Another Indoor Nationals is in the books. While I didn’t perform to my expectations, it was an important and extremely satisfying event.

My son and I went to Indoor Nationals. After a multiple year layoff, he and I got a chance to shoot on the line together again. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have this sport once again become a binding agent in our relationship. All you dads out there know what I mean. For my dad and me, that activity was golf. The time together. The stories and silences. The good shots, bad shots. All of those experiences create timeless memories I still hold dear with my dad.

I recall my brother and I getting thrown off the golf course for less than stellar behavior and then in later years, laughing about those times with my dad. My son and I have had similar trying times in archery and life. Now it’s the Renaissance; a new beginning and a different relationship.

While my tournament did not turn out as I had trained, or expected, my son’s tournament exceeded his goals and expectations. He shot smoothly with very few ‘flyers’. On day one we were one bale apart and I got to see every shot. On day two, we were on the same bale and I saw every one of his shots. The only archery related exchanges were a few fist bumps and perhaps a ‘nice end’ exchange. He owned his shot process and executed better than he practiced.

Yes, this Nationals was the best I’ve ever attended. I threw my son the keys and he drove us home.