its been a bit, i have been busy. i have been putting post its with blog topics here and there....just found one.
soccer moms....we have archery moms and dads as well. this is a hugely positive thing. after all, parents are the very first sponsor archers usually get.parents provide transportation, equipment time and money to the endeavors of the youth archer. thank you. if your archer doesn't thank you ,i am sure they are aware that you are the key to them competing.
along with the positives of archery parents there are a few things that can be VERY detrimental to the archers mental game, their shot, and there enjoyment of the sport.
first, expectation......the only thing you should expect from your archer is that they are willing to try and/or learn to execute good shots. that is it. i am not talking about being respectful, courteous and other basic manners that should be instilled long before the string is ever pulled to anchor. as far as archery. archery is a sport for ones self. if you think you child is not trying hard enough because they blow a shot or two then even if archery is a sport for them it may not be a sport for you to "parent" for. archery is only two things....setting up for and executing the shot. where it lands is secondary to execution....x's will come with time and repetition. one of the worst things you can do as a parent is bring attention to every mistake. this is not to say form correction is not important. but it should be done in a positive way.
second applying pressures. pressure can be imparted in several ways. one is to have podium placement and score expectation . this is actually harmful to having a good match. you cannot think about shooting a 600 60x and aim and have a relaxed effortless shot all at once. ANYTHING that distracts from aiming and execution will have a negative affect on the shot. pressure also comes with having nice gear. shooting a $ 1500.00 target rig is awesome , and well worth it if you have a motivated and dedicated archer. you should shoot the best gear you can afford. same for arrows. .....this is all dependent on one thing. will it be used in a positive way? or a negative way?
what does positive and negative mean in regards to equipment ?
it comes down to this, if you say things like " that was a waste of money if you are going to shoot scores like that " NEGATIVE
if you say things like " i spent enough for that bow, you should start winning" NEGATIVE
if you say " if you break another arrow, i am not buying anymore" this is both NEGATIVE and PUNITIVE
having the best equipment should do nothing more than add confidence in your gear, the onty thought that you should have about your equipment as an archer is that it feels good and will perform as well as you can execute.
that being said, a youth archer does need to respect the equipment, and that sacrifice made by the parents or sponsors, throwing the bow in frustration, purposely shooting at rocks etc should not occur and is more an indication of personality and basic character. these kids are not ready to compete at all, let alone have marquee equipment. i will not coach such people.
so to recap.....archery moms and dads should be a foundation of support, expect that your archer will try and make a good shot, do not expect that equipment means they should do more.
there are volumes about the mental game, shout out to Lanny Bassham and "with winning in mind" and to a lesser degree The Secret, both boil down to think bad things...bad things happen.
i get it from the parents view as well, gear and travel cost money. ask your self 2 things
1. is my archer a good person? hopefully you can say yes.
2. is replacement cost too high? if yes you cant afford to shoot that shaft, a good shot with no pressure will hit the x with a basic shaft more than a unfocused/stressed shot will with a world level shaft.....if no, then shafts break, sometimes a slight bend while pulling , or hitting another lost tip left behind in a bale, sometimes a ginch in the shot can cause a miss and a fragile Olympic shaft will break when hitting the berm. it is LIKELY that you will lose a shaft or two a season from hitting or being hit by another arrow in the same spot. your very first Robin Hood is cool.....after that it is a waste of money. a waste that does happen and is part of the sport. something to be dealt with...nothing more. certainly not something that should affect the next shot.
food for thought.....
until next time, best regards from Handsome Dave and InsideOut Academy of Archery
