I think there are several reasons that more youth are
interested in our sport of archery than ever before. The National Archery
in The Schools (NASP) program is probably one of the biggest reasons. I
love the Genesis bow and that is what they use in the NASP program. The Genesis
Bows function similar to a recurve in that the weight 'stacks' so the
further you pull the bow back, the more weight you are pulling back. This makes
it easier for two kids to share the bow or an adult and a child. The
Genesis 'looks' like a compound which is better in the eyes of kids that have a
parent that shoots a compound bow.
If you are a beginner in the sport of archery or you have a
child that is, I think there a couple of important things to keep in mind. The goal is that every shot is consistently
executed. But more than that, the goal
should be that it is executed with correct form. I like to start with foot placement or ‘stance.’ The way you stand when you shoot your bow, will become a habit. This is why I think it is an important place
to start. If you don’t, you might have a
habit that isn’t a good one. I like to
see a shooter stand with their feet shoulder width apart and with their toes
pointing at a ninty- degree angle from the target. I think this stance encourages the correct
upper body position when shooting.
Next, I like to look at the bow hand and the way the shooter
holds the bow and the way their hand lays in the grip. Placement of the archer’s hand in the bow
grip should happen before the bow is drawn, not while you are at full
draw. The archer, especially the young
archer, should get in the habit of laying their hand on their bow grip exactly
the same way for every shot. So many
things during your shot can be affected by your bow hand. Here is the way I like to explain the way
your bow hand should interact with your bow grip to archers, young and
old! Straddle your bow grip where your
thumb and forefinger act as your legs would on a motorcycle. Then, just gently lay your hand down.
That is the first part of my lesson for begging archery and
helping your young archer! Stay tuned
for the more and Please send pictures of your young archers and what has helped
to info@eaglearchery.com so we can
post them on this blog!
