The Journey So Few Know Nothing About

  I'm very rarely at a loss for words, but a few things that happened leading up to this moment have left me speechless, and it has absolutely nothing to do with receiving the actual award. Although I'd like to address a few of those things, I'll stick to briefly answering a few people's concerns, and I'll wait until the end of this to do that, so as not to ruin it for the many of you who have supported me for my entire archery career, whether I met you 35 years ago or even in the last few years. I owe it to you to tell my story, rather than entertain the haters. Heck, what's the saying... not my clowns, not my circus. I surround myself with people who support me, and I give my support in return. Archery is a very small circle, and there isn't much that doesn't come full circle eventually. 

  So where did it all start for me? My mom and dad decided to build a new house in 1974, and Dad spent countless hours constructing the house. He didn't own a construction company, and he didn't have a crew of people to build it for him. Instead, he managed his time, his family and his work to build a house for our family. The house was in the country, and the year it was built, I was in the backyard winging arrows. 

 My love for archery increased every year, and when I was finally able to take the test to get my archery license, I was all in. Dad began bringing me to Oneonta every year to go hunting in the Southern Zone, where I could see a lot of deer. We would practice shooting soda cans and apples in the ditch as we camped out in the back of his white Ford Mustang hatchback for the weekend. 

  As the years wore on, my love for bowhunting grew. Then, things began going sideways when I found myself missing a lot of deer. Finally, when I left home for college, I got into competitive archery, and the rest is history. 

  In 1993, I attended my first big event, the first leg of the IBO Northeast Triple Crown in Merrimack, N.H., and I couldn't believe the number of people at the event. It was also my first look at outdoor target archery, as I had gotten a taste of indoor target archery in 1991 after graduating from college and returning home to join Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club. 

  I have to admit, I was a little overwhelmed at the number of people and the equipment the shooters were toting around. After the results came out, I realized I had a mountain to climb and the mountain was higher than Everest. I was in the bottom 10%, so I made a goal of getting better. The next two shoots, I stayed at the bottom of the pack. 

  After the Triple Crown was over, I began getting any piece of information I could read about shooting. I slowly introduced myself to the mental game of archery and how to navigate different types of archery. In my sampling of different archery games, I found a passion and love for 3D archery. I felt like I was born to shoot 3D. I loved hunting, and it reminded me of practice for hunting. I decided at that point to throw all of my eggs into that basket. 

  Going into 1994, I never felt like I had a chance to win, but I had fully committed to shooting a Stanislawski hinge release and nothing else. Looking back, it was probably the best thing I ever did in my archery career. The results weren't much better in 1994 than 1993, but my thoughts on the year were totally different. I had learned to shoot a good shot, and I learned to never shoot a shot unless it was perfect. I let down a lot... and that carried on throughout my career. After the summer was over, I decided to change releases and bought a Carter Big Kid 3D release at Lemme's archery in downtown Albany, N.Y. That decision changed the course of my archery career. If I'm not mistaken, I bought the release from Al Arpin, a guy who was an incredible shot in the 3D game. 

  In the spring of 1995, I headed to the IBO Northeast Triple Crown with one goal in mind: I wanted to be competitive. After the first event, I was sitting in 7th place in the largest class, MBO. There were basically only two adult release classes at the time, MBO and MBR. After the second leg in Bolton Valley, Vt., I found myself in the top peer group at Pine Hill, R.I., for the grand finale. I would have Roger Thibault, Al Lane and John Brean in my group. Brean and I were tied and Thibault had a substantial lead on everyone else. Al lane had a 26 point lead on me and John, but there were piles of people in the top 10 that were right on our heels. 

