[Ansteorra-archery] Youth Archery Division

[LD.BLACKMOON]

GREETINGS


>A lot of people think that the kids get frustrated well, let me tell you,
all of the novices, youth or otherwise do.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT I THINK , IT'S WHAT I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN .
THE POINT BEING THAT NOVICE SHOOTERS OF ANY AGE NOT COMING FROM ( POSSIBLY )
YEARS OF SHOOTING AND TRAINING AT THE CHILDREN'S CLOSE RANGE , THEN ARE TOLD
TO SUCK IT UP AND SHOOT WITH THE ADULTS AT TWICE THE RANGE THAT ALL OF THEIR
EXPERIENCE IS AT .
THAT'S LIKE SAYING YOU'VE GOT YOUR LEARNERS PERMIT , OK NOW YOUR DRIVING AT
INDY .
TO BE A YEOMAN SHOOTER IN CHILDREN'S DIV, AND SUDDENLY YOUR BACK AT ARCHER
IS MUCH WORSE MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY THAN STARTING OFF AS ARCHER
LEVEL.ESPECIALLY WHEN NO ONE HAS TAUGHT YOU TO SHOOT AT TWICE THE DISTANCE
YOUR USED TO .
THIS ARCHER IS IMPROVING ,SLOWLY , BUT STILL IMPROVING . THEY ARE HAVING TO
RELEARN HOW TO SHOOT BECAUSE NO ONE BOTHERED TO TEACH THEM HOW TO ADJUST FOR
LONG RANGE , OR EVEN THE BASICS OF HOW TO AIM AT THAT DISTANCE .

>I think it's not so much an age thing as it is the way that the archery
community as a whole seems to treat
the less experienced or lower scoring archers
I ALWAYS TRY TO HELP ANYONE THAT APPEARS TO NEED HELP , THAT'S WHAT TEACHING
IS ABOUT.

>I have recently watched a young man who had never shot before, outshoot my
average within a couple of weeks.
He is under 16.
BUT HE ISN'T HAVING TO UNLEARN PREVIOUS TRAINING .

>I'm never treated badly, but it IS hugely intimidating to try to
compete with the 'big shots', knowing that you will be out in the first
round.
THAT'S CALLED NERVES , AND WE ALL SUFFER THEM , I ALWAYS FEEL LUCKY TO MAKE
IT PAST THE FIRST ROUND , ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M UP AGAINST ARCUS MAJORI , OR
KINGS ARCHERS , ETC.
BUT THAT'S HOW I JUDGE HOW MUCH I HAVE IMPROVED , BY HOW MANY ROUNDS I CAN
ACTUALLY STAND TOE TO TOE WITH THE BIG DOGS AND MATCH THEM ARROW FOR ARROW .

>Getting the novices and the youth out to practices will do them as much
good
as another division and with less work.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET OUT AND PRACTICE MORE MYSELF INCLUDED .
WHERE'S THE EXTRA WORK ? YOU WOULDN'T BE TURNING IN SCORES ANYWAY ??

>Get them out to practices and more tournaments for novices and those in the
lower rankings will make them more confident and score better without
keeping them at the kid's table, so to speak.

I HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT LEAVING ANYONE AT THE KIDS TABLE , MY " TABLE
" ACTUALLY INSURES THAT THEY GET THE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE THEY NEED .
INSTEAD OF SLAPPING THEM DOWN AT 14 .

>Find a kid that has promise and guide them.
ALREADY DOING THAT .

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, HAVE FUN
ARTHUR BLACKMOON
ARCHERY MARSHAL
BARONY OF NORTHKEEP