Club Shirts - Update

Many thanks to Chris Dowdeswell who has been trialing our new club top design over the last few Fridays. It was deemed necessary to carry out field testing as some archers were concerned about using tight fitting compression shirts. Although the sample was in pure white, we still have to settle on club colours and register them with GNAS. The biggest bonus is that the compression shirt comes in the one size and will fit anyone from a young child to a large adult, so we do not have to worry about purchasing sizes.

Those of you interested in the new shirt should talk to Chris and here the great things he has to say about it.

Once we settle on the colours we will need a range of various sized voluteers to model the shirts for the news section on our site.

Thanks again Chri :-)

BA League - Our Jan & Feb Performances

Thanks to the pressure of doing the Tournament paperwork, the January scores weren't posted (and we were waiting for the opposition's scores to arrive). Now they have - see the post immediately below this - we find we did win the January match, by a comfortable margin.

Shrewsbury 2554 - Arundown 2740

Our Individual Scores....
Will Martin - 60 . 569 . 33
Russ French - 60 . 556 . 29
Jon Stafford - 60 . 545 . 16
Hamish Matheson - 60 . 539 . 22
Graham Brown - 60 . 531 . 15

TEAM TOTAL - 300 hits - 2740 scored - 129 golds

As for February, we're still waiting for the other team's scores, but ours were...
Will Martin - 60 . 566 . 30
Russ French - 60 . 551 . 31
Rod Brown - 60 . 546 . 18
Liz Bowyer - 60 . 534 . 21
Jon Stafford - 60 . 533 . 18

TEAM TOTAL - 300 hits - 2730 scored - 118 golds

As it happens, this is our lowest score this season, but nothing to be ashamed of as our highest score is 2741. Four matches, and only 11 points between highest and lowest, that's consistent. The threshold score for our division is 530 points average individual score, and we are averaging 547.

January BA Postal League Results

The results for Shrewsbury Bowman, our opponents in January are as follows: -

Darren Middleton = 60 hits, 21 golds, 552 scored
Phil Knight = 60 hits, 21 golds, 507 scored
Martin Boakes = 60 hits, 9 golds, 506 scored
Glyn Knight = 59 hits, 13 golds, 501 scored
Roger Breeze 60 hots, 7 golds, 488 scored

Total 299 hits, 62 golds, 2554 scored

RN South Coast Archers Portsmouth Tournament 15th Feb.

A small contingent of three archers attended the above shoot today at HMS Collingwood in Fareham. It was a record status shoot, with 29 bosses and over 100 archers in attendance.

William was not on form and scored a very mediocre 560 (mediocre for Will and not us mortals that is!). His performance allowed his old arch-rival Daniel Phillips of Holbrook to take first place by a solitary 1 point.

John Nolan had a slow start but after the 15 minute break at half-way, his luck turned and he started to find the custard.

Unlike John, I was on track for a 560 but lost the winning form after the half-way break and finished on 547.

Apart from a small hick-up on the junior compound scores (I believe one boy put his score in the wrong box confusing everyone), all went well and the tournament was very well run.

RN South Coast Archers are holding a FITA 25 (25m distance with a 60cm face) on March 14th (the day before the County Indoor).

GNAS Clasification Scheme

Firstly a summary of the scheme from Rod........

It's a progressive Grading System that requires archers to achieve different levels of scores, which depend on gender, age-group and bow-style. For each gender / age / bow style grouping, the higher the grading, the further you have to shoot. And the more technically sophisticated your bow-style, the bigger the score you need to get to achieve the grading. You can achieve the lower and intermediate grades at quite short distances for your gender or age, but as you get better the bar is set higher and you can only achieve the higher grades at maximum distance for your gender / age group. And if you get really spectacularly good, you can only achieve the two top gradings at major tournaments.

Proposal for Arundown

When we start shooting outdoors on Sundays I would like to start working towards the scheme and I hope others would like to join me. This would mean that we set some of the targets on the field out for appropriate GNAS rounds on Sundays. Participation within the scheme will give you something to work towards each year and adds a bit of purpose and friendly competition to Sundays. It is also very good practice for tournaments. Many clubs participate within this scheme and if you have attended a tournament you have likely seen the classification badges on archers quivers like these http://www.quicksarchery.co.uk/superbasket/product.php?product=712

The other benefit is that you will get a handicap, which comes in useful if you shoot at tournaments which have handicapped awards.

We need to select a recognised round that can be shot on a Sunday within the timescale. The National rounds are shot with 4 dozen arrows (shot in ends of 6) at the longest distance, then 2 dozen arrows shot similarly at the shorter (that's 6 dozen = 72 arrows total).
We can overlap targets, so setting at 80, 60 and 50 yards would suit archers for both a Long National and a National. Junior rounds differ based on age groups.

GNAS National Rounds using 1.2m target face and ends of 6 arrows

A - New National- 4 dozen @ 100 yards + 2 dozen at 80 yards
B - Long National- 4 dozen @ 80 yards + 2 dozen at 60 yards
C - National- 4 dozen @ 60 yards + 2 dozen at 50 yards
D - Short National- 4 dozen @ 50 yards + 2 dozen at 40 yards
E - Junior National- 4 dozen @ 40 yards + 2 dozen at 30 yards
F - Short Junior National- 4 dozen @ 30 yards + 2 dozen at 20 yards

Here are some examples of the score necessary to qualify

Ladies 3rd Class Bowman A=47, B=109, C=205, D=296, E=401
Junior Ladies 3rd Class Bowman A=3, B=12, C=32, D=68, E=145, F=284
Gents 3rd Class Bowman A=106, B=202, C=319, D=403
Junior Gents U16 3rd Class Bowman A=20, B=56, C=121, D=200, E=312, F=440

Notes

1) The scores must be achieved over 3 separate rounds on club days or GNAS events in that calendar year.

2) Archers are re-classified during each calendar year.

If you are interested let me know at the club and we can start to see how many are interested. We have a while yet to iron things out.

The White Stuff

Two benchmarks set on Sunday for the Worcester Shoot - Fullest Soonest (all sessions full before the weekend before) and the COLDEST. Alright, it may have been colder in the past, but the snow made it seem the most wintery. Thanks everyone for helping, and well done those who shot too, specially the first-timers. And to Richard (Gargon) and Ciaran who both picked up sprains or strains along the way but kept on to the end. Overall the scores were better this year than last and some County records were broken, I noticed three barebow records went, and Will (shooting for Worthing) improved both Single and Double Junior Freestyle Records.
Some pictures below to remind you of the cold.

Tournament Diary

A number of the newer members have asked me about tournaments in 2009. The best place for tournament dates is the Mayflower Archers web site. If you click on the Tournament Diary link on the left hand menu, you will get a full listing. http://www.mayflowerarchers.co.uk/

There is a 20yrd Portsmouth shoot coming up on the 15th March at HMS Collingwood in Fareham. I have already entered forms for Emily, Will and John Nolan. If anyone else wishes to join us and has their own transportation you will find details here http://www.rnsouthcoastarchers.co.uk/

You will need to enter a form yourself A.S.A.P. The closing date was this weekend, but they have moved the shoot to the 15th. I suggest you call the lady running the event to make sure you have a space before hand - full details on their site.

As summer season approaches, the newer members can see who is attending shoots and join in. Rod, John S, Russ, Graham and Liz excel in clout and will attend a good number of events, although some involve travel. Myself, Will, Emily & John Nolan will likely be attending a number of target shoots during the summer.