Reaching your peak

[chrisk]

You will have to put on a clinic come Feb. Just so I can hit something. I got the drawing the bow down, its just the release and hitting the target I have a problem with. Late Archery comes in tomorrow!!!!!!!!!! And besides you are only like what 25(you wish) you have many more years to be Fred Bear, just remember when you become Fred Bear and get all kinds of permission to hunt bears, moose, and African critters, just remember I was always nice to you.ha,ha,ha.

Chris Kiefner

Chris Kiefner

[M.E.B.]

Chris started shooting in college about the time I developed a bad case of target panic. I was shooting the Asbell method and had won or placed well in several tournaments.

After 3 d was around a while everyone's shooting level rose. The Asbell method of shooting at least for me, limited my shooting distance. My level of being competive fell and my confidence began to wane. My shooting accuracy probably did not fall as much as my confidence.

To shoot a compound or a recurve successfully you must have total confidence that the arrow is going were you want it to. I know of some shooters that are so boastful and full of confidence that I would just as soon not be in their presence but they can back up what they spew.

I was in need of a change as Chris stated above. Chris would come home from college and give me some pointers. Screwed my shooting up so bad I might have shot a compound if I had any sense. It also did not help my confidence to have him whup my butt every weekend in my own backyard. What he was telling me was right. But it was too many changes at once and some probably worked better for shooting FITA and not my backwoods point the dang thing and let go.

I took some of what he said and blended it with my style. I am still not a threat to the top tournament archers but I do have more confidence in my shooting now. If I make a bad shot I usually know what went wrong where with the Asbell method I did not know if it was my shooting or if my pure instinstive shooting was off that day.

So as far as peaking out I think we hit highs and lows. Sometimes depending on how much we get to practice or hunt. The thing for me to watch out far is to realize or at least to try to convience myself of is that my shooting is off because of lack of practice and not because I suck. You can recover from lack of practice. Never let your confidence fall even if you have to stand closer. That way your level of shooting never has to drop just your distance. ;-)

As far as being older more experienced and shooting better is concerned I will never forget a 3 D touranment when Chris was about 13. A couple of fellows that we did not know got paired up with us. They made a couple of comments about probably spending more time behind the targets looking for arrows with a kid shooting.

They were pretty good shots but Chris was shooting extremely well that day. They began to get pretty peeved when they hit in the 10 ring and Chris would call which feather on their arrow he was going to shoot off. He tore up a few of their arrows. They got so flustered that they shot worse and worse. I believe Chris won the tournament that day shooting from the mens stake. He was brimming with confidence and still is.

Now lets quit bragging on him. He is hard enough to put up with as it is.........

[broken arrow]

good read Mike....