Classification clarification

[Furface]

Micky - 20/9/2005 3:02 PM

Does that make sense?

Perfectly!
The classification scheme is really aimed at those who want a little extra motivation to keep them improving. Once you are past Bowman, then you are into the realms of more internal motivation, when even scores lose their relevance. And the levels of the Classifications roughly reflect percentages of archers achieving - I can't remember the exact figures, except that 1st Class is supposed to be about the top 10%, but this explains why the figures for the higher achievements do not equate to round scores like 1300.

[Little Miss Purple]

I'm certainly no master bowman, however I did not score 3 3rd class scores initially - I scored 2x 3rd class then scored 2nd class. I would've been miffed had I not been able to claim 3rd class or use my 1st 2nd class towards my 2nd class classification!!

I'm now points off bowman but also now receiving coaching, again - if I manage a MB round before 3 bowmen it surely shows I have progressed significantly and therefor stand as the result I have achieved??

[Murray]

I'm now points off bowman but also now receiving coaching, again - if I manage a MB round before 3 bowmen it surely shows I have progressed significantly and therefor stand as the result I have achieved??

Good luck

The classifications get tighter the higher you go, so it takes more work to get from bowman to MB than it does to get from 1st to Bowman, 100 points improvement when you're shooting 1000s is much easier than 50 points when you're shooting 1100s...

So I've always taught that it's better to set score goals than classification goals, as you can more easily control the granularity. Of course, it's easier for ladies than gents, simply due to the limited number of ladies shooting FITAs competitively, but still a significant challenge.

I've never understood the mentality of wanting to gather the "lower badges"... except as an exercise in badge collecting rather than archery. Anyway, the summary is easy, if you shoots the scores, you gets the classification Except when it comes to rolling past the end of a year to the beginning of the next... at which time there is a reclassification based on the scores in the previous year

[Furface]

Murray - 21/9/2005 2:27 PM

Except when it comes to rolling past the end of a year to the beginning of the next... at which time there is a reclassification based on the scores in the previous year

Even then, if you've shot the scores, you get the class. Once you have a classification, that is yours for the next season. If, in that season, your scores drop off and you do not shoot to that class, then you are re-classified down at the end of that year (Slightly embarrassing way to "fill in" with the badges )
Also, if a Junior achieves a class, and then moves up an age group, she still retains that class for the next year, until she is reclassified at the end of this second year. Fun isn't it!

[Murray]

Once you have a classification, that is yours for the next season.

True. But lets say you shoot two Bowman scores in September and one in April... Since the year ends in December, you won't get the classification until you've shot two more Bowman scores or above! As far as I understand it anyway. Same goes for indoors, but I think the year end there is 31st June or thereabouts.

[Micky]

Murray - 21/9/2005 2:27 PM


Of course, it's easier for ladies than gents, simply due to the limited number of ladies shooting FITAs competitively, but still a significant challenge.

I'm not even going there... All I'll say is that it's not easy.

[Little Miss Purple]

Surely the amount of people in a competition doesn't effect whether you can claim a score - are you saying only the medalists can claim??

[Furface]

I presume that Murray referred to the fact that the classification levels are based on percentages of scores gathered by the statistician building the tables - the top "n" percent determined the level for GMB etc. In a smaller sample (as is the case with the Ladies' scores) it is probable (assuming the scores are fairly evenly distributed across the range) that the top "n" percent will include lower scores. Of course, it could work the other way if all the scores submitted had been by top class archers, we could have ended up with 1300 in a Ladies FITA being the benchmark for 3rd class! Statistics, eh

[Micky]

The ladies compound scores are already beginning to look outdated - for example, although 1314 is a GMB score, the majority of the medal winners are over 1340 these days.

In theory, I believe it's the top 2% for GMB, then 5% for MB, 10% for bowman - but these percentages haven't appeared to hold true for a couple of seasons now. It's time for a rehash of the classification scores I fear!

I'm not sure about recurve.. I've always been on the dark side, so I don't know the scores for them!

Funnily enough, the imperial rounds don't seem to show that amount of disparity - the medal winners usually spread much more evenly over the gmb/mb scores - even at the National Champs (which is holding steadfastly to the imperial rounds).

[Murray]

Sorry Miss Purple! the guys are right, I simply meant there are fewer ladies shooting, therefore the corresponding levels for classification are lower, that's all. MB is still a big achievement!