Tag Archives: archery blog

Jan 19 2016

Simple coaching tip

Use of technology to help archers

Use of technology to help archers

Those that follow me on instagram or tumblr may have seen the photo of a new toy my friend Andy has picked up to help with coaching. It’s a cradle that holds his tablet and allows it to be connected to a tripod.

View of the tripod set up

View of the tripod set up with Andy shooting

We were testing it out at our coaching day down at the wood and it has proved very useful providing a stable platform for recording archers shooting and then playing it back.

Provides easy playback

Provides easy playback

Andy has also picked up a little bluetooth remote allowing him to trigger the recording from a short distance. (Couple of metres)
Video resources can be immensely useful for many sports, archery included and they are becoming more common, with the growth of YouTube and ease by which people can make and edit recordings increasing the number of budding Spielbergs are out there.
Making videos where I’m in front of the camera has never appealed to me. As someone once said “I have the perfect face for radio” , but I can see their merits of using them in coaching.
For this reason I  have been using simple video software application called Technique for a while and in the next couple of weeks I’ll be posting more on their benefits in the meantime thanks for reading.
Jan 7 2016

Archery equipment stolen in Midlands UK

Happy New Year to all readers and followers. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and wasn’t as unfortunate as myself who is still recovering from flu which I had over Christmas and New Year.

Sadly it’s not a great start for my good friend, fellow club member and coaching buddy, Andy who had his car broken into yesterday and had nearly all his archery gear stolen.
I’ve included  the text 0f his posting on the NFAS Facebook group which provides a description of all the stolen items below along with a picture Andy has given me of him shooting the bow.

Andy and the now stolen bow

Andy and the now stolen bow

“Some low life has stolen my Compound Bow set up from Blackheath in West Midlands.

If anyone is offered any of the following on the cheap please let me know.

Bowtech Carbon Knight 50-60lb that has a metal D-loop fitted
Cartel Stabilzers with a mybo off set bracket
Decut sight/MAC ten zone scope
Cartel kick stand

Arrows all marked up with Andy Robinson-Morris  for NFAS

10 500 spine Easton Fat Boys Red Flecthings
8 2212 Easton Eclipse Red Fletching
6 500 Gold Tip UltraLight Entrada green fletchings

all of the above were in a negrini hard case
Fivics quiver
Tru Ball Max Pro 4 Release aid
Cartel brace height gauge
gompy hair tab
Tanto style knife on the quiver belt.

Plus a black plastic extendable Avalon Arrow Tube containing a dozen wooden arrows (teal and white fletchings)”

Please help me get the message out to keep an eye out for Andys gear.
Thanks for reading.
Dec 30 2015

A year in review

Autumn view

Autumn view

As 2015 draws to a close it is traditional to review the past year, taking stock of what has gone by. So being a bit of a traditional archer here goes.
There has been nearly 50 posts on this site over the past twelve months, with more than 20 of them being shoot reports, the rest have been a mix of articles on archery, with tips and advice. Some I have written, others are reblogs, along with equipment reviews from Leatherman multi tools to Timber Creek arrows. So here we go and I hope you find it interesting.
Timber Creek Arrows

Timber Creek Arrows

2015 prompted a change for me, having shot Hunting Tackle in the NFAS for the past few years, 2015 saw me move to a different class, that of American Flatbow, Sharon stayed in Hunting Tackle for 2015.

Yosemite valley deer in early morning

Yosemite valley deer in early morning

One thing we have been able to do this year is a road trip to the USA, something Sharon and I had wanted to do for years. If you ever get the chance San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park are amazing places to visit. I would love to go back and do some more hikes or even a ski trip to Lake Tahoe.
Yosemite valley in early morning

Yosemite valley in early morning

More recent developments have been with coaching. In the last few months I’ve managed, with the approval of the club and the support and help of the club members (cheers Andy, Sharon and others, you know who you are), to set up the basics of a coach program for new and / or  experienced archers.
2015 saw us travelling around the country for different shoots. One of the advantages of getting to lots of shoots is that you get to meet so many different archers from around the country. It also provided me with the opportunity to meet some readers and followers of this blog and sister blog on tumblr (http://offthearrowshelf.tumblr.com/). I see this as a great privilege and I’m very grateful for all your comments, support and feedback, both online and face to face. Thank you all so much. If you asked me to pick the best shoot of 2015 it would be impossible. I shot at over 25 courses this year, not including championships, these ranged from our club night shoot, two day weekend shoots, to the normal Sunday club shoots all round the country.
Sharon studying a shot between the trees

Sharon studying a shot between the trees at Hawk

My favourite ground has to be Hawks, situated on a beautiful wooded hillside in South Wales. Others well worth mentioning are Spirit of Sherwood who always put on a cracking wooden arrow shoot. The award for the muddiest shoot has to go to Wolverines which was very, very wet, but still great fun.

SVYF on the next peg

SVYF on the next peg at Liberty

Liberty two day was great for the social aspect of group camping with group discussions round the camp fire at the end of the day of the shots you made or wish you had. For a different reason the 3D championships in Devon was very sociable over a meal in the hotel restaurant and drinks in the bar. We really enjoyed Wasps shoot with the beautiful bluebell woodland. Other great shoots have been Centaura, Thornbury and of course Lyme Valley.

Sharon shooting from one of th towers

Sharon shooting from one of the towers

2015 would see Sharon’s skills tested at both NFAS championships. would she retain her title in Ladies Hunting Tackle for a second year? Firstly at the 3d Championships in Devon and then at the Nationals in the Lake District she proved what a capable person she is and how good an archer we all know she is by winning both.
Bronze medal from Nationals

Bronze medal from Nationals

A personal high for me this year was securing a third place at the National Championships in September, my highest position at any championships.

A course - view back from 3D crocodile

A course – view back from 3D crocodile

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all the course layers, admin teams, marshals and catering crews. Not just at the championships or national organisations,  but at all the local clubs around the country. Without the hard work of these people the archery community be far less than it is.

So as I am always writing, thanks for reading and may I wish you all great success in 2016. Whether that be placing at shoots, mastering a new bow or style, simply developing your skills or supporting the greater archery community.
Thanks for reading.