Competition?

[robtattoo]

Right, I've been thinking about this, pretty seriously, since I took up archery.
It's just a simple little thing, on first glance, but looking deeper into it & thinking more about it, I'm beginning to think that this one little thing has huge implications. Possibly.


Do you think that there is far, far too much emphasis placed on formal archery competition?



That's the thing, really. As a newcomer to archery, I've felt very much like the whole point of archery, as both a hobby & sport (& yes, I see the paradox here ) is to compete, in formal, organised tournaments. You can't achieve classification, without competing, for example. This just strikes me as wrong. Why should I have to compete against other people in order to achieve a recognised GNAS classification? Why can I not shoot, under supervision, & have my score recorded for classification purposes? Just as an example, I am now regularly shooting 570 Portsmouths (Actually, I don't know what classification this would be a standard for) which I consider to be pretty good. My coach keeps telling me that it's good & who am I to argue, but I cannot gain a recognised GNAS classification, because I refuse to compete.
I took up archery, initially, as a hobby. Something I could do on my own, with a definative end-goal in mind (ie; getting them all into the gold, every time) As I learned more about archery (mainly through this site) I began to get a little disallusioned with the whole thing. After learning about GMB scores, MB, Bowman, 1st, 2nd classes etc.... I started to realise that 'Archery is about Formal Competition' The club I shoot at is regarded as 'A Little Odd' because none of us has any interest in competition, other than the occasional, oncea year jaunt to a clout shoot, or something similar. Unfortunately this means that none of us (& there are far, far better shots at the club than I) will ever acheive GNAS classifications.

Is it just me, or does this seem wrong?

As payed up GNAS members, why should we have to compete to attain classification? Personally I refuse to enter competetive shoots, because of what it does to my mentality. I'm a very competetive person (in a sporting environment) & turn into someone I don't particularly like when in a 'Win or Lose' situation, hence, I stay away from it. But why should that stop me from acheiving a GNAS qualification? I just don't get it!!

WHY is archery, do you think, aimed solely at competition?
Why is it not geared, just for people to enjoy shooting arrows?

It seems that from the first minute that we pick up a bow, we're being groomed for the competition circuit (Does anyone else feel this?) We're taught (and taught to teach) about how to comport ourselves at shoots, How to score rounds etc....but what if we're simply Not Interested?

I guess I'm just trying to gauge if anyone else feels as I do about this.

Do you want to compete? Do you care? Do you feel like you have to be better than somebody else (& prove it) or are you happy just trying to be the best you can be, for the sake of your own sence of accomplishment?
I would LOVE to be able to say, many years from now, that I was a Grand Master Bowman, but I really, really don't want to have to compete to acheive it. As it stands, this will never happen. It's simply not possible. I could bethe greatest archer to have lived, but if I didn't compete my scores could never be officially recognised.

[WhitehartFB]

You can get up to Bowman classification shooting at your club that's how a lot of archers do it. Your club monitors and calculates your annual handicap and indoors all classifications and handicaps can be obtained shooting at your club.
Some archers like to only count scores shot at competitions as they believe these reflect their true ability that's their choice but until you are shooting MB and above there is no obligation to do this.

[robtattoo]

Just another thing, from Whitehart's comment; If no-one at your club competes, how do you know/find out about these things?!
Sometimes I get the impression that if you aren't willing to enter formal shoots, the GNAS simply aren't interested in you.

[Kae]

All of this is available in the little green book - GNAS Rulebook. You can order it off the 'net.

This is where I found out about all this information.

Kae.

[pelican]

A lot to reply to, not going to manage it all!

You don't have to compete at an officially organised tournament to gain up to bowman level, that can be done at a club target day. You just have to ensure that scoring is carried out correctly.

How sad am I? I looked up the rules to be sure!!!!!

Our club has a wide range of archers, seriously competitive and purely leisure activity. All are welcome and all seem to enjoy our club experience.

You say your club is considered "a little odd" because you're not interested in competition, so what! it's your choice how to enjoy archery and no-one elses business.

Your club surely must have a copy of the rules of shooting, check out what it says re club target days etc.

just keep enjoying yourself.

[SLOWHAND]

People take up and enjoy Archery for all sorts of reasons and long may this be so. In the three clubs that I shoot at very few of the members take part in competitions or go for classifications.This does not mean that they enjoy the sport any the less, nor does it mean that they are not as keen or not as able as those that enter competions. One of the guys I know shoots longbow (three or four times a week) to a very high standard and would probably win most of the tournaments he entered but he is simply not interested in the competitive side of things.
A tournament does not have to be 'competitive', think of it as a good days shooting for very little money, meeting old friends and making new ones. Some of the people I know enter most of the local tournaments and never finish in the top half, they are not competing against other people but against themselves-trying for pb's, or mainly just for a laugh and a good day out. I dont mean this to sound dissrespectful in any way but if you if you are bothered about classification then why not give tournaments a go.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by robtattoo

Do you think that there is far, far too much emphasis placed on formal archery competition?

No.

Adam

[geoffretired]

Robtattoo, I think I agree with what you are saying. I also feel archery can become too competition orientated. I am not against competition but there should be equal room for those who just want to shoot; and shoot very well.
The point about classification is, I feel, the score was achieved under competition stress, if that's the right term. Getting the same score at home on your own makes life easier for many, so they had an advantage over those who scored equally well but in a competition.
That apart, I see no reason why you can't enjoy the scores you have shot on home ground. Some might say,"Yes, but can you do it in competition?"
The answer might be "No", but that misses the point. Why should you need to compete to have a score recognised as good or excellent?
Being realistic, I think it would be difficult to have two sets of classifications. One for scores shot at competition and one for those shot at home, for enjoyment. Not difficult in the sense that it would require a huge amount of work by a large number of people. Perhaps difficult in getting some to accept the non competition scores.
Having said that, does it matter if others don't accept the score? I think not.
Unless you want to use the score as an entry to an elite squad.
I never reached MB but I shot several MB scores. I feel quite good about the scores but realise that I would probably have shot lower scores had I been in competition on those occasions.
Perhaps the answer is to describe your shooting as "To the level of......" without claiming to be that classification. If you are doing that at your own club, everyone will understand and probably feel the way you do about it.
If you are talking about having names on lists as in archery magazines,"These archers gained MB status this year," etc. then that is very different, I feel.
That would require two lists one for those who reached the level at competition and one for those who shot at home for fun.

[robtattoo]

Originally Posted by Adam

No.

Adam

Fair enough. Thanks.

Classification hunting is a form of competition (imho) I know because that's what I do