  That tournament is where I learned how to deal with head games, as Thibault played them from start to finish. I held my own from start to finish and closed the gap significantly on Al Lane. When the dust settled, I had finished in 3rd place overall in the Triple Crown, falling just a few points shy of overtaking Al for the runner-up position. I went from an unknown in the 3D world to a person who got respect from the best 3D shooters in the Northeast. I had earned the respect from Thibault, the best of the best at the time. As time wore on in my career, I learned that having the respect of your peers is the only thing that really matters. The haters will always hate and the people who respect you and support you will always have your back, even when you're not around. Even this past weekend when I received the award, I saw that lesson I learned 31 years ago come to the front... the haters are still gonna hate. It warmed my soul to see that I can get under people's skin by doing absolutely nothing to them. I'll never figure it out. I just wasn't raised that way. I encourage others and I cheer for the success of others. On my journey, I have never once thought I was any better than the next archer or any worse... I am just an archer who loves shooting my bow. We all can be good or great at times, and we can all find ourselves at the bottom of the pack. It's just the way it goes. I also learned that if you want to be a shark, you must jump in the ocean and swim with the other bloodthirsty monsters. You can't be considered a shark if you stay in the kiddie pool and swim with chubs and shiners. 

  After that year, my archery career was a little bumpy for the next two years, as I allowed expectations to get in the way. I learned that to be at your best, you have to shoot with no expectations... just shoot your bow. In 1997, I attended my first national event, The Great Lakes Shootout... 2nd Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown. I went with no expectations. Looking back on that shoot, it may have been my best all-time performance in my career. There were approximately 1,000 shooters in MBO, and I finished in 5th place after shooting a zero due to an equipment failure on my second to last target. The trust dusty Big Kid 3D in the picture above decided to let loose at 3/4 draw. The spring that holds the latch closed broke, sending the arrow sailing through the woods for a zero. That is when I began seeing a string of bad luck, some of which continues today. I'll be the first to tell you that if you shoot archery long enough, anything that can happen... will happen. I've experienced may unimaginable and unheard of things. However, I also learned that I had the ability to compete with the top amateur shooters at the national level. That tournament lit a fire under me to see where it could take me. 

  I'll spare the year by year tracking, but the next handful of years brought me a lot of success on the 3D tour in both ASA and IBO. I was living the dream and making incredible friends while doing it. Along the way, I met some of my best friends in peer groups. I guess I was always one of those lucky guys who performed at my best in peer groups when I needed to. I learned at that time, once again, that it's easy to gain another's respect when you compete with them head-to-head and lay it down. Don't get me wrong, I had more than one clunker along the way, too. I finished in dead-last more than one time in my life, even when I was shooting well. I learned to be a good loser, and learning to lose is essential to growth. You can't emphasize all your wrongdoings in a loss. Instead, you have to analyze and find a way to correct whatever went wrong and held you back. You learn to focus on the positive, ignore the negative, and fix anything that needs fixing. I learned early on to be accountable for whatever happened. I still hear people make a zillion excuses and never hold themselves accountable. Being accountable will help you get over the hurdles and cross the finish line. 

  When life happened and I got married, bought a house and had no vacation time, archery took a backseat. Although I still participated, I never gave it what I had given it for such a long time. Shoulder problems seemed to come out of nowhere, and I was fairly certain I was done. The surgeons told me the archery career was a thing of the past, and I begrudgingly accepted it. 

  Being a range junky, I couldn't stay away from the range while rehabbing. I had gotten divorced, and life had taken another turn for me. That's when I met George Connors and Chuck Weeden. Those guys lit my fire and are probably more responsible for the majority of my success than anyone else. Showing them the things I had experienced and opening a door to something they didn't know existed allowed me to become rejuvenated. My love of the game came back, and I took a different approach this time. Instead of being a student of the game every day, I became a student and a teacher. This worked better than anything I had ever done, and I began seeing success almost immediately. 

  Both of those guys still play a huge role in my life, and I'll be forever thankful for their place in it. There are far too many others to thank, but without my dad none of this ever would have been possible. He gave me every opportunity to live a dream and all of my accomplishments are owed to him. He's a little more diplomatic than me, and I'm sure he's way more likable. Unlike him, I like to tell people off. I have limited patience for many people, and he has unlimited patience. I guess that's what makes people different. 

  I feel very fortunate to be a part of many different archers' lives, and I've tried my hardest to give back over the last handful of years. I think it's essential to carry on and show others the great sport of archery. I do my best to do that. I've never considered myself a role model, but I have one of the greatest kids who considers me that right now. It's my job to live up to my end of the bargain on that and show him how to conduct himself. He's already learning how to win and lose, and losing is tough. He's already learned how to listen to the noise and block it out... haters gonna hate, they even hate kids.

