KuRingGai Bowmen Newsletter June 2000
	In this issue: Committee Meeting Treasurers Report Recorders Report Results The Three Keys to Archery For Sale The Answers The Questions Tournament Calendar
The Three Keys to Archery There are three main parts to your form....
Selling, buying? See our classified section for all of your needs.

Committee Meeting 11th June 2000
General Business

• ABN: Kuringgai Bowmen has been issued an ABN by the tax department. This will be used by the club when dealing with other companies, the council, Royal North Shore Hospital, and other organisations. Our number is 66 773 709 599.
  
  
• Fees: The committee decided fees for the coming year were to be $115.00 for seniors and $75.00 for jumiors. This was to accommodate most of the increases that AA and ANSW have imposed.
  
  
• Target Butts: It was reported that the current test butt has not performed as well as expected. This was supplied by the manufacturer for our test purposes and is made of a high density foam. The centres do not withstand the constant impact of the small diameter carbon shafts. It is also felt that at the current overall price and the cost of replacement centres, that they are too expensive. However if the new modified centres perform better and are cheaper, then these current test butts may be suitable.
  
  David Henthorn also supplied a test butt for evaluation. This butt is also made of a high density foam, but is of a different type of material from above and is square. This target butt will be evaluated in coming weeks.
  
  David Boyd reported that the cost of cardboard to maintain the current rolled cardboard butts has become too expensive. The cardboard manufacturer now requries us to purchase a minimum of 100 rolls at $30.00 each before they will supply. This is far more than the club can afford and is willing to buy and store.
  
  
• U12 Records: Roger Klooster reported that as we have an U12 compound archer that we should keep U12 records. The committee agreed but needed to check the clubs constitution to determine if this was possible to implement.

Treasurers Report 11th June 2000

Treasurer's report not disclosed here.

Recorders Report
11th June 2000

Proficiency Scores - June 2000

Bob Pagano - Mens Compound
Darwin	725
Melbourne	717
Peter Tait - Mens Compound
Darwin	821
Melbourne	773

Handicap Ratings at June 2000

Ladies Compound
1st equal	Cora Arnold (V)	68	2nd Class
	Helen Moore (V)	68	1st Class
3rd	Maria Doyle (V)	62	2nd Class
4th	Alicia Dell	60
5th	Sue Henthorn	49	3rd Class
6th equal	Belinda Fulloon	(not yet recorded)
	Sally Andrew	(not yet recorded)
Ladies Recurve
1st	Donelle Wilton-Smith	74
2nd	Janice Hilliard (V)	59
3rd	Sally Allen	34
4th	Julie McDougal	(not yet recorded)
5th	Kate Poulson	(not yet recorded)
Mens Compound
1st	Nick Horley	100	Master Bowmen
2nd equal	Wayne Wood	99
	Roger Klooster (V)	99	1st Class
4th	Allan McVicar (V)	97	1st Class
5th	Edmund Rapsevicius (V)	96	1st Class
6th	Abraham Singer (U18)	91
7th	David Boyd	88
8th equal	Andrew Needham	87
	Vince Hantos	87	1st Class
	David Henthorn (V)	87	1st Class
11th	Paul Moore (V)	78	1st Class
12th	Ross Jacka (V)	75
13th	Peter Chesser	69	2nd Class
14th	Peter Tait	65	2nd Class
15th	Gregory Rowell	64
16th	Bob Pagano	55	3rd Class
17th	Andrew Chesser (U14)	52	2nd Class
18th	Gregory Pagano (U12)	35	3rd Class
	Newton Goldman (V)	(not yet recorded)
	Daniel Malony	(not yet recorded)
	Robert Walker	(not yet recorded)
	Roger Irving	(not yet recorded)
Mens Recurve
1st equal	Chris Wilton-Smith	75
	Gregory Rowell	75
3rd	Abraham Singer (U18)	71
4th	Glen Heaton	56
5th	David Boyd (U/14)	48
6th	Andrew Allen	45	3rd Class
7th	David Boyd	36
8th	Doug Brown (BB)	25	3rd Class
	Robert Walker	(not yet recorded)
Please let the recorder know if you are not listed in the correct age divison.

The Three Keys to Archery

Required: Front door key - Back door key - Car key…… Just kidding.

