We hardly, but this past weekend, I retook the Coach Training Workshop. Perhaps this time I may do the certification work required. Too much information in too short of time, It should be two weekends.
It is a pit of alphabet soup. FCA course, under NCCP, delivered by AA... That is the Federation of Canadian Archers, National Coach Certification Program, Alberta Archery. It is one more case of breaking things down to the point of no one having control, so change is slow. Much of the work is done by volunteers anyway, and to jump through all the hoops is time consuming. Much of the information and process are useful, but without the background theory.
Not the other AA, a god based treatment for Alcohol that works for those who can believe a lie or story and live that delusion instead of thinking for themselves, and to control the information by calling them self Anonymous. The truth is that most suffer from a delusions, personality disorder, psychological disorder, chemically induced psychic disorder, homeostatic disruption or disorder, or related combination of issues. But that all is a different issue.
Along the way, life has prepared me for this point, using information that I have for purposes it was not intended. The entire CanBow program built for the purpose of supplying ideal young athlete to the competitive archery stream. Recreational and hunters are not included. I am a recreational shooter, using modern traditional recurve and older compound, both using fingers for release and finger on mouth anchors (high anchor). I shoot indoors in the winter, and have the choice in the summer, however indoors has advantages. I shoot reasonable short distances, 18 meters indoor, and up to 40 meters outdoors. I shake some, so I am not accurate. Process not outcome is my focus, enjoy the process, get some exercise, meet some people, learn a bit, understand more. It is more about putting in the time until death. I can do something to make the time pass quickly or not.
Outdoor involves too much time searching for arrows. I cannot/willnot leave an arrow behind. It is an inbreed personality thing, a compulsion, a need to find that arrow. Outdoor shooting will likely be even less in the future as I creep toward the final demise. Recreational shooting is a potential lifetime activity that does not require expensive equipment. Club membership is the largest single cost for most, but transportation to the range is higher for me as I am twenty five km from the heated/cooled/equipped range.
Now you may have noticed I keep saying recreational shooting. Competition and hunters are different cats, with different goals. The competition cats are driven by being the best or the love of competition. Some parents drive their children and are results driven, not enjoyment driven. Hunters are purpose driven and usually have training wheels, aka compounds with sights. Most no nothing of archery, only a compound.
I think my future in archery is likely recreational with no competitions beyond me against myself. It lies in low tech, but not primitive technology, aka modern traditional. Bows can be found that are works of art, and often such are only used as show pieces, to nice to shoot with. I prefer utility, tough, durable that shoot fairly well. With recreational, $200 get you shooting, with competition you need $3000 bow to be competitive.
Aiming with the arrow is effective at shorter distances, and is one of the traditional methods of aiming. Much of the real traditional was done by instinct, which for most would take ten years to master. That is ok if you start at 4 years old, but most adults will not have patience enough. Some will catch on to instinct automatically, and some will not ever get it. It is not my interest.
Instinctual shooting is learned, and is competency without comprehension. I have never seen a instinctual break 150 at the range. (150/300) But the arrow aimers often hit 250 to 280 range. These do not compare to olympic recurves 285 and compound 295's. Oh well, it is all about the process not outcome, competence with comprehension. Distance is all about seeing the arrow path.
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