I've just been looking at the new SAA coaching web site and wonder if others have had the chance to visit (see http://www.scottisharchery.org.uk/coaching/index.php).
It has the same clean look and feel as the main SAA site and, although fairly young, has some valuable content already. In particular, I had a look at the presentations from the November 2008 National Coaching Conference (they don't seem to be at the GNAS web site?).
A really full presentation about the last Olympics and four presentations on the coaching structure are there. There is also a very, very complete presentation on shooting from Kim Hyung Tak, that is worth spending some time on.
There is also an intriguing presentation from Bill Mackay called "100% ME" but the link unfortunately doesn't go anywhere - so we will just have to imagine what that is about!
Monday 19 January 2009
Monday 12 January 2009
New Year Resolutions
This is the time of year that many of us make New Year resolutions. A few years ago, quirkology did a study that revealed some interesting facts - perhaps there are some archery goal-setting lessons here, particularly in the difference of the sexes.
They found that, at the start, 52% of participants were confident of success, but one year later, only 12% actually achieved their goal. Men were significantly more likely to succeed when asked to engage in either goal setting, or focusing on the rewards associated with achieving their goal. Women were more successful when they told their friends and family about their resolution, or were encouraged to be especially resilient and not to give up because they had reverted to the old habits.
Men may be more likely to adopt a macho attitude and have unrealistic expectations, and so simple goal setting helps them achieve more. Likewise, women might be reluctant to tell others about their resolutions, and so benefit more from the social support provided by friends and family once they have made their goals public.
Hints for achieving New Year’s Resolutions
They found that, at the start, 52% of participants were confident of success, but one year later, only 12% actually achieved their goal. Men were significantly more likely to succeed when asked to engage in either goal setting, or focusing on the rewards associated with achieving their goal. Women were more successful when they told their friends and family about their resolution, or were encouraged to be especially resilient and not to give up because they had reverted to the old habits.
Men may be more likely to adopt a macho attitude and have unrealistic expectations, and so simple goal setting helps them achieve more. Likewise, women might be reluctant to tell others about their resolutions, and so benefit more from the social support provided by friends and family once they have made their goals public.
Hints for achieving New Year’s Resolutions
- Both Sexes: Make Only One Resolution, Plan ahead, Avoid previous resolutions, Be specific
- For men: Set S.M.A.R.T goals, Carrot not stick
- For women: Go public, Be persistent
Monday 13 October 2008
Dusting it off ....
Over the last few weeks, I've pretty much been head down writing the governance review papers for the ArcheryGB/GNAS Board next weekend. There has been a huge amount of work involved, and the support from colleagues and from our external advisors, Standard Life Investments, has been outstanding. The Board does scrutinise papers pretty thoroughly, so I hope I have done a good job - might be a different story next weekend :-).
Muriel and I had a weeks holiday in France at the end of September (so I missed posting then as the Internet was nowhere to be found). The weather varied from glorious sunshine to hail showers but there was enough to see and to do, visiting Azincourt and the Somme for instance. We were driving through a small village to the south of St Omer and saw a sign for archery - following it led to a clubhouse (for beer/wine/coffee/chat no doubt), a huge field and two popinjay masts. The downside to going at that time of year is it is the start of the hunting season, so lots of men and dogs everywhere shooting birds and rabbits.
We were up seeing Simon and Lana this weekend and I dusted the bow off and took it up. I managed to shot some arrows and played with the back tension release that John M had given me - oops, sold to me :-) - resulting in one bust arrows and a different feel to the shooting.
If John is reading this, I'm just off to write the cheque now ...
Muriel and I had a weeks holiday in France at the end of September (so I missed posting then as the Internet was nowhere to be found). The weather varied from glorious sunshine to hail showers but there was enough to see and to do, visiting Azincourt and the Somme for instance. We were driving through a small village to the south of St Omer and saw a sign for archery - following it led to a clubhouse (for beer/wine/coffee/chat no doubt), a huge field and two popinjay masts. The downside to going at that time of year is it is the start of the hunting season, so lots of men and dogs everywhere shooting birds and rabbits.
We were up seeing Simon and Lana this weekend and I dusted the bow off and took it up. I managed to shot some arrows and played with the back tension release that John M had given me - oops, sold to me :-) - resulting in one bust arrows and a different feel to the shooting.
If John is reading this, I'm just off to write the cheque now ...
Sunday 31 August 2008
The end of the month ...
August ends and September starts ... so begins the move to autumn and winter, and the cry of "the nights are fair drawing in" will be heard in Scotland.
There has been quite a lot going on since I last wrote. I been at some more, and better attended shoots. The Penicuik Premier is next weekend and that is usually "stowed out" to use another local phrase.
People should now be aware that there is another Director on the Board. I am glad to say that this now means the majority of Directors are "serious archers". Bev was at the Newcastle shoot last weekend looking for her last MB score which she sadly missed by a few points.
I have really had my head down over the last two months looking at the governance of the society, In this, I am part of a team with John Poyner (Director Finance) and Allison Kennedy from Standard Life Investments. Alison is on board due to the FTSE 100 initiative where the BOA paired up companies and governing bodies. I kind of knew that this was a big task, but I now feel that it is going to be something like a two year project rather than one that can be finished in a few months.
