Competions....Am I Ready Yet?

[cestria]

Hi Folks,
Our club is a very friendly place to go every week, but no one seems to be that keen to go to competitions. I've been shooting for about a year and I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing out on something. At the back of my mind however is the doubt that I'm not good enough and will embarass myself. I wouldn't mind being last as long as it wasn't by a ridiculous margin. Our club secutary does make some anouncements about up and coming comps. but not that many, so how do you go about finding out about them.

[Little Miss Purple]

Originally Posted by cestria

Hi Folks,
Our club is a very friendly place to go every week, but no one seems to be that keen to go to competitions. I've been shooting for about a year and I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing out on something. At the back of my mind however is the doubt that I'm not good enough and will embarass myself. I wouldn't mind being last as long as it wasn't by a ridiculous margin. Our club secutary does make some anouncements about up and coming comps. but not that many, so how do you go about finding out about them.

IMHO you can never start to compete too soon!!! It is the best place to learn and pick up many tips. I'm also of the opinion that you can get rid of a certain level of nerves as you gain experience.

My 1st competition was 8 weeks from my 1st lesson!!! People compete for many reasons....and there are plenty of friendly shoots in your area

[Kae]

Without a doubt YES.

I take archers that have literally been shooting a few months (including beginner's lessons) to competitions, if thats the route they want to take.
You can't start early enough, and archery is probably the only sport where you can directly compete with the pro's.
It is a fantastic experience, and the people you meet turn up at most competitions, so you make fantastic friends.
If i'm ever board of a weekend (wish I was) then I know if there is a shoot on there will be somebody interesting to talk to.

Get out there, and start competing!

Kae.

[TJ Mason]

Good places to find out about competitions in your area are:

here - AIUK
the NCAS website - http://www.ncas.co.uk/
the DNAA website - http://www.dnaa.co.uk/

and for a little further from you:
the YAA website - http://www.yorkshirearchery.co.uk/
the Lancashire AA website - http://www.lancashire-archery.org.uk/

[greydog]

Originally Posted by Little Miss Purple

My 1st competition was 8 weeks from my 1st lesson!!! People compete for many reasons....and there are plenty of friendly shoots in your area

Best thing to do is to get stuck in, if you are thinking about competition's then you are ready. Take LMP's example, she's not been shooting long and already she's represented her county ..........though I suspect she uses archery tournements as a way to pass the time between raffles

[SLOWHAND]

As long as you have the attitude that you do then you will enjoy the whole experience. You will learn a lot by watching more experienced archers (sometimes you will even learn how not to do things!) You probably wont win, and it may be possible that you will come last but what the heck it's your first shoot and no one will expect you to do well. In fact everyone will be so concerned with their own scores that they wont even notice yours. You will not embarass yourself but you just may embarass some of the others!
To find where the shoots are, go to the DNAA website and go to the Calendar or Events section, some of the shoots have on-line entry forms and for the ones that don't go to the 'clubs' section, find the club secretaries phone number and give them a ring.
Two little tips. It may be an idea to put a note in with your entry form to say it's your first shoot and definitely tell the other people on your target, then they will explain how to do things.

I attend most of the DNAA shoots so make sure you come over and say hello.

[numpty]

I shot my first comp 2 months after doing the beginners course. Granted I was a bit nervious at the start.I loved every bit of it. So my answere is no your never too early to start shooting in competitions. Go for it. Ian

[caveman]

my club was a year old when i started shooting and no one had ever enterd a comp, except the coach , so after six months i entered a comp which i found on the net some where , come in at fith place and ive been hooked ever since now we all enter comps on a regular basis , now every arrow i shoot in practice is for the next comp . soon as you find a comp get that entry form off and practice like crazy .

ps. when i went to that first comp i was all on my own

[MINIMike]

Good question Cestria.

I've been pondering the same thing myself.

I completed my beginners' course in July and the progression in early September. I used to be a club racing cyclist and, frankly, need competition to keep me totally interested.

The problem is that, as I'm hiring a club bow, I cannot shoot it outside of the club. I'm strongly advised not to purchase my own bow yet so I'm stuffed until next year.

Whatever you decide, I wih you good luck and, as we're nearly neighbours, maybe I'll see you on the line sometime soon.

[stever]

As Slow hand says, go along and try. we all had to some time.
You will also find me at most DNAA shoots, come and say hello, we dont bite, honest