Why is it everytime you ask a question I feel like I'm in an exam
Clickers - hesitation - discuss...
OK
IMO the key factors are:
o Focus
o Fear
o Comfort zone
Focus is number 1 because if you're thinking about the clicker, and when it will drop, your focus is in the wrong place. It will kill rhythm very quickly if your attention is on the clicker or the combination of the sight picture and clicker. I believe that one of the reasons top archers can produce a good strong shot through a clicker is they have developed a very stable sight picture, whereas most club archers tend to wander, and this exacerbates #2 - the fear. The best thing you can do as a coach is teach your archer how to "defocus" the clicker by working on Rhythm, Balance, or some internally focussed method and work with them to develop a strong form which will stabilise the sight picture.
Fear of failure - we all have it in varying degrees. The point is, when that clicker drops, you KNOW you will shoot the shot, therefore you want that clicker to drop when your sight is on the gold right? So the subconcious/subconcious goes into a battle - the concious wanting to shoot the shot, the subconcious wanting to keep the target centered - hold it longer, the tremors worsen - result: vicious circle to the point where the clicker drops anyway and the shot explodes away (who knows where). Commitment to the shot is paramount here - many archers are commited to the shot until they actualy get the gold in the sightring, and suddenly the commitment is gone and uncertainty reigns. Again, removing the desire to hit gold is about focussing within and (with much practice) increase confidence and thus reduce fear of failure.
Comfort zone - ok, so we've defocussed the clicker by working on rhythm, we've got a more stable sight picture because we've worked on shoulder alignment and balance, and we're feeling happy about this next shot - we draw up and aim. Looking good. three or four seconds go by and suddenly the concious mind alarm clock rings and we're back to thinking about the clicker. At that point, we've lost the game and a new game of "get it through the clicker" has begun... the results are predictable. So, expanding the comfort zone is a must. Look at the top archers in the world... they can shoot a shot in 3 seconds, or 10 seconds, depending on the weather - they don't freak out just because it's taking a bit longer to shoot the shot.
Practice routines to assist:
o Draw to click, then let downs - learn where the clicker is without actually shooting the arrow.
o Blank bale shooting - watch the clicker as you shoot and work on developing a smooth constant draw. When you shoot at a target later, try to keep that "smooth constant draw" feeling.
o Timing - shoot to a metronome.
o Comfront zone - deliberately hold the shot for 10 seconds *then* finish the shot.
Lots of others....