There has been quite a lot going on since I last wrote. I been at some more, and better attended shoots. The Penicuik Premier is next weekend and that is usually "stowed out" to use another local phrase.
People should now be aware that there is another Director on the Board. I am glad to say that this now means the majority of Directors are "serious archers". Bev was at the Newcastle shoot last weekend looking for her last MB score which she sadly missed by a few points.
I have really had my head down over the last two months looking at the governance of the society, In this, I am part of a team with John Poyner (Director Finance) and Allison Kennedy from Standard Life Investments. Alison is on board due to the FTSE 100 initiative where the BOA paired up companies and governing bodies. I kind of knew that this was a big task, but I now feel that it is going to be something like a two year project rather than one that can be finished in a few months.
Monday 14 July 2008
And it hit me like never before
It is the middle of the shooting season and the Scottish weather certainly is showing that. I was at Banchory this weekend with wet and cold on the Saturday, and warm (but not hot) on the Sunday. This is mid July, how can archers get any decent scores if the weather doesn't play ball.
Anyway, this short note is not about my angst at the weather, it's about something all together more worrying.
As long as I can remember, Banchory has been one of the jewels in the crown of Scottish archery. It's a good shooting field, right in the middle of town, with its only fickleness being a gap in the trees between 70m and 90m that can give the gents some issues sometimes.
It has informal, and well used, camping, lots of eateries and is even easily accessible by public transport. It has always been well run, with a raffle to boot. So, what's the beef?
Just 12 targets were filled at the weekend, and no junior ones at that. The field looked lonely, with the usually fence to fence line of bosses sadly depleted.
I won't even start to guess at the reasons for this, but I guess that you look at all sorts of things and see just a gradual change and then something like Banchory comes along and "it hit me like never before" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0as2GKhmuA)
Anyway, this short note is not about my angst at the weather, it's about something all together more worrying.
As long as I can remember, Banchory has been one of the jewels in the crown of Scottish archery. It's a good shooting field, right in the middle of town, with its only fickleness being a gap in the trees between 70m and 90m that can give the gents some issues sometimes.
It has informal, and well used, camping, lots of eateries and is even easily accessible by public transport. It has always been well run, with a raffle to boot. So, what's the beef?
Just 12 targets were filled at the weekend, and no junior ones at that. The field looked lonely, with the usually fence to fence line of bosses sadly depleted.
I won't even start to guess at the reasons for this, but I guess that you look at all sorts of things and see just a gradual change and then something like Banchory comes along and "it hit me like never before" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0as2GKhmuA)
Sunday 6 July 2008
Up the Pole
I promised a few words on crossbows.
Shooting consists of standing a little way out from the mast and shooting vertically up with a blunt. The round is a number of shots taken singly at one mast and then doing the same at another mast.
These bows are all individually hand made by a local craftsman. From what I could gather, there are hundreds of crossbow guilds (clubs) across the eastern Netherlands and into Germany, and there are quite a number of local artisans who make the equipment.
The target is a 5cm disc on top of a hollow scaffold pole and it is attached to a rope that runs through the centre. The pole is on top of a wooden mast so that the disc is 12.5m off the ground. When you knock the disc off, you have scored and just pull the other end of the rope to get it back on the top.
Shooting consists of standing a little way out from the mast and shooting vertically up with a blunt. The round is a number of shots taken singly at one mast and then doing the same at another mast.
This whole episode takes about 20-30 minutes and then that is shooting finished for the night. The rest of the evening consist of drinking coffee or beer, and talking.
More information on the guild we visited can be found at http://www.schuttersgilde-eersel.nl/ and a directory of all guilds can be found at http://schuttersgilden.startpagina.nl/ (both in Dutch, but have pictures).
Also, if you want to hear a Guilds song, as well as see their uniforms, then visit http://stsebastiaanmierlo.spydar.com/. (thought, once we have chosen a new logo for the SAA, what about a song ...)
Monday 30 June 2008
Colour, Beer and Tin Men ...
The debate we had about shooting colours seems to have died down and we, more or less, take for granted that we shoot in a rainbow line these days, and, perhaps feel this is all something new.
In the town we were staying in Holland, we came across the local crossbow guild (I'll have some words on that next weekend if I get the pictures out of the other camera). The guild is, of course, intimately tied up with giving men a reason to get together, blether and drink beer/coffee.
In the town we were staying in Holland, we came across the local crossbow guild (I'll have some words on that next weekend if I get the pictures out of the other camera). The guild is, of course, intimately tied up with giving men a reason to get together, blether and drink beer/coffee.
During the visit, we heard about the annual procession to commemorate a miracle from the middle ages and I came across this by chance. In the picture below, you can see the guild master and all of the silver on his cape.
The procession had different members of the guild there. In the picture below, you can see the colour of the silks of the flag bearers in contrast to the more sober black of the guild members.
Another bit of happenchance was on a visit to Ommen where I found the tin figure museum. Tin figures are two dimensional and rather easier to make than the ones we are used to. There was a diorama of Waterloo with more than 10,000 figures and well as some rather risque Greek and Roman ones.
However, I did come across this collection of the Royal Company, another reminder of the use of colour not being particularly modern.
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