Handout for traditional archery class

[McDave]

The linked file  contains notes that I plan to hand out at the conclusion of some community traditional archery classes I have started teaching.  I wrote these notes based mainly on classes I have taken from Rod Jenkins and Rick Welch, and related videos.  If anyone notices any errors or things that need to be clarified, I would appreciate your comments, either on-line or by PM.  If anyone would like to use any of this information in your own classes, feel free to use whatever you want.

[glass76]

Excellent information contained in those 14 pages. Wish this "handout" was available a long time ago.
Thanks for putting this together Dave!

[Winterhawk1960]

Dave, EXCELLENT advice and thank-YOU for taking the time to put all that together.    

Winterhawk1960

[cbCrow]

McDave, Good Stuff!! I've been shooting a lot of years and found 3-4 tips on here that I'm going to try and hopefully improve my shooting. In the last 6 months you and Moebow have taught me several things that have made me a better archer. Thank you!  

[fmscan]

McDave, Printed this out and will read and save for future reference. cbCrow was correct, I also have had the benefit of Moebow films and suggestions. Thank you.

[MajorJim]

Awesome handout.  Teaches us old dogs the old tricks.

[BobCo 1965]

Wow that took a lot of work! Nice job! I skimmed over the paper so excuse if I missed it, but you may want to consider a section on personal goals and how to treat them (SMART). Without goals (Short, Medium, Long Term), there is no real direction. From that same line of thinking you may want to include examples of the structure of what a typical practice session may look like based upon the goals of an archer.

I hate to say it, but I often see people "flinging arrows" thinking they are practicing wisely without a clear goal in mind for a practice session. If time efficiency is at all important, this is not good.

It is also important to have qualified individuals watch archers shoot (and develope obtainable goals           ), again, especially if time efficiency is important. I often see so many individuals spend so much money on equipment that can honestly outshoot them, thinking it is the ticket to accuracy, without considering this point.

Just some thoughts.

[McDave]

Thanks to those of you who have sent me suggestions.  I have revised my handout to reflect most of them.  It is still the same link as in the original post, just a revised text.

Bob, I think your suggestion about setting goals is a good one.  I didn't include it in my text because I don't think I know enough about goal setting in an archery context to be able to advise others how to do that meaningfully.  For me, archery has always been a "fun" activity that I try to do as well as I can, whenever I get the time to do it, and have thought about goal setting as something I do at work.  I'm sure that if a person wants to advance beyond the level I'm currently at, goal setting would help them to get there.

[BobCo 1965]

An example:

A typical goal might be:

I will shoot 9 out of 10 arrows into the vitals of a 3d deer target using my hunting bow at 15 yards within a year.

The goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and has a time set. (SMART)

From that goal, evaluate where you are, set sub-goals that you may need to achieve in order to obtain the main goal, formulate and schedule practice sessions accordingly. Then, just adjust the sub-goals and perhaps main goal as needed.


I completely understand that this is not for everyone, but it also may open doors to others.

[McDave]

Thanks Bob, your example helped me to understand better how to apply goal setting to someone learning archery.

[BobCo 1965]

Glad to help.

That was a performance type goal.

Here is an outcome type (do not have complete control over):

"I will shoot an arrow into the vitals and kill my first deer next season."

Again, this is an acceptable SMART goal.

I can think of many sub-goal subjects for this one including scouting, setting up an ambush, controling scent, having acceptable accuracy with the bow, etc.  

If you need any help, just let me know.

[Matt Green]

Good stuff. You may have plans on having some pictures/diagrams - if not, that'd be my suggestion. don't think either that 'they'll see it when we start shooting either'. Been teaching at the univ level for 14 years - have concluded that the LARGE majority of individuals learn visually.
Best of luck with th eclass

[Flingblade]

Great job McDave!  I forwarded this to a friend that I have been helping get into archery.  Where do you teach this class?  Where do you get the bows for the participants to shoot?  I think it would be fun to teach a class like this at my church or something.  
Thanks
Gary

[moebow]

Gary,

Checkout Centershot,  an NASP like program that is set up for Church groups to provide archery.

  http://centershotministries.org/

There is also The After School Archery program (ASAP) offered through the NFAA.

[McDave]

The classes I have been teaching are through the Community Services Dept of El Dorado County, which is where my club, El Dorado Bowmen, is located.  The participants pay a small fee to El Dorado CSD, and our club donates the facilities and instructor time as a part of our own community service.

The classes are held once a month for six months a year.  They allow 12 people per class, and the classes are generally full.  Mostly kids, 10-15 years old, but there are generally some parents who like to participate and shoot also.  The classes are all introductory, but there are some repeat attendees.  As the day goes on we can spend some time taking these folks a little further.

Our club has a number of low-poundage compounds for the participants to use.  These are of the type that don't have a let-off, so they adjust to the various draw lengths of the kids.  I have some lower poundage recurves for my grandkids, and a lower poundage LH recurve that my wife uses occasionally, that I bring to the class.  These aren't custom recurves, but they are of considerably higher quality than the club's compounds.  They are hanging on the rack behind the class, and I offer as part of the introduction to the class that if anyone wants to shoot one, they're welcome to do so.  Inevitably, after the teenagers and older folks try the compounds for a few shots, some will begin gravitating to the recurves, and by the end of the class, people are lining up to use them.  I also bring one of my own personal bows in the 40-45# range to the class, and I let some of the people who can handle it shoot that as well.

I assume that some of the more interested participants will want to continue on in archery; at least some of them seem pretty jived on it by the end of the class.  Whether any of them will continue with trad bows or whether they will drop them as soon as they have a chance to try a higher quality compound, I don't know.  But at least for one day they seemed to enjoy shooting them, and that experience will probably stick in their memories somewhere.

[Flingblade]

Thanks Moebow!  I have that saved to my favorites now and will start to find out if there is interest at our church.  
McDave,  Sounds like you are working hard and doing a great job introducing people to archery.  That seed you plant now may not sprout for several years but with many it will take root.  I was introduced to traditional archery by my grandfather that I only saw once a year as he was a lobster fisherman in Maine.  In college I started hunting with a compound and one day met a guy coming out of a public hunting area that was carrying a Dan Quillan Patriot recurve.  It all came back at that moment and I knew I had to have a recurve.  Within a week I had a Bob Lee Signature on order.  My success rate went way down the first few years but my enjoyment went way up.  Hard thing to explain to someone that hasn't experienced it.  I get my nieces and nephews shooting when they visit and share what i know with them but I think it would be fun to get involved in a class like you are doing.  Hats off to you sir!

[FightingCelt]

Mc Dave...thanks for posting this informative lesson plan.  I'm am currently self-teaching  with a recurve and can use any and all information.  Thanks again.