University Games EUG

[RedViper]

I am new to this but I'll give it ago. Don & you should know me. I shot in your social comp 2003 where all archers enjoyed the day. Mainly because the Archers were set an achievable goal. I never complained nor did any of our competitors. We left on a good note myself & few Archers from Newcastle Archery club even assisted in packing targets into the truck you hired. I am the current President of Newcastle University trying to rebuild a club which has lost all of its talented Archers. If you continue to down grade a beginner Archer for not shooting at 50 60 70 or 90m, Or having ago at losing & maybe finding their arrows I feel you have already lost the sprit of the competition or have forgotten how hard it is for a beginner ?we all know you can do it well done?. The University Games is supposed to be for the sprit of the game. Not to show how a few can win at a distance only a small minority can even do. I have been placed in a position where our club consists of new archers who have shot for 4 hours a week for about 12 weeks most of which can not even shoot at 50m. Even as an unqualified coach I would not be acting in their best interest to enter them. The competitors we are talking about are University Students studying for a degree or better not to quailfy for the oylimpic games . I have 2 competitors entered in your EUG I hope you will treat them with the same courteous as I was treated & you were treated by Newcastle University.
All the Best Paul
President NUAC

[mike]

:sleeping:

[mike]

I have been placed in a position where our club consists of new archers who have shot for 4 hours a week for about 12 weeks most of which can not even shoot at 50m.

Sorry for the preemptory response above, but this kind of 'debate' is tedious. If you cannot get an archer to shoot at 50m after 4 hrs a week for 12 weeks then either the coach or the archer has a serious problem (probably the latter because if you were to throw stones for 4 hrs/wk for 12 weeks you could go 50m, quite accurately)

Competition demands competitive shooters. Sure, different comps are at different levels, but it should still be difficult.

When oh when did people start to think that competitive shooting is not fun and enjoyable....sheesh!

[Zoe]

if you were to throw stones for 4 hrs/wk for 12 weeks you could go 50m, quite accurately

An astute observation!

[Marcus]

When oh when did people start to think that competitive shooting is not fun and enjoyable....sheesh!
You forget Mike, it's only fun when you get a prize. ;)

Answer, more medals!

[mike]

Oh, and while I'm up on this horse (it rather high up here -- hey I can see my house!!!)

For all you people keen on university archery (which I am not particularly, if it is not already obvious)

WHY is it that I was THE ONLY person nominated for the Aus team for the World Uni Archery Champs. I know of only one other person who was interested but was unable to attend (as was I in the end). You can't go in for the EUG then just not support the Australian team to the World games. Little wonder there's no financial support, I mean who'd take this seriously? Apply for these things, then pull out if you have to, but don't just sit back creating your own empire of mediocre competition. Its a competition, damn it!!

I have to say that DAMN! this Malt Scotch is good!!

:D

[RedViper]

oh yeh it would be good to have a coach we don't have such luxuries,
we just get by the best we can.
If u are not keen on University comp then why open your mouth
leave it shut it at least someone might be fooled
The man who quailfied & dosn't care.

[Flehrad]

Paul,

I do intend to show all our competitors, regardless of where they come from, and their shooting ability with respect and good courtesy, because they are fellow archers in a very small community that we as a sport have.

What I still do not really understand is why people chose to make the distinction of the distance being an issue.

It does not take any more strength and endurance to shoot a further distance as far as I am aware, as the draw techniques, aiming and release would be the same regardless if you shoot 18m or 90m. The difference is that any mistakes and inconsistancies in your techniques will show up more at the longer distances.

Yes, I still do know what it is like as a beginner. Every time I pick up a club recurve and shoot. Even at 30m, I can miss.

But, we have not taken this step just to leave our beginners behind!
We have taken this step because we want to introduce our beginners to a whole NEW world of archery, where competitions, and fun, happen.

For example, the Nudie 900 was a really really fun day. It was essentially a FITA 900 (60m, 50m, 40m) sponsored by Nudie Drinks. There were novices and they had fun it it.

It is about the atmosphere and what you promote. Not what is being shot.
We want to let them experience, and not be afraid to try.

12 weeks and not being able to hit a target at 50m.
We have archers who after 12 weeks can not land all 6 arrows at 30m.
Her name is Jenny, and she is competing.
We have a member by the name of Christina, she has been to archery for the first 4 weeks, and she hasn't been to training since. I don't even know what she looks like. She is competing.