  I'd like to say thank you to NYFAB for electing me into the Hall of Fame. It's an honor to be in there with some of my friends as well as with some others whom I have always admired their accomplishments. I'd also like to say thank you to my club, Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club, for giving me a place to shoot during the winter months. Although indoor archery has always been a necessary evil for me, I still do it. Unfortunately, major shoulder surgery and limited mobility and lots of pain have a way of making accuracy difficult when shooting a lot of arrows. 

  Lastly, like a good radio talk-show host, I'd like to thank my haters and my followers. You both inspire me. Just like the radio talk-show host you love to hate. Although you can't stand the person, you still turn the radio on to hear what they have to say. Just as an FYI, my circle is large.... very large. I heard it all, and it makes me smile, laugh and carry on. 

On a side note, just because I'm not like my dad and can't keep my mouth shut when something should be addressed, I'll share a little story. I think the funniest thing I heard on my journey came when someone told me another person said that I made things up because they never remembered me winning things I told others I won, although I don't ever recall talking too much about things I've won. Some people must have thin skin is all I can come up with when I hear that. They went as far as telling people that I never even shot in a league in Clifton Park, but I claimed to have won the league. Well, Dave Badgley, who is one of the best shooters I've ever shot with and is a great friend, came to that league to lay it on me after the Hudson Falls Fish and Game Club pulled a huge upset at the annual Guan Ho Ha Team event in which the top 5 scores from every club were added and the highest total score won. Well, everyone knew West Albany would dominate the team shoot, as West Albany had many pros in the club, including Dave Badgley, who I didn't know that well at the time. Even I must say, their team was stacked, basically unbeatable. Well, the rednecks from Hudson Falls showed up and came away with the title that year, upsetting the club that nobody could beat. Until modern times, that one weekend when David beat Goliath changed the entire team event at Guan Ho Ha. The following year someone (believed to be the person who said I never shot in the Clifton Park League) recruited people that didn't even shoot out of West Albany and stacked the team even deeper than it already had been because they refused to be beaten my a bunch of redneck nobodies. Anyhow, back to meeting Badgley. Dave came to Clifton Park and we shot together in the league with many other powerhouse shooters. We had a phenomenal time and became good friends. We learned from each other, encouraged each other and supported each other. We were happy when our friends beat us and we were happy when we were lucky enough to win one for ourselves. Dave instantly gained my respect, and I gained his respect. He is still one of the first people to reach out to me after I have a good showing at a national event... He gets it. He has competed at the highest level and he simply gets it. Anyhow, a high scratch average award was given out at Clifton Park every year for the highest average. I have a few fo those clocks laying around, even though some people say I never even shot in the league. I even went as far as to take a picture of one of them today, as I didn't want to dig into the box to grab the other, as I only shot there a few years just to prove a point. Here ya go buddy. I know you're reading this, so have a look, heck you can even give Badgley a shout to confirm everything you have poo-pood about me along the way when you asked others why they think I'm "good." I simply can't imagine doing that to anyone, but different strokes for different folks I guess. Anytime you're free, you're more than welcome to stop into my archery workshop to validate everything else that never really happened, just bring a notepad because it might get a little overwhelming trying to remember if you saw it or not. Thankfully, I graduated with a journalism/communications bachelors degree, so I learned how to take great notes and documentation because those things would be my bread and butter for life. I'm not a lawyer, I'm not a doctor, and I'm not an engineer, I'm a writer who knows nothing is valid without documentation. That's why I save everything, and I mean everything. Here's a 22-year-old broken clock that was in a box I found today. The other one from the next year is in there too, but I figured one picture would probably prove the point about a stupid league that I never shot in. 

Thanks again for everyone who supports me. I wholeheartedly appreciate all of you. 

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. 

