competitions....

[wymkof]

Tracy,
If you do not wish to compete, that's fine don't. Enjoy the sport.
May be one day you might want to take part in a comp. Try a small shoot first of all. You can have a laugh at these shoots.
As to being pressured by a club member tell them to "**** off" in the nicest way. Its your choice what you want out of the sport.

[Tony_zelah]

Some people at my club love competitions some have no interest in completions and some do a few comps a year. But they all enjoy their archery, Tracey do what gives you the most pleasure and a to those who think differently

[Flying Whale]

I had the opposite problem when I was younger, in that I was intensely competitive, but had to learn that very few people ever win. I learnt to enjoy just going and taking part with (usually) like-minded people.

This is just as well. Since taking up archery well past the point I could ever expect to get really good, I have had to accept that I am likely to be in the last few at many tournaments. This does not bother me, and a number of times I have shot on the same target as the people who win. I have been able to watch them, and see how they shoot, and also I have found that most of them are genuinely nice people, who are more than happy to chat with a lowly beginner.

In short I am meeting some really nice (and one or 2 really weird, and nice) people by going to competition. Additionally I am going to some very nice venues. Dunster sounds lovely and maybe next year I will try and go.

Consider all the comments, and then make your decision. If you don't want to shoot in competition, do it with a clear conscience. Your archery is for you, and you alone.

[tracy137]

I just want to thank you all for your advice. I don't think I'll compete for the time being; I take on board your comments though and I might in the future having thought about what you've said.

At the end of the day I like it as a hobby and at this juncture in my life I don't need the pressure of competing. Sufficed to say I have health issues which can get a bit of a nuisance when I'm stressed and also I am recovering from another health problem so for now I just want to have a bit of fun and enjoy myself.

I don't want to go every week and feel I'm letting people down or that I have to practice for hours a day like they've suggested or buy a new fancier bow (like has also been suggested) just to get better.

So thanks again to all of you I greatly appreciate your input and will definitely bear it all in mind. So much so that I have now not ruled out competing at some point - if only those at the club could be as nice about it as you lot!

[Flandyman]

HI,

One last thing if I may - dont compete unless you want to - you will make friends for life if you volunteer to help run some though ! most clubs have lots of competitive archers who want to shoot everything but very few willing to help set things in motion - even just organising the refreshments. You will find that they stop insisting you compete if it means they can cos your helping set it up.

BUT - as my lady archer says - dont volunteer for all of them or you will be cast in the role for ever !

Most of all shoot what you want when you want and enjoy.

[Stace]

All the best Tracy, whatever you end up doing.

Archery, like any other hobby, is whatever you want it to be.

You want to compete?, go for it. You don't? Well, nowhere does it say that you have to.

If you did start competing, despite your desire not to, you might end up not enjoying one of the things that you do for enjoyment. Work that one out

[Raedwald]

What it comes down to Tracy is do what you feel comfortable with! Stuff anyone who would pressurise you otherwise!

There are those in my club who keep trying to get me to shoot in either a classification shoot or one of the 3D shoots. Eventually I will, but when I'm good and ready, and not before!

Shoot for the enjoyment, shoot for the pleasure. Enjoy every arrow without pressure from anyone but yourself.

I find archery one of the most relaxing of passtimes - sounds like you do to. Don't let anyone complicate it or take the pleasure away! What they get out of it isn't what you do - you understand that, sounds like a few others need to learn that very basic lesson!!!

Relax, enjoy and above all, be yourself!

[Tuck]

At the danger of repeating good advice:

You CANNOT compete until you are happy to do so - you will probably shoot badly and feel bad.

However there are usually a number of chocolate shoots or novice shoots which are very relaxed and designed to make people feel at ease. They are great fun and worth going to.

You will go to comps when and if YOU are ready and enjoy it if/when you do.

Tuck

[tracy137]

Originally Posted by Raedwald

What it comes down to Tracy is do what you feel comfortable with! Stuff anyone who would pressurise you otherwise!

There are those in my club who keep trying to get me to shoot in either a classification shoot or one of the 3D shoots. Eventually I will, but when I'm good and ready, and not before!

Shoot for the enjoyment, shoot for the pleasure. Enjoy every arrow without pressure from anyone but yourself.

I find archery one of the most relaxing of passtimes - sounds like you do to. Don't let anyone complicate it or take the pleasure away! What they get out of it isn't what you do - you understand that, sounds like a few others need to learn that very basic lesson!!!

Relax, enjoy and above all, be yourself!

I do finding it incredibly relaxing - at home I get reds and golds all the time. But the pressure at the club is immense and so I wobble; all they talk about is their handicaps and whose better than who. I don't get it to be honest, I can't understand why I can't think someone's improved and congratulate them on it.

To me it is a brilliant hobby and I would love to go barebow and field archery in the end. I will NOT be 'upgrading' to a new (and expensive) bow - I like my bow, I like that I am finally into a hobby I have wanted to do since I was a kid.

I like the simplicity of it - I don't get the point of wrist releases, stabilisers and all that. No one understands that I like it simple, that I prefer it like that; that I do not want all the bells, flutes and whistles they all have. When I tell them this I get asked why I didn't buy a longbow!! LOL!

I am glad you understand and I appreciate all the kind advice I've had from everyone here. I did wonder if I had to compete as Trev was told "she's on the ladies team as even with her we're still one short, but at least now we only need one more and then we've a got a team to start competing." It sounded as if I didn't get a choice as I'd spent all night telling them I don't like competitions.

No they certainly don't get out of it what I do. Some of the more senior members get quite cross with me now if I don't do well all the time; I was told when they had the mini comp last week that I "should be getting gold every time now, I've had training for weeks now". I pointed out that I was doing it for fun, not to become a potential olympic candidate (the person concerned said I "wasn't funny", my reply was "am I bovvered?").

Anyway, thanks again and I will continue to be me rest assured, your kind advice and the advice of others here has reassured me I'm doing the right thing.

[tracy137]

Originally Posted by Tuck

At the danger of repeating good advice:

You CANNOT compete until you are happy to do so - you will probably shoot badly and feel bad.

However there are usually a number of chocolate shoots or novice shoots which are very relaxed and designed to make people feel at ease. They are great fun and worth going to.

You will go to comps when and if YOU are ready and enjoy it if/when you do.

Tuck

I did and I did. I was awful, and the worse I felt the worse I competed; as it was the last week of the course I had no choice but to do it. Thanks for the advice, I will definitely act on it for the future though now I am a member.