Ability is not what we are about. I think if you actually ask any of the former members who have shot any events with a Sydney Uni archery team present before, they can tell you we are the most non-serious fun loving bunch of archers. Perhaps eccentric too.

And as I have also said in a seperate thread, regarding appropriateness of rounds, the beginners shoot something that is actually appropriate for them.

By comparison, the U14 girls in NSW shoot the Intermediate round at ANSW events. Surely that is comparable for a uni student? Even if they don't shoot regularly.

As for losing arrows, we will be quite happy to help hunt for them, especially since I know there will be plenty of our archers with arrows that didn't find the target.

Since this thread has very similar themes to the other thread, it may be wise just to continue this upon one or the other, but not both.

But, I would like to think that our attempts of change, and direction are for the better, in terms of where our sport must go to stay alive.

The reason why I say this is because Archery has been red flagged for complete removal in the AUS Sport programs.
Unless we give them reason, and what they consider reason to be is National level and international level elite competitions for representation, we will not survive. All the other sports involved in AUS programs apply the same rules and rounds at their local level to the international level, and we have tried to bring archery to the same degree by using the same rounds as some local events, state events and national/international events, while attempting to not compromise the less competitive side of things for beginners, by having a shorter different round, and the FITA900 on the second day.

Oh, and finally.

Last year, we shot a short Canberra.
It was almost a Canberra.
If I had said, we're shooting a Canberra, people I know would have said "ok,... what's a canberra?"
If I had said, we're shooting a FITA900, the same people would have said "err.... isn't that a bit too hard?"

The word FITA scares people. Don't ask me why.

My multiple 2c worth.

And since it is 3:15m, this post may not have been terribly coherent either.

[mike]

I don't and didn't have a coach either.

Look, if I or I'm sure several others on this forum can help, then we will, but i am like you a uni student and so cannot afford to come up there. I would be more than happy to "coach" your students for a weekend, but it seems that this not likely. But many have benefitted from the advice of this forum and any beginners who know which side of a bow the arrow shoots out of could learn a lot from it.

I am SURE that more could be got from your charges. If you or they want that, that is.

How is Archery being promoted at your uni? As a club to get drunk in (as many are in my experience) or as a club to be archers in? If it is the latter, then it stands to reason that people in the club want to be as good as they can at it. That DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT CANNOT STILL BE FUN and trust me when I tell you, it definitely does not mean you can't have a few drinks afterwards!!

Any way, don't mean to sound harsh, but it does get tiresome this sort of thing, I have heard it all before on this very forum.

[RedViper]

Flehrad
thanks for your reply. I can see your problem good luck with your comp & tring to advance Archery at a University level its not going to be easy. We are just stuggling to keep our club afloat. Slowly but surely we are rebuilding

[RedViper]

Mark thanks for the offer but our club is not that well off in the money deptment.
sorry if I sounded a bit off side I have a lot off repest for all styles of archery
& u seem to be well educated in the subject. u might be bored with all of this but I think your heart is more into Archery then u think

[Aarleks]

Giddy up mike!! :D :D

On the subject of World Uni Champ's, some of the people who applied (like me 8) ) had not met the minimum qualifying score (read "are too ****"), and thus were not eligible. :oops:

As far as I am concerned there is no debate. Open division shoots FITA. To argue otherwise, is as Mike says, only creating a mediocre competition for ourselves. Think about it in other sports:

"No, we don't sprint 100m, we only sprint 50m.... 100m is too far....... "

"No, we don't play 90 minutes of football as we only train once a week and are not used to it..."

It's ludicrous.

[RedViper]

Aarleks wrote

"No, we don't play 90 minutes of football as we only train once a week and are not used to it..."

as a matter of fact they don't play 90 minutes most lower grades train once a week & play a shorter time . I use to coach football.

[mike]

RedViper, its not about what you think, its about reality and what people can do and will do. Aarleks sums it up beautifully:

Think about it in other sports:

"No, we don't sprint 100m, we only sprint 50m.... 100m is too far....... "




Yep, thats what shooting a Melbourne (Or lesser) round would feel like to me. I hate to think that my performance cannot be compared to the best. At least cricketers and golfers etc have a common ground to play on.

[recurve boy]

Unless we give them reason, and what they consider reason to be is National level and international level elite competitions for representation, we will not survive.

Isn't ultimate still in AUS? :D