 

  

  

A Look Back in Time

 

 

 It was a blazing hot day in mid-May 1999 when we pulled into the fairgrounds where the White River Bowhunters were hosting the First Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in Bedford, Ind. Everything inside me told me this was going to be my year. I had fallen just shy of winning the Triple Crown the previous year, so I liked my chances going into the first leg.  

 Throughout the year, we had also discussed forming a team. However, we needed a fourth guy to cement the team. Mike Parker, who was coming off some dominant years in the youth class, and Wade Chandler were the others on the team. However, we still needed a fourth guy. 

  With Mike and his father arriving early, it gave him a little while to ask around to find us another teammate. We all knew a lot of people, so we figured it wouldn’t be too difficult to find someone to hop on board. 

  Well, it didn’t take him long to find a guy. As he was getting ready to register for the event, there was another guy who was doing the same. After a brief conversation, the final puzzle piece to our team had been added in the form of a guy from Kentucky named Ryan Jeffries. 

  Wade would be the oldest on the team, while Mike would be the youngest. Ryan and I would fill out the middle. When I found out Ryan Jeffries had been recruited to be on our team, I knew we were stacked and ready to roll. I was familiar with Ryan’s success, as I had seen his name near the top of the results pages in the past. 

  When the dust settled after the First Leg, we ran away with the victory, with all of us placing in the top 10… and this is when there were about 800 people in the class. We had all done our part, and it felt good to walk away as team champions. 

  Going into the Second Leg, I felt like we had a chance to run the table. However, as life throws curveballs at us at times, it wasn’t meant to be. Ryan was unable to make it to the next leg, and we stumbled to the finish line. 

  Almost 25 years have passed since the glory we achieved when we walked away as team champions of the Midwest Classic, but my memory of it is as fresh as yesterday’s cool breeze. Last year at the IBO World Championship, I spoke with Ryan when we were both tallying our cards after finishing. All these years later, we met at the tent while he was coming off the Open Pro range, and I was coming off the Senior Pro range. Who could’ve imagined both of us would still be at it at this point in our lives? Then, there was Wade, who had podiumed in two of the three legs of the National Triple Crown.  Although Michael wasn’t there, his dad was still there and still performing at a high level. 

  It’s amazing how time never stands still, but then again… maybe it does. All of us are still doing what we love, and in the end, that’s all that really matters. This year at the IBO World Championship in West Virginia, Wade, Ryan and I got together to take a picture for old time’s sake. Ryan and I still had our awards from that team championship, so we brought them along for the picture. The people I’ve met in this sport are second to none, and I’m glad I was able to reconnect with Ryan almost 25 years after our victory. It was only fitting that this year he was part of the Open Pro Mathews team that took home the overall Triple Crown win, and I was part of the Senior Pro team that took home the overall Triple Crown win. I encourage your to savor every moment. I never would have thought that the three of us would still be at it 25 years after our victory. The moment we stood together for the picture was almost as gratifying as the win itself. Ryan and I enjoyed the National Triple Crown awards ceremony and dashed back in time for a moment. 

Royalston Team Shoot

 

  The week prior to the shoot, I felt confident about our chances. However, going into the middle of the week, things started to unravel. With my sight bottomed out to the right, I didn't feel confident leaving it there. Instead, I decided to move the scope to get it in the middle of the travel so I would be able to move it left or right if needed. 

  After moving it, I had a hard time getting it dialed in. It seemed that my tape no longer matched, and it almost seemed like the bow started shooting erratically. Of course, I knew it was all operator error, but the confidence in the equipment definitely took a hit. 

  On Thursday evening, I figured I would shoot a few arrows and put the bow in the case. Well, that plan didn't go well. After about five arrows, the ring that holds the fiber in the scope loosened up. In the process, I lost both screws, and half the scope fell off the bow. Things were coming unhinged. 

  That brings us to Friday afternoon. I needed to run out to help my buddy Chris Hall with some of his archery gear. While getting into my truck, I slipped and landed on my back. Pain instantly radiated across the top of my left shoulder, and it was a bear to breathe. It felt like a broken rib, but my ribs were nowhere near the injury. I tried ignoring it, but as the evening wore on, it became bothersome. 

