IMPROVING YOUR ABILITY:

No one can know exactly how seriously you will take archery as a leisure activity. You will find that the club develops a range of abilities as some members become very enthusiastic and achieve very high standards whereas other wish only to have a 'hobby' and have no desire to compete at any level.

Club coaches and experienced archers are always willing to give as much help and advice as you would need but will often avoid commenting in case this is taken as a criticism. If you begin to feel that you would benefit from help and none has been suggested feel free to talk to any club member who will either be able to help directly OR will suggest who you should consult.

The club attempts to include all members by providing incentives to shoot that are achievable. The more often you shoot, however, the easier it is for the club to provide incentives that can be gained and the more proficient you become. The following paragraphs will give details of many of the club managed incentives for shooting. Please also read the 'Prize Night' web site entry.

THE KILLINGWORTH CHALLENGE. (The 1066 challenge)

(Starting Autumn 2006) This award is open to all club members shooting indoors over the winter season who have not consistently reached the score of 500 for a 'Portsmouth Round'. That is probably all novices and most archers who shoot regularly up to a 510 Portsmouth but not higher.

The challenge is to shoot two rounds 'back to back' in two separate sessions or on the same day, with a total two round score in excess of 500, 700, 1000 or '1066'. Once started the round must be completed or the challenge is forfeit and the archer must start again with a new pair of rounds.

The rounds may be shot on club days, or at competition, or a mixture of both PROVIDED that the member shoots the challenge on consecutive weeks. Club sessions are presently Tuesday night and Saturday afternoon (2006-2007)

The challenge is designed to be gained while shooting a Portsmouth or and indoor FITA round (18 or 25 metre). The 'Portsmouth' being the most common round shot indoors.

If the member does not gain the threshold score after the second session it is permissible to use the second score as the first of a new pair and the challenge can 'roll' on through the season. All scores MUST be registered with the club records officer but it is hoped that the winner will receive the award after the session within which it is gained. A 'score' recording card is available making the 'Challenge' a little easier to follow.

The 'club pairs' is shot outdoors on the club evening closest to midsummer. From those present two archers in the club will be paired together, based upon handicap.

The accepted round will be 2 dozen arrows at 20 yards, followed by 2 dozen arrows at 30 yards then 2 dozen arrows at 40 yards. The Field Captain can use discretion to shoot only 2 of the distances, or to reduce the number of required ends per distance, due to failing light or conditions. The round to be held on the nearest Tuesday to 21^st June.

The resultant 'Pairs' winners, based on handicap scores, receive both trophy and certificates at the annual Club Presentation Evening

From November to March, over the winter season the club takes part in two league systems. The 'Portsmouth' league matches the club with similar level members of other clubs to form a mini league of up to six clubs. The winners of the league are provided with badges from the organisers. The results are exchanged by post between the participating clubs and the organisers

The 'frostbite' league is similar but the round is 36 scoring arrows shot at 30 metres outdoors. This league also runs over the five winter months.

We also take part in a 'county' based league system. All matches are shot at our normal venue and the results 'posted' to the league manager who returns the league tables to the club. We compete in 'recurve', 'compound' and 'longbow' league matches.

In Archery a system of classification is used based around handicapping tables. To achieve an initial handicap rating you need to shoot only three rounds from the 'handicap' list of rounds. The handicap tables allow the club records officer to calculate, from the results of the three rounds, an initial handicap rating.

Once this rating is calculated a prediction can be made to the score you should be able to achieve while shooting any other round. Improvements in score slowly effect your handicap rating downward towards ‘1’. Indoors and outdoors carry different handicap ratings so you can carry two ratings in the club records at the same time. A rating calculated at the end of one season holds in place for the duration of the next season, unless it is improved, so the requirement is not there to ‘requalify’.

Many club members shoot ‘rounds’. These are sequences of arrows shot with the purpose of scoring, at pre-determined distances, pre-determined numbers of arrows, and until the ‘round’ has been completed. If a ‘round’ is being shot by a club member or members, it is preferred if you have a target set out for yourself and others if you are not taking part in the ‘round’ itself. Do not be tempted to ‘bob’ from target to target without checking that you will not be interrupting a recognised target ‘round’.

On the page 'short rounds' we have examples of some of the ‘shorter’ rounds (i.e. numbers of arrows shot) and how they contribute to your development of a ‘handicap’.