the eighth end, I knew I would not miss on this day. My shot and aim came together to create an unbeatable combination. What was a struggle in the early going had turned into a powerful calm. My shot was powerful and my mind was calm. I was hitting every step in stride, and nothing could stop me. After the eighth end, the line judge informed all of the shooters we would take a 10 minute break since we were at the halfway point. I got a little distracted by that and began talking. I've always preferred staying to myself in any type of tournament and not talking to people during the shooting. I seem to focus better when I'm alone with my thoughts, and sometimes I get distracted my conversation. I need to work on this in the coming weeks. 

  My shots broke good after the break, and all of the arrows found their way to the highest scoring ring again. However, my aim had deteriorated a little bit from the rounds prior to the break. Going into the 10th end, I still felt good. Drawing on the first target, I felt confident I would stuff the one hold in the 10 ring. I hadn't missed the X on that target yet, and there was one hole in the target. The pin dipped a hair right when the shot fired and the arrow hit behind the pin. I knew it was at 6 o'clock in the 10-ring. I shot the next two arrows and made good shots.

  When we walked down to score the arrows, I saw that the arrow had gone into the target and channeled into a hole in the backstop. The arrow ripped through the paper at 6-o'clock in the 10-ring, but titled downward, so the arrow appeared to be out of the 10-ring. It was a bummer, but there was nothing I could do about it. I let the circumstances control my thought process, which took hold and got me good for a few minutes. 

  I lost my focus and began missing steps in my process. In the last five ends of the tournament, I got off course, my mental game suffered, I missed steps and made mistakes I haven't made the entire year. I had two shots fire prematurely when I skipped a step and engaged the trigger before the pin was in the middle of the 10-ring. Each time, the bow fired and the end result was exactly what it should have been for skipping a step. 

  After the round ended, I was really disappointed in myself, but I was also happy that I found that elusive "Zone" in the beginning of the round and road it through 2/3 of the event. It's not often that people find the zone, but it's also not likely that someone goes out of it once finding it. I made great shots today while under pressure, too. Although I would like to tell you I had a winning performance, I can't honestly tell you that today. I did shoot really well, though. I had a great round, but needed a little bit more luck. We will have to wait for the results for see how I finished. I'm guessing I probably have a good shot to win, but you never know these days. 

                                                          Closing Thoughts

  Today was a good day. It quickly reminded me that I need to stay 100% focused for the duration of the event. It also showed me that I ignored the strongest part of my game, which is my ability to concentrate. I will not let that happen again. 

  I got to watch some great shooting today. Recently, I have tried to help fellow archer Rick Steves with his mental game. I've always felt that my mental game is what has allowed me to win a lot of things along the way, and I pride myself with that. I might not shoot better than you, but I shoot well enough to let my mental game beat yours, which allows me to beat you. If you surround yourself with people who are mentally strong, you will become stronger in that area. 

  Rick worked hard on his mental game for this event and did the things I told him to do. He had a great round on Friday night in his league, and he followed it up with an outstanding performance in the state shoot. I've never seen such a good looking target that wasn't a 450. I watched Rick's entire round, and he performed flawlessly. He had a winning performance, even though he will not be the winner of this event. You can never ask for more than having a winning performance. Like me, Rick just had some bad luck today and missed a 450 by no more than a fingernail width of an arrow. 

  I think our club members will have another great showing at this event, just as we have over the last few years. Although you can never predict what will happen in these virtual events, I'm thinking Jason Clark and I will both win our third NFAA state title in a row. I guess we will just have to sit back and see what happens as the scores roll in. 

  I can't help but mention my little buddy, Jacob Slusarz. It's a pleasure to watch him succeed at the highest levels. While it's always disheartening to not bring home the gold medal, he's still showing all of us an incredible feat in archery. What he is doing is not easy and very few professionals have ever been able to do what he is and has been doing. While all of you are cheering him on, don't ever think that he is a natural. He works harder at it than anyone an imagine, and he has the ups and downs that we all have. Every round is not a stellar round. He manages his practice and works on things. He had lost his shot a little bit in recent times, just as I had. When we discussed it, we both came to the conclusion we needed to do something different. We both used our own methods and worked on things the way we thought would fix our problems. Obviously, Jacob put the correct work in, identified the problem and worked hard to improve a few areas of this game. Too many people don't put this type of work in. If you want to be a great one, you can follow Jacob's lead. You need to put the work in and do the things that will help you improve. Jacob is never satisfied. He always wants to get better. This drive and determination allow him to excel when he has a chance in big events. Always try to work harder than your opponent in silence. I respect this more than anything about Jacob. He never makes excuses, even if something else can me blamed. He always takes accountability, even if there was an issue with his equipment. Many people can learn from this trait. Always be accountable for your shooting. 

  When the results come in, I'll probably write another article on my thoughts about the indoor season. I'm unsure if I'm done indoors for the year, so I might still have a shoot or two to write about between now and then. I hope everyone is doing well. It appears we might be able to have a somewhat normal outdoor season this year once it finally starts. 

2021 Mid-Atlantic Sectionals

 

  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.