  I called Jacob to tell him what time we would be picking him up. That's when I learned his week wasn't going much better than mine. He couldn't figure out what was going on with his sight tape. Finally, he had learned he was between two sight tapes... neither one worked. The tape was good from 38 yards to 63 yards. The numbers under 38 and the numbers over 63 were somewhat of a guessing game, even though he thought he had it figured out. We never said we didn't like a challenge, even if we were the ones who created it for ourselves. 

                                                                    Game Time

  When I woke up on Saturday morning, the injury to my back could be felt. The only good thing about it was that it felt more like a strained muscle more than  anything else. The ride seemed like it passed quickly. When we arrived, a lot of people were warming up and getting ready to head onto the course. 

  It took us a bit to get ready. Jacob tried figuring out what he was going to have to do with his tape. Finally, he thought he had it roughed in close enough to hit a few rings. I shot about 10-15 shots to ensure I didn't aggravate my back any more than it was already aggravated. Actually, when I drew and held my bow, it didn't feel too bad. I could deal with it. 

  As always, there was a little backup at the first target of the day, but it didn't last long before we were on our way. The bow sat down nicely when I drew it on the stone sheep. My hold was a little long, and I could instantly tell that the less holding weight was going to create a challenge. After all, I was shooting a bow that I hadn't shot any 3D with the entire year. I decided to shoot the Vegas E3D that I used for the National Senior Games, and I used it because I needed to be fresh when shooting so many arrows over the course of two days. With six-arrow ends and all of my shoulder and elbow problems, I have to set things up to make sure I can withstand the rounds I'm shooting. When I do this for target archery, it's easy to get used to because I tend to get in a rhythm while shooting target archery versus 3D. 

  When the shot finally broke, it went straight high, catching a 10 at 12 o'clock. It was somewhat embarrassing to hit the target in the place I hit it, but Jacob erased the embarrassment when he smoked the 14. 

  I had to lead off the next target, a Rinehart wolf, which was made to be set with a deer and give the impression it was attacking the deer. It's a target I've only seen one other place in my life, which was at a local shoot in Danby, Vt. Being unfamiliar with it, I looked long and hard to find a place to put my pin. When my shot broke, I said, "Yup," knowing I had smoked the 11. That's when Jake looked at me and said, "That's an 8 to the right." In disbelief, I began cussing and kicked a few sticks. The arrow had appeared exactly where I was looking. Instantly, I knew this was not a good thing. Looking at the target, I knew we had to have that one because I was almost certain Jacob would've 14d it. It was just one of those targets that he never misses... and of course, he smoked the 11... our first missed opportunity of the day.

   After we all shot, I walked away from the target knowing it was going to be a long day. Getting my release to fire was a bear. I guess the only bonus was that Jake LaFontaine was having the same issue. We cruised through the next few targets, and I felt good about the actual shots when they finally broke. I was holding good, and the arrows were finding their way into the proper landing zones to give us a shot. Within a few minutes, we were sitting at plus 16, and I hadn't found my stride yet.

  After shooting a long brown bear with a redone kill zone, I felt halfway decent. My arrow hit a pinch over the 11 and had a perfect line. Walking up the hill to the next target, I had no idea that the next five targets would turn out to be the reason we did not repeat our past successes this year. 

  We came upon a downhill spike buck when we got to the next stake. It was a relatively easy shot. I believe it was in the 45-yard range or something like that. Well, when my shot went off, the arrow hit at 12 o'clock out of the 10-ring. I missed a giant 10-ring. Once again, like the shot with the stone sheep, the arrow hit high, and I couldn't give anyone a reason why the arrow hit where it did. This was another target with a large, bright 14 that I'm almost sure Jacob would've centered. He had been on point. He picked me up with yet another 11. 

  At the next stake, we looked at a long Delta brown bear, I knew it was going to be tough. Jacob and I have struggled on that target in the past for some reason. When my shot finally fired, I instantly knew it was going to the right. It hit less than an inch to the right of the 10-ring. The pin had drifted too far to the right when it fired. Once again, Jacob had to pick me up. 

