Another record breaking weekend at AoR

Icon for AoR RecordsSome weeks I arrive home from a shooting session at AoR and I think, that’s it, we are there people will begin to plateau and the record books will settle down.  Then we do some more work with our archers, or they go away and research their technique, watch some videos, get some extra help and practice and then surprise me yet again on Sunday.

This weekend was, once again, no different, with personal achievements across both the Junior and Senior section.  When will our archers reach that often spoke about plateau?

Shooting Short Metric rounds for the clubs entry in the Selby Postal League, the following archers move their own and/or the clubs  goal posts yet again:

  • new NCAS County Record.
    Ryan Abbott and his three X end.

    Ryan Abbott (Gents U12) has increased his score for the Short Metric IV for the third time in a row and thereby extending his personal best, his club record and we hope setting a new NCAS County record.  Ryan broke the 600 barrier to shoot a wonderful 604 and a confirmed club record and yet to be confirmed NCAS County record.

    Ryan was also rightly proud of his three X end whilst working towards this well earned and very well deserved record setting score.

  • Imogen Neville (Ladies U16) features in the list yet again with another personal best and club record shooting a 351 for the Short Metric II and achieving her 1st Class Classification in the process.
  • Louis Paul (Gents U16) is mid way through changing some of this release but, despite the distraction, he achieved his 1st Class Classification.
  • Amber Wilkins had a difficult session with a bow issue that was picked up towards the end of the session and which resulted in a full scoring end being missed.  Without that, she would have won the battle with her sister, so I can understand her disappointment.  However, she managed to secure a second 2nd Class score in a row and needs just one more to achieve her 2nd Class Classification.

Whilst the juniors get a lot of time and effort and seem to regularly improve, the seniors were not to be outdone and many of the AoR senior archers are also striving for and attaining personal targets.  This week, three seniors managed notable successes:

  • Johnny Spicer is back following a shoulder injury and he posted a new personal best for the Short Metric with a 3rd Class score of 411.
  • Richard Wise (Snr) shot a Personal Best with a 3rd Class score of 366.
  • Mike Williams improved on his previous Short Metric club record for Longbow with a fine 162 scored.

Something different also happened at AoR on Saturday.  As a club, we often encourage parents to go through the beginners course with their children.  For numerous reasons, this is not always possible (space, money, a wish to have a go, the shame of being shown up, etc. etc.).  However, after a few weeks of sitting (or standing) watching their kids shoot parents often then decide that it all looks far too easy and they don’t know what all the fuss is about when their kids do well.  On the flip side, I often get parents asking why their kids are shooting all over the place – at 50 yards, with a light poundage bow, in wind and after only shooting with their new bow for a few short weeks – on the contrary they are shooting very well.

Anyway, at the beginning of the outdoor season three of our mums approached me asking if I could take them through a have-a-go session sometime.  Owing to commitments it took a while, but with the weather forecast to be set fair and the have-a-go scheduled in the minutes, I was joined by Kevin and we took Leza, Nicki and Deanna through a first lesson in archery.

All credit to the ladies, they entered into the session with the most positive and attentive manner that would see me pushing the bosses back slightly and still having them banging arrow after arrow into the middle of the target.

I believe that we all found the session rewarding and enjoyable.  Furthermore, it was of special interest for me to listen to the comments between ends.  Specially, conversations about things that they had not understood or appreciated previously and not least the phrase “This is harder than it looks, the kids make it look so easy”.

Needless to say, there was a heightened level of appreciation for the kids efforts during the Sunday shoot and this was great to see.  I therefore intend to undertake more of these single session lessons for parents who want to experience archery and appreciate just how good the AoR archers really are.

Please drop me a line or catch me on the shooting field if you are a parent of a junior archer (both AoR or other clubs) and I’ll be happy to discussion scheduling a couple of hours with you.

 

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