So, I’ve just completed two weeks of indoor competition and will reflect upon the strengths and weaknesses of my shot.

A tournament is an archer’s best classroom. There are no excuses, only the score. Did your shot hold up under pressure? Were you able to execute your sequence consistently? Did you break the shot off if you were out of sequence, or if the timing became different? Were you steady and able to recover after a bad shot? (And yes, everyone executes poor shots)

It is useful to list what went well and what needs work. Don’t gloss over any poor result. Try to understand what caused it and take corrective actions. Do be positive! Most of us are all too eager to point out our faults, but surely there are positive take aways as well. I’ll give you an excellent example. An archer shot very well but at the end looked at his target and saw a 7. The target was peppered with 10s and 9s and the final score was exceptional. Why would that archer choose to focus on the 7? I don’t know and of course the archer was me. Be positive. Celebrate the good and correct the flaws.

What seems to work in practice may not always work in a stressful situation. Is your shot built on a solid foundation? Taking your shot out of the laboratory and putting it to the test is important. And there is no greater test for a tournament archer than shooting in a tournament. The bigger the tournament, the bigger the exam is. Your shot is laid bare. You will have a full and clear picture of where you stand. How cool is that!!??