  Two targets later, there was a Catalina goat on a hill. Although it was an uphill shot, it wasn't anything to write home about. I believe it was about 38 yards. Once again, I shot an arrow at 12 o'clock outside the 10-ring. I had now fired three arrows that hit in almost the same exact spot. Things were not shaping up as we had planned. 

  Trying to put that miss behind me, we moved to the next target, which was a Delta boar. I believe it was in the 39-yard range if I remember correctly. Jake put a perfect arrow in it and gave me a great aiming spot. Struggling with my shot, I began thinking about everything I needed to do to shoot a good shot... exactly what you don't want to be doing when you're aiming. 

  When the shot broke, I about lost my mind. The arrow hit at 12 o'clock out of the 10-ring... once again.  Once again, on a very gettable target, Jacob had to pick me up. I'm sure he was probably getting a little irritated at that point in time. How the heck could I be missing these targets? We were headed up shit creek without a paddle. It was getting away from us quickly. I was free falling with nothing below to catch me.

  After a brief discussion, he told me to start taking yardage off until I shot low. So, that's what I did. Looking up the hill at a bedded buck, the sun shone on it brightly. I think it was in the 65-plus range if I remember correctly. When I drew the bow, I couldn't see the pin at all. The sun washed it out. I let down and turned the light up as high as it could go. Drawing back again, I still couldn't see the pin. I decided I was in the general area I needed to be and shot the arrow. It struck the target just to the right of the 10. I just couldn't stop digging a hole for us to climb out of. If both teammates don't do their part, it's impossible to succeed. If the receiver drops all of the perfect passes the star quarterback throws him, it's impossible to get first downs... that's where we were at. 

  Then, we finally got back on track. I started taking yards off, and we got off the first half OK. It did seem that we were getting to a lot of targets when it was almost impossible to see the 14s. I'm not sure if it was like that for everyone, but it was extremely difficult to see many of them for us. 

  Going into the second half, we felt pretty good. We were sitting at +29, and my issues hadn't help matters too much. Since we have shot better on the second half every year, we were optimistic the trend would continue. However, when I shot out of the top of the first target, the chamois, I got irritated. Unlike the last three targets of the first half, I didn't take any numbers off my sight, and the arrow hit at 12 o'clock right above the 10-ring once again. 

  I didn't pay much attention to it as we moved along. After that shot, I got things back under control and   got into a groove. My shots seemed to improve, and the arrows were finding their mark. As we were cruising along, I began feeling like I couldn't miss. Then, we got to the mule deer, which was a bomb. When my pin got to the middle of the body, the arrow was on its way. I knew I would get it. When I stepped away from the stake, I saw that, yet again, another arrow had found it's way to the 12 o'clock position out of the 10-ring. Fortunately, that was the end of the disastrous day for me. I cruised through the rest of the day and gave Jacob a small chance at making up some of the ground I had prevented us from gaining along the way. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

                                                My Final Thoughts on the Day

   Realistically, on paper, Jacob and I were not supposed to win. While we have competed against Braden many times in this team event, he has had different partners every time. However, all of his partners have been stout shooters, definitely some of the best New England has to offer. We have only competed against him and Tanja one other time, and that one ended in our favor. Of course, that event did not have pink dots on the targets and benefited me and Jacob due to our familiarity with the Rinehart targets being used and the location of the scoring rings. 

  In this style of team event when you're competing against the all-time greatest international shooter and his wife, who is one of the best professional female archers in the world, you know you have to limit the damage to give yourself a chance. I didn't put my teammate in the most ideal position for us to be successful. 

  Looking back on it, I'm not sure what caused the 12 o'clock issues on all the ones I missed. I did have the smallest peep I've ever used for 3D in my string, and I did that because I was using a higher power lens than I normally use. If I had to go back and take a mulligan, I'd probably use the same bow I shot all summer. I figured the one I used would do the job. However, without any miles on it on a 3D course, my assumptions were grossly miscalculated. While the bow didn't shoot poorly, the things I couldn't explain played on my mind. I went a little over the top to make sure I didn't shoot bad shots. That's a fault I sometimes have that doesn't lead to the best results.