There are three main parts to your form that will ultimately determine your accuracy in archery. These are Anchor, Head/shoulders and body position, and Stance. In this newsletter we will look at these parts of your form and see how they can affect your accuracy.

Most coaches will tell you how important your form is in archery, and how it affects your accuracy. For us to shoot tens shot after shot we would have to be a machine, for only a machine could possibly replicate perfect form every shot. In archery we can be "machine like" by being consistent with good form.

So let's look at our form and see how we can improve our performance and become more consistent.

Anchor.

If your anchor moves 6mm your arrow position will change its impact by 90mm at 20m, and it only gets worse as your shooting distance increases.

If you look at the best recurve archers in the world, you will notice one thing in common, they all use their jaw for a solid anchor. This gives them the most consistent and solid anchor point on the body. It stands to reason then that archers that use the side of their face or their cheek to anchor will be less consistent than archers who use their jaw, regardless of whether they are shooting with fingers or release aid.

So how do we find a solid anchor point. In beginners courses we learn that there are three main points of contact for your anchor. The anchor point must be on the jaw as this is the only solid point on the face. We can then use the nose and the chin for further reference points at full draw by drawing the string to them. You must however keep your teeth together as this will affect your jaw position and hence your anchor point.

Achieving a solid consistent anchor point is the single most important key to improving consistency and accuracy.

Head, shoulders and body position.

The next most important part of your form is your body position in relation to your bow.

You should be standing straight with your head upright and your shoulders parallel to the ground. All of your muscles should be as relaxed as possible; if there is any tension in the muscles at the point of release this will be transferred to the bow and arrow.

Looking at Figure 1 we can see there is a triangle that is formed when the arrow is drawn to full draw. At anchor there should be two straight lines formed; between the bow hand (C) and the drawing shoulder (E), and the bow hand (C) and the drawing elbow (A). By forming this triangle at full draw you are able to reduce your muscle tension and keep the lines of force equal, reduce torque and provide more dynamic power to each shot.

You will also notice (looking at the rear view of Figure 1) that there is a "Rigid Frame Plane" formed at full draw. If you were to raise the drawing elbow or lower the drawing elbow you would place a twisting force on your shoulder and affect the string as it is released. It is therefore important to keep this "Rigid Frame Plane" and the triangle as straight as possible as it reduces unnecessary muscle tension and forces on the bow. It also greatly reduces the risk of injury to the drawing shoulder.

Stance

The last "key" to be discussed here is the stance. We have already looked at posture but lets have a quick look at the position of the feet. Generally there are just two positions mentioned by coaches to beginners, but here we will look at a third.

The open stance offers some benefits; more stability in wind and more "power" (depending on who you speak to). However there have been many comments made by elite athletes and coaches that the open stance places too much twisting force on the body adversely affecting form and causing lower back discomfort. See figure 2 for feet position.

The square stance on the other hand offers reduced muscle tension and correct posture, both being very beneficial to form and the wellbeing of the archer. The drawback being that this stance offers less stability in windy conditions. See figure 2 for feet position.

There are many archers that are now using a variation of both of these two stances. You can see this in Figure 2. Firstly notice how with the square stance the feet straddle the line and are parallel to the target. With the open stance the lower half of the body (from the hips down to the feet) is turned more to face the target. Now look at the variation. Notice how the feet are still parallel to the target. This offers the same benefits as the square stance with more stability in the wind without the adverse twisting placed on the body with the open stance. This third stance is being used by many elite archers as it provides benefits from both the open stance and the square stance.

For any of these "keys" to have effect on accuracy you must make each shot count and consistently carry out the same actions each shot.

These three steps are just the basics but without them you will have a very difficult time finding good consistent form and improving your accuracy.

Based on an article by Dee Wilde for The Glade.
"Figure 1" from "The Technical Side of Archery Form and
The Formmaster Training Device" By Richard F Carella.
Gregory Rowell

For Sale

1. A minimum order will need to be made before these will be available (I think). Prices will depend on order size.
   
2. These prices are approximate only.
   (See the secretary or recorder for confirmation of prices and availability of goods.)

"The Answers"

Q: What is an Ascham (ask-am)?

A: An Ascham is a tall locker for bows and arrows.

Q: What's a Benn?

A: A Benn is a coloured sash given as a prize in Scotland.

"The Questions"

Q: What's a Birun?

Q: What's a Bowshot?