  When all was said and done, I was ticked off at myself until I took a minute to look back on the day. That's when I realized, it really wasn't that bad. I shot a great line all day, with exception of an arrow that fired on a drift, hitting to the right, and another one that hit to the right because I couldn't see the pin when I lost it in the sun... mid 50s eyes aren't what they were when I was 40 -- or 20. Every other arrow I couldn't explain went in pretty much the same exact spot. If I had more time under my belt with the bow, I could figure it out. I just didn't figure it out in time yesterday. That's the way it goes sometimes. 

  I don't think most people realize that a team events consists of two people, and both people must do their job in conjunction with the other person. Although neither one of us performed at our best, we certainly did not perform at our worst. We both had some unexplainable moments that pissed us off. That's the way it goes sometimes. When I was at my worst, Jacob was at his best, and when I was at my best, Jacob was barely missing the 14s. Here's a look at how close they were. We had three of these, and I finally decided to take a picture of one. I'd say this is as close as you can get to being in without it being in. While missing three just like this one, all of the others he missed (with exception of two that I can remember) were within an inch and a half of the painted ring.

  Here's another trivial fact that would seem almost impossible. I couldn't shoot an 11 to save my life on any of the targets Jacob missed the 14. I was all around it, but it was like my arrows had been sprayed with 11 repellent when Jacob's were barely missing 14s. However, when he was in the 14s, I was in the 11s. That's just the kind of day it played out to be. We've never really experienced anything like we experienced this year. 

  Losing sucks, but we still had a great time. Cole and Jake were great to shoot with, and I love those guys like they're my little brothers... even though they're young enough to be my kids. I've never had a dog dislike me, but I should've known when Braden and Tanja's dog didn't take a liking to me, it probably wasn't going to be a good day. I got snubbed by the dog. I've never had that happen, so I must've had bad vibes on me or something. 

  I'd also like to give a shoutout to Tom and Tyler Thygesen. We better hope these guys build more garages next year and don't have any time to shoot. After finishing their duties around home this summer, they came out to play. You guys had a phenomenal ending to your year. Congratulations. Cherish the moments. Dad and I are still making them, just like you two. There's nothing like sharing this great stuff between a father and a son. Great job, guys. 

                                               ( Here Braden is on my left. I still remember the first time I ever saw him. It was on Sunday morning after the Pats beat the Raiders in the Snow Bowl. He was shooting a blue Mathews single cam, and he was on the line next to me at an MFAA 5-spot shoot. I shot 59xs that day, and Braden shot 56. He and his dad discussed his round afterward and left. I was impressed by the youngster's ability, but I never imagined he would go on to have the career he has had. Here's to you Braden. Congratulations on achieving things that others can't even imagine. I hope you find peace on your retirement from the international arena. You did everything you could do and more. It was impressive to watch from afar. You made an entire region proud. Great job. )

  Jacob is the best teammate a person could ever ask for. We've been shooting as teammates for quite a while, and things have always had a way of working out, even when we have both struggled at times. Although I'm sure he has wanted to say, "WTF are you doing?" at times, he has always remained positive and gives the pep talk that people need when things are going South. He never loses faith, and he thinks he can move mountains... which he usually can. I've been blessed to shoot with  the up-and-comer, and it pushes me to stay in this game I've been at for such a long time. I've seen many people come and go, and I just keep coming back, even after being bloodied and beaten. I've had plenty of good moments on the tournament trail, and I've been lucky enough to taste success at every level, including the highest level, but there's nothing like having one of the best in the world to shoot with regularly. Without his presence and motivation, I'm not sure I would continue doing this. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him. I can truly appreciate what he has gone through up to now and what he will face on the road ahead. Thank you, Jacob, for letting an old timer who refuses to ever give in tag along for the ride. I truly appreciate it. 

  I'll be writing a few things in the coming weeks, including my recap of the year. This year was filled with many things, and I'd like to touch on a few of them. In my travels, I came to a fork in the road, too. I'll share with you what I did when I came to the fork. Life is full of twists and turns... just like archery.  That